My Pool And Terrace

In this very linear and yet very painterly work Hockney presents us with a view of his own pool, bordered by plants whose foliage appears at first like a banana emerging from its skin, as well as the shutters of a pool house, a curve of railings and what could be planks of wood of a covered area on his terrace to the right. Dominated by red, blue and green, the scene is complex in its simplicity, offering a slightly skewed perspective which recalls his views of a Mexican courtyard in the Moving Focus series.

The pool itself appears empty, the squiggly blue lines suggesting not so much water but the actual lines that he painted onto the bottom of his swimming pool in blue paint so that the real life subject of so many of his paintings, drawings and prints, became an art object in its own right. With its light filled composition and palette of red and blue the work recalls Hockney’s more fauvist style and even appears to be a reference to Matisse’s scenes of the south of France.

Having moved from London to LA in 1964, Hockney was very taken by this sun-filled light (and life) and represented it many times throughout his oeuvre. While he may be best known for his portraits or pool scenes with figures, here we feel like LA becomes the main character in the story, this study of his pool and terrace alluding to his seemingly paradiscial lifestyle.