Gregory Evans first met David Hockney through his partner at the time, the Los Angeles art dealer Nicholas Wilder. Wilder represented Hockney in California, and Evans was immediately affected by Hockney’s work. In 1973, a newly single Evans found himself living in Paris, where David Hockney was also residing. They began to frequently meet at the Café de Flore and developed a friendship which soon turned into a romantic relationship. As their connection blossomed, Hockney began to draw Gregory with increasing frequency. The two travelled together – to Rome, Australia, New Zealand – and took a cross-country road trip from New York to Los Angeles. Back in Los Angeles, Hockney returned to the Gemini G.E.L. workshop to produce a highly-precise series of portraits titled Friends – which included this lithographic portrait of Evans. Evans is seated on a chair, smartly dressed, and rendered in exceptional detail. The project as a whole was an exercise in close observation, with this image in particular exemplifying Hockney’s draughtsmanship.
Despite separating in the 1980s, Hockney and Evans have remained close friends. They have continued to work together for over 40 years, with Evans serving as Hockney’s business manager and curator. Attesting to the importance of Evans to Hockney, when asked who the love of his life was in an interview with The Guardian in 2015, Hockney answered “maybe Gregory”.
David Hockney, Image of Gregory, from Moving Focus, 1984-85. Artwork: © David Hockney / Tyler Graphics Ltd. Literature
Gemini G.E.L. 712
Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo 165Artist Biography
David Hockney
David Hockney (b. 1937) is one of the most well-known and celebrated artists of the
20th and 21st centuries. He works across many mediums, including painting, collage,
and more recently digitally, by creating print series on iPads. His works show semi-
abstract representations of domestic life, human relationships, floral, fauna, and the
changing of seasons.
Hockney has exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Royal
Academy of Arts in London, and the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, among many
other institutions. On the secondary market, his work has sold for more than $90
million.
60
Gregory Evans, from Friends (Gemini G.E.L. 712, M.C.A.T. 165)
1976
Lithograph, on Arches Cover buff paper, the full sheet.
S. 106 x 75.4 cm (41 3/4 x 29 5/8 in.)
Signed, dated and numbered 15/90 in pencil (there were also 16 artist's proofs), published by Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles (with their blindstamps), unframed.
Estimate
£3,000 - 5,000 ‡♠
Sold for £4,032
Robert Kennan
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David Hockney
London Auction 13 September 2022
