That's the Way I See It [Hardcover]

David Hockney (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1993

Published to great critical acclaim in 1993, That's the Way I See It, the second volume in David Hockney's impassioned autobiography, is now available in a handsome paperback edition. Hailed by Artforum as "direct, engaging, and unpretentiously intelligent" and by the Washington Post as "the year's most engaging art book . . . quirky, opinonated and very visual," That's the Way I See It offers a revealing look at one of our most popular artists. In this tour de force, over 350 reproductions of Hockney's paintings, graphic designs, and experimental work are closely interwoven with the artist's insightful and highly personal narrative. Accessible, articulate, and always ahead of their time, Hockney's compostions and reflections offer a fascinationg look at a uniquely talented artist.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

How the act of visual representation affects what we see--a theme of Hockney's paintings--is a major concern of this lively, unpretentious memoir edited by his friend Stango, who is an editor at the Thames and Hudson publishing house. Picking up where he left off in David Hockney by David Hockney (1976), the English-born artist, who moved to California in 1978, explains how he escaped "the trap of naturalism" under the combined influence of Picasso, two years in Paris (1973-75) and encounters with Islamic art in Egypt. He muses on love, imagination and aging, writes movingly of his loss of hearing and of his father's death, and discusses his opera set designs for Tristan and Isolde and The Magic Flute. Dozens of previously unpublished paintings and drawings are closely interwoven with the narrative. Among them are Hockney's most recent works--majestic views of the Pacific coast, room interiors, still lifes and his intriguing experiments with pictures made via personal computer, color laser printer or fax machine.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Why this artist chose to move his residence permanently to California in 1978 is readily apparent. Hockney's candid manner belies stereotypes of British reserve as he continues his autobiographical reflections in a volume abundantly illustrated with the paintings, photographic collages, stage set designs, and works involving reproduction processes from the period of the mid-1970s to the present. Because he isn't afraid to reveal himself, Hockney's straightforward style contributes to an engaging and close-up look at the creative process of an artist embracing growth and change. Hockney's response to critics who faulted him at times for the carefree, colorful style of his work tells a great deal about the man: "My duty as an artist is to overcome the sterility of despair." Readers are in for an insightful journey, exploring along with Hockney a world of spatial possibilities both on two-dimensional surfaces and in the breathtaking three-dimensional designs for opera. Alice Joyce

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books; 1St Edition edition (September 1, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811805069
• ISBN-13: 978-0811805063
• Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 9.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #439,455 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Real Beauty !, November 15, 2002

By 

BeachReader (Delaware) - See all my reviews

This review is from: That's the Way I See It (Hardcover)

I have been a fan of David Hockney's for many many years and was delighted to find this book. He writes in an understated, easy way about his art and about modern art in general.

Two of the sections were particularly interesting: "Art versus the Art World" and "The Power of Art".

In the book, Hockney explained how places and his personal experiences have influenced his art over the years. He talks about how he is incorporating photography into his work and feels that it is an artist's responsibility to be open to new forms of expression. He says he is an "artist who is always working". I think he is always experimenting too, with different methods of expressing his artistic vision.

He said he asssumes that if he is interested in painting something, others will be interested as well. I loved this viewpoint....in other words, he creates for himself.

This was a lovely book---especially all of the GORGEOUS color reproductions which traced the Hockney's evolution and his journeys.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Hockney Treasure House!, July 18, 2006

By 

Grady Harp (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: That's the Way I See It (Paperback)

Fortunately for us, Chronicle Books continues to grace the art bookstores with superb and affordable monographs on art that make a difference. In this completely enchanting, richly illustrated book David Hockney conducts a conversation with us, the reader, sharing his unique and genteel ideas on how he sees and hence composes the paintings and drawings and photographic montages and sets of operas that have so enriched the art world since he first began his long career.

Hockney's writing style is quietly warm, honest, clever, whimsical and very informed. In this truly magnificent volume he is sharing not only his forays into experimental art (his influences from Picasso, Bacon, and the many MANY illustrious friends who fill his life), he also allows us to understand why he experiments with photography (his explosive yet intimate collages of Polaroid rooms of conversing friends are unique to Hockney), his manner of viewing huge spaces and then parceling them onto paper or canvas in a manner that allows us to see vistas not available to the isolated glance, his still lifes, his sketches and portraits of studio visitors - the volume of work is staggering.

Another fine discussion revolves around is spectacular sets for opera (Tristan und Isolde, Turandot, The Magic Flute, A Rake's Progress, Die Frau Ohne Schatten) - these coming from an artist who is almost completely without hearing making music visual!

For all lovers of Hockney's work as well as for those who want to understand why he so very popular, this is one of the best introductions available about the man and his work! Highly Recommended. Grady Harp, July 06

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Now I see it ----- differently!, October 27, 2000

By 

C. Wu (Northern California) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: That's the Way I See It (Paperback)

This is an interesting book because it explains the discovery of ways of seeing, and in the process of explaining alters the way the reader sees art.

The challenge of pop art or abstract art is that to the uninitiated it seems gimmicky, and one often goes 'you've got to be kidding?' But with this wonderful exploration of the different ways that art and photography are ways of capturing a point of view, not a reproduction of a point of view. And more importantly, how Mr. Hockney comes to these expressions of point of view you get a glimpse of not only an interpretation of art, but the process of art. I love words and the essays are as magnificent as his art in their clarity and honesty. The section on his photo montages are amazing.