Today, Monday 17 September 2007, the Art Gallery of New South Wales announced the purchase of David Hockney’s A closer winter tunnel, 2006.  The painting, consisting of six canvas panels, is now on public display at the Gallery.

This significant work complements the Gallery’s British 20th century collection, which up to now did not include the work of one of the most outstanding British artists of the 20th century, David Hockney.

The Gallery is indebted to three sources of support for the purchase of this work: Geoff and Vicki Ainsworth, the family of Florence and Bill Crosby, and the Gallery’s Foundation.

Two years ago Hockney returned to his native East Yorkshire and undertook a series of dramatic, highly charged works with his now characteristic strong colours.

"Hockney is indisputably one of the most original and versatile artists of the 20th century and these new East Yorkshire paintings, so full of life and veracity, have brought fresh recognition of this rich and vivacious imagination.

"These works are something of a revelation and have made a tremendous impact wherever they have been displayed – currently five are on show in Tate Britain, London," said Edmund Capon, Director, Art Gallery of New South Wales.

The work was painted out in the landscape. Over a period of months Hockney would leave early in the morning, with a pick-up truck loaded with easels, canvases and paints, to work on these often immense compositions. Such direct and candid treatment may be compared with earlier 20th century painters, like the Fauves (Vlaminck, Dufy, Derain - already represented in the Gallery collection) and to the earlier English landscape artists (Gore, Spencer and Hitchens - again represented in the Gallery).

Media information
Claire Martin telephone (02) 9225 1734 or 0414 437 588
Email clairem@ag.nsw.gov.au

IMAGE CREDIT David Hockney (England b. 1937) A closer winter tunnel, 2006, oil on six canvas panels -
each 91.5 x 122cm, overall 190.5 x 381 cm.