David Hockney’s London birthday tribute draws crowds, charity support, and late-night viewing
London is marking what would have been David Hockney’s 89th birthday with two separate celebrations of the British artist’s work. At Lightroom in Kings Cross on 9 July, a special screening of Bigger & Closer, not smaller & further away is raising funds for the Royal Drawing School, while Serpentine North in Kensington Gardens continues to pull in unusually large audiences for A Year in Normandie and Some Other Thoughts about Painting.
The Lightroom presentation is an immersive project divided into six chapters, tracing Hockney’s personal journey across 60 years of artmaking. The screening includes material drawn from his polaroid collages and more recent iPad works, underscoring the range of media that has shaped his career. The event also carries a philanthropic dimension: proceeds will benefit the Royal Drawing School, the charity founded by King Charles that Hockney supported.
A few miles away, the Serpentine’s Hockney exhibition has become one of the gallery’s most popular in recent memory. More than 200,000 visitors have already seen A Year in Normandie (2020-2021), the monumental frieze at the center of the presentation. The exhibition remains on view until 23 August.
For the final weeks, Serpentine North will extend opening hours until 9pm on Fridays and Saturdays, allowing visitors to experience Hockney’s work in the softer light of evening. The gallery is also leaning into the moment with Hockney-themed merchandise, including a hand-decorated vase, picnic blanket, cushions, drinks trays, and caps.
Taken together, the two venues show how Hockney’s appeal continues to span formats, generations, and audiences — from immersive digital presentation to a large-scale painted frieze in the park.
