A new book on David Hockney is set to offer readers the chance to view the artist from a fresh perspective – that of his younger brother.
The Hockneys: Never Worry What the Neighbours Think is written by John Hockney, the youngest of five siblings, and promises to examine the close and complex relationships between the family members, as well revealing more about the life of one of Britain’s best-loved artists. According to a brief statement by David: “John has a view of me no one else has.”
The book, which includes private pictures and paintings by David, will cover the full lives of the Hockney clan, from growing up in Bradford during the second world war to their later careers.
Its subtitle – Never Worry What the Neighbours Think – was a phrase their father Kenneth used to inspire the children to take their own route in life. It certainly succeeded: David became one of the world’s most acclaimed artists, with a career spanning pop art, photomontage and his remarkable series of Los Angeles paintings, produced when he relocated to the city in the 1960s. One of these, 1972’s Portrait of an Artist (Pool With Two Figures), sold last year at Christie’s for $90.3m (£70.2m), a record for a living artist.
But his success hasn’t been at the expense of his siblings. Two brothers moved to Australia, with engineer Philip leading the way in 1961 and going on to become a power in petroleum trucking. John followed in 1968 and became a writer and musician. Margaret is a former nurse credited with introducing David to the iPad – technology that would influence his later career. Paul, who died in 2018, was a former lord mayor of Bradford.
Of the book, John says: “I have always been proud of my older siblings and felt the stories of individual determination to succeed and be themselves should be told. From inspiring parents, and my father’s philosophical comment, we each pursued life paths that vary.”
The Hockneys: Never Worry What The Neighbours Think will be published on 3 October by Legend Press.
• This article was amended on 22 February 2019 because an earlier version omitted mention of Philip Hockney. This has been rectified.
