Erotic Entry Part 6

As I stare out my window overlooking a grey sky filled with flurries,  I begin to have a Hockney-like moment... Imagining myself on the west coast bathed in the warmth, catching the sun's rays with my own reflection, lying next to a swimming pool.

For more information about the entries as well as art lectures and gallery and museum tours, contact cherise@nu-garde.com or www.nu-garde.com/.
___________________________________________________________________________

      David Hockney, Sunbather, 1966, Acrylic on canvas, Collection of the Museum Ludwig, Cologne, Germany

Photo Courtesy La Louver

California dreamin’ is indeed one of the first thoughts that comes to mind with David Hockney’s pool series paintings. For a gay British artist, traveling to California in the 60s was a most riveting experience that captivated and transformed Hockney’s artistic output. The colors, vibrancy, nudity, artificiality, and phenomenal weather were enough to invigorate Hockney in more than one way.

In England, where it is bleak and grey for more than three quarters of the year, sunlight and swimming pools were a more than welcome change for Hockney. By flying over California, Hockney was able to see the intensely blue chlorinated swimming pools in almost everyone’s backyard. Pool culture is an aspect of California that Hockney capitalized on intently. In Sunbather, we have an aerial perspective of the bather and pool, much as Hockney had when he was flying to California for the first time. Also, for a twenty something gay man, seeing all of the toned, buff, and naked shaved male bodies lounging by the pools must have been sensory overload. The sunbather is lying next to the water, catching the reflective rays of sunlight in order to fully bronze sans tan lines. The sunbather sports a speedo tan line that demarcates the bronze California flesh from the delicate areas which are kept in modesty. Perhaps he took a skinny dip in the water and is now resting… or he’s just lying there for our enjoyment. Using the fairly new medium of acrylic paint allowed Hockney to explore a wider vibrancy of colors. The swirly white spirals in the pool signify waves, but also reference a bodily fluid secreted during sexual arousal. The sperm-like tendrils take the viewer from the other side of the pool to a position right beside the sunbather. He may be more engrossed in his tan, but we’re more interested by when he’ll turn over to complete his tan on the other side.  

____________________________________________________________________________