Watched the BBC Imagine programme on Hockney tonight. Inspiring and intriguing as always and as wryly challenging as he was when we first encountered the Bigger Splash as a painting and a film. But a motif of these art exhibitions has been the role of photography in so much of the work. As a tool, a medium and often as an intrinsic part of the subject matter. I recall reflecting on this in a 2006 blog entry. Intriguing to watch Hockney in a post photography mode outside capturing landscape and childhood directly with a brush and oil paint. Reminded me of this landscape by a student at Holmer Green this year.
It also reminded me of a time when as a young head of department I ran a weekend residential course for my 6th form students in February. The focus was drawing and we intended to work from still life. But it snowed overnight and so we spent Saturday outside in the Kent countryside painting. It is true that work taken directly from first hand experience is different from work filtered through a lens. Not necessarily better but certainly different.
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