David Hockney: Pieced Together at the National Science and Media Museum
Maja Lorkowska, Exhibitions Editor
Bradford’s newly reopened National Science and Media Museum presents David Hockney: Pieced Together, a new temporary exhibition by the Bradford-born superstar artist.
While today Hockney is primarily known for his paintings (both on canvas and iPad), his early works include photographic collages called ‘joiners’, which have informed the way he works to this day. According to the artist, the ‘joiners’ represent a truer representation of reality that a single still image can produce – instead of being limited to a single perspective, they are made from a combination of multiple shots, from different angles that are then pieced together to create a more dynamic and multidimensional view of the subject, whether it’s a building or a portrait of the artist’s mother.
David Hockney: Pieced Together showcases two of the ‘joiner’ works which are in the museum’s collection and one even shows the early days of the museum building itself, back when it was the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television. This particular piece hasn’t seen the light of day for 25 years so this is a rare chance to catch it.
Perhaps the largest attraction of the exhibition is the video installation: The Four Seasons, Woldgate Woods (Spring 2011, Summer 2010, Autumn 2010, Winter 2010). Using the same approach as he did for the photographic works, these video collages capture each season using nine separate videos. The elements fit together but not entirely, mirroring the more scattered nature of our gaze. The pieces are displayed across four walls, with the aim of creating a more immersive experience for the viewers.
The exhibition is accompanied by film screenings at the Pictureville Cinema, showing Hockney (2014) and A Bigger Splash (1973) during the opening weekend.
Come down to the museum and take a look around the freshly refurbished space. Don’t forget to look up too – the new foyer space is now home to a 2m-tall replica of an Aardman model from Wallace & Gromit: The Wrong Trousers. It’s climbing the museum wall so you won’t miss it!
