Drifting aimlessly through Louisiana Museum of Modern Art on Saturday I came across this wide charcoal drawing by David Hockney. This stunning museum had so far been such a powerful experience in itself as a space displaying art in a landscape setting that it really got me thinking about contexts for display. If the art is so set within nature then which has the more powerful effect? Does the nature always blow the art away or do they compliment each other?

I hadn’t expected to see the Hockney drawing at all so it was a pleasant surprise. I have always been drawn to Hockney’s thoughts on art, painting, drawing and experience. His book Hockney on Hockney (publ. 1976) remains one of my favourites on his creative process, the influences and inspirations behind his work and how, from that early period, the work came about. It’s an easy read too as he’s such a great communicator. I really recommend it. I find his ideas on perception, the depiction of space and his attempts to render these on a flat static surface fascinating. I have similar concerns and it’s the same questions that keep niggling away at you provoking you to do more.

I like the wall panel by this drawing and it echoed what I had been thinking about so I shall quote some of it here…

”… the artist generously donated the preparatory sketch…. Built up of myriad line fragments and bundles of hatchings, it is clear how the artist captures just exactly enough of his subject to bring out its pictorial potential. Nature cannot be surpassed, but nor is that the task of art, according to Hockney. Rather, art must elicit a human response; this has been its mission throughout history. Matisse and Picasso, artists whom Hockney holds in high esteem, also worked on the basis of this idea”.

Charcoal Drawing for “A Closer Grand Canyon’, 1988. Charcoal on paper. Wide, about 2.5 metres.