|
But the 81-year-old, known for his colorful
depictions of Los Angeles swimming pools and the countryside of
his native Yorkshire, is brushing off the attention.
"I ignore it," Hockney told Reuters on the sidelines of an
awards ceremony late on Wednesday. "I have the vanity of an
artist, I want my work to be seen, but I don't have to be seen."
Set against a lush green landscape, "Portrait of an Artist (Pool
with Two Figures)" is one of Hockney's most famous works,
depicting a man in a pink jacket looking down on another figure
swimming underwater in a pool.
Composed ahead of a exhibition in New York, the 1972 canvas was
inspired by two photographs, including one of Hockney's former
partner.
Auction house Christie's, which says the painting is "poised to
become the most valuable work of art by a living artist ever
sold at auction", estimates a price tag "in the range of $80
million" for its Nov. 15 sale in New York.
If it meets that figure, that would smash the price tag of
current record holder, Jeff Koons' stainless steel "Balloon Dog
(Orange)" sculpture, which sold for $58.4 million in 2013.
Hockney, who recently designed a stained glass window in honor
of Queen Elizabeth at Westminster Abbey, is considered one of
Britain's most influential artists.
On Wednesday night, he was recognized with an award for his
contribution to printmaking by Norway's Queen Sonja's art
foundation. Asked about future projects, Hockney said he had set
his sights on France: "I am planning to travel to Normandy next
year to do the arrival of spring."
(Reporting By Jayson Mansaray, writing by Marie-Louise Gumuchian,
editing by Larry King)
[© 2017 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2017 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.
 |
|
