The exhibition “David Hockney 25”, on view at the Fondation Louis Vuitton from April 9 to August 31, 2025, is the most extensive retrospective ever dedicated to the British artist. Bringing together more than 400 works spanning seven decades of creation, this exhibition offers an unprecedented immersion into Hockney’s world—from his early pieces in the 1950s to his most recent works.
A Monumental Retrospective
Occupying the entirety of the Fondation’s galleries, the exhibition highlights the diversity of techniques explored by Hockney: oil and acrylic paintings, ink, pencil, and charcoal drawings, digital works created on iPhone and iPad, as well as immersive video installations. Among the iconic pieces featured are A Bigger Splash (1967), Mr and Mrs Clark and Percy (1971), and Pacific Coast Highway and Santa Monica (1990). The artist personally supervised the exhibition design, working closely with his assistant Jonathan Wilkinson to conceive the layout and flow of each gallery.
A Dialogue with Art History and Technology
The exhibition emphasizes the influence of art history on Hockney’s practice, particularly European painting—from the Renaissance to modern masters such as Cézanne, Van Gogh and Picasso. One gallery is devoted to this artistic dialogue, while another, transformed into a space for dance and music, reflects Hockney’s passion for performance and opera. His collaboration with Studio 59 results in a polyphonic creation blending music and visuals, enveloping visitors in an immersive experience.
Recent Works and the Final Self-Portrait
The final section of the exhibition presents Hockney’s most recent works, created in London since 2023. Inspired by Edvard Munch and William Blake, these pieces—such as After Munch: Less is Known than People Think (2023) and After Blake: Less is Known than People Think (2024)—explore themes combining astronomy, history, geography, and spirituality. The exhibition concludes with a previously unseen self-portrait by the artist, titled Play within a Play within a Play and Me with a Cigarette, offering a personal and introspective end to this vast retrospective.