IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE: HOCKNEY IN LONDON, 1960-1963
In the Mood for Love: Hockney in London, 1960–1963 presents a remarkable selection of early paintings, drawings, and prints from public and private collections, many of which have not been seen together since the 1960s. This exhibition marks the first in-depth exploration of this pivotal three-year period in Hockney’s career, tracing his artistic breakthroughs at the Royal College of Art and the years immediately following.
After leaving Bradford to study at the RCA in 1959, Hockney’s creativity flourished, influenced by European and American art, including the work of Picasso and Jackson Pollock. During this time, he developed a distinctive and ambitious visual language and started his Love series. This exhibition includes The First Love Painting (1960), alongside Love Painting – Shame (1960)and Composition (Thrust) (1962) from the RCA’s collection.
Building on this series, Hockney began to introduce figures into his paintings, as seen in Kaisarion (1960), inspired by the Greek poet Constantine P. Cavafy. Literary influences such as Cavafy and Walt Whitman played a vital role in shaping Hockney’s artistic vision throughout the 60s. Friends and lovers also became central figures in his paintings. The Cha Cha that was Danced in the Early Hours of 24th March 1961 (1961) features his first crush, Peter Crutch, while Life Painting for Myself (1962) from Ferens Art Gallery portrays his close friend and lover, Mo McDermott. The Salesman (1963) depicts his first and longtime art dealer, John Kasmin, who represented Hockney from 1962 through to the early 1990s.
A rarely exhibited work, Two Friends [in a Cul de Sac] (1963), underscores Hockney’s unabashed commitment to exploring his sexuality at a time when homosexuality was still criminalised in Britain. Through these deeply personal and expressive works that reflect on his experiences in bohemian London and the relationships he formed during this period, the exhibition offers a powerful glimpse into Hockney’s development.
The exhibition is curated by Louis Kasmin, grandson of John Kasmin and a sales associate at Hazlitt Holland-Hibbert, and accompanied by a fully illustrated catalogue featuring an essay by art historian Marco Livingstone, providing new insights into Hockney’s work and life at this time, along with reflections from John Kasmin.
