Abstract

The chronological progression of artistic movements has adapted in congruence with the development of human sciences, available resources, and as a reflection of the cultural context in which it pertains. The eclectic and ever-changing techniques presented in the work of artist David Hockney demonstrates the evolution of such inherit changes, predominantly in his use of the IPad, IPhone and the computer to render his recent body of work in the twenty-first century. Although Hockney has continuously experimented with different types of media, his artwork has remained thematically cohesive. His fascination with capturing a fleeting moment – a splash of water, a sunset over an East Yorkshire landscape, or the sun’s rays as it creeps through the trees at dusk – have remained salient within his oeuvre. However, his digital paintings have not gone without scrutiny, with many critics perceiving these works as an “awkward digital rhapsody,” and appearing “lazy” in their brushstrokes and overall composition. The criticism has been predominantly targeted at the lack of physical engagement with his paintings and relying too heavily on the technology to render a majority of the work. The use of alternative aids by artists to create their work has, however, been demonstrated in several artistic movements. Contemporary artists working in large scale sculpture, for instance, utilize computer-aided drawing (CAD) to digitize and enlarge their sculptures; photographers utilize light-capturing devices to archive a distinct moment in time; and Conceptual artist, Sol LeWitt and his system-oriented and serial-based installations are seldom, if ever, executed by the artist himself. Similarly, in the instance of David Hockney’s IPad and computer-made drawings, it can be argued that the use of these digital devices are manipulated as an expenditure of his creativity and fascination with capturing a distinct moment in an impromptu manner.

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