12/06/2026
𝗜𝗻 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗗𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗱 𝗛𝗼𝗰𝗸𝗻𝗲𝘆 (𝟭𝟵𝟯𝟳–𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲)
MICAS joins the international arts community in mourning the passing of David Hockney, one of the most influential and visionary artists of the past century.
Across more than six decades, Hockney continually reinvented the possibilities of painting, drawing and photography, always reminding us that, as he believed, “the camera cannot convey the intense emotion of a painted portrait.”
His legacy holds particular significance for MICAS. Our Artistic Director, Edith Devaney, worked closely with David Hockney over many years, curating landmark exhibitions at the Royal Academy before becoming Managing Director and Curator of the David Hockney Foundation and David Hockney Inc. Their collaboration was founded on a shared pursuit of artistic excellence and an enduring friendship.
Reflecting on watching Hockney at work, Edith had described his “absolute concentration to the exclusion of everything else” and recalled the remarkable fluidity with which he painted, observing that “it’s fascinating to see the colour he’s picking up.”
Hockney’s insatiable curiosity, generosity of spirit and belief in the act of seeing transformed contemporary art has inspired generations across the world.
MICAS Executive Chairperson Phyllis Muscat paid tribute to Hockney as an artist who had taught people how to simply ‘look’.
“As he once said, what an artist does for people is to bring them closer to something – indeed art is about sharing an experience, a mission statement if there was ever one for an institution like MICAS.
“We extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends, colleagues and all those whose lives were enriched by his extraordinary vision.”
