'Hotel Acatlán: First Day'

Richard Lloyd, Prints Department Head Specialist, on David Hockney's innovative print, Hotel Acatlán: First Day.

AN UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTER:
In a previous trip to Mexico, Hockney's car broke down in Acatlán,a town 150 miles south of Mexico City; here, he was inspired to sketch a hotel courtyard, which resulted in Hotel Acatlán: First Day.

A UNIQUE POINT OF VIEW:
Hockney worked with avariety of points of view in these works, combining the Renaissance tradition of fixed-viewpoint perspective with the Eastern aesthetic of multiple view points. The artist believed this would allow the viewer to become part of the picture.

A NEW TECHNIQUE: 
Master printer KennethTyler developed an innovative technique for Hockney involving colored crayons and paints on Mylar, which allowed the artist to explore color printing in greater depth and scale than before.

See the work in our Holiday online-only sale here.