David Hockney: Bigger & Closer (not smaller & further away)

At the request of David Hockney Studio and his family, Lightroom will present a series of special screenings of David Hockney’s critically acclaimed show, Bigger & Closer (not smaller & further away), on the evening of 9th July to mark what would have been the artist’s 89th birthday. Proceeds from the event will be donated to the Royal Drawing School, a charity which Hockney supported, rooted in his famous philosophy that drawing “makes you see things clearer”.

Bigger & Closer (not smaller & further away) which opened in February 2023, is the result of three years of close collaboration between David Hockney and the creators of Lightroom. It was the first of Lightroom’s repertoire of original, artist-led shows, made with leading artists and innovators, aspiring to be visually astonishing, alive with sound and rich in new perspectives. The show is entirely narrated by Hockney himself, creating a deeply personal connection between you and the artist.

In a cycle of six themed chapters, alongside a specially composed score by Nico Muhly, Hockney reveals his process to us. His voice is in our ears as we watch how he experimented with perspective, using photography as a way of ‘drawing with a camera’, capturing the passing of time in his polaroid collages and the joy of spring on his iPad, and showing us why only paint can properly convey the hugeness of the Grand Canyon. We join him on his audio-visual Wagner Drive, roaring up into the San Gabriel Mountains, and into the opera house by means of animated re-creations of his stage designs.

Director of the Royal Drawing School, Harry Parker said: “We are deeply grateful to Lightroom, David Hockney’s family and Studio for this wonderfully generous tribute. David Hockney was an unwavering champion of the Royal Drawing School from its earliest days and believed profoundly that drawing is fundamental to the way artists learn to see, think and make. His conviction that drawing sharpens our understanding of the world continues to inspire everything we do. We are honoured that the proceeds from these special screenings will support the School’s mission to make high-quality drawing education accessible to artists at every stage of their careers, reflecting David’s lifelong belief in the power of drawing.”