David Hockney’s early years in London were a time of explosive creativity, personal discovery, and artistic daring. In the Mood for Love: Hockney in London, 1960–1963, a new exhibition showcasing a remarkable array of paintings, drawings, and prints, offers a rare opportunity to revisit this transformative period in the artist’s career. Drawn from both public and private collections, many of these works have not been seen together since the 1960s, making this the first comprehensive exploration of Hockney’s pivotal three-year journey at the Royal College of Art (RCA) and the years that followed.
Arriving in London from Bradford in 1959, Hockney immersed himself in a world of artistic possibility. Influenced by the bold innovations of European and American modernists—Picasso’s fragmented forms and Pollock’s gestural abstraction—he began to forge a visual language that was distinctly his own. The exhibition traces this evolution, beginning with his Love series, which marked a turning point in his early career. Works like The First Love Painting (1960) and Love Painting – Shame (1960) reveal Hockney’s growing confidence, while Composition (Thrust) (1962) from the RCA’s collection captures his experimentation with abstraction and narrative.
As Hockney’s style matured, so too did his subject matter. Literary influences began to seep into his work, with the Greek poet Constantine P. Cavafy inspiring pieces like Kaisarion (1960). Walt Whitman’s poetry also left its mark, infusing Hockney’s art with a lyrical intimacy. But the people in his life—friends, lovers, and collaborators—became the heart of his paintings. The Cha Cha that was Danced in the Early Hours of 24 March 1961 (1961) immortalizes his first crush, Peter Crutch, while Life Painting for Myself (1962), on loan from Ferens Art Gallery, tenderly portrays his close friend and lover, Mo McDermott. Meanwhile, The Salesman (1963) pays homage to John Kasmin, Hockney’s first art dealer and a pivotal figure in his career, who represented him from 1962 through the early 1990s.
One of the exhibition’s most striking works, Two Friends [in a Cul de Sac] (1963), underscores Hockney’s fearless exploration of his sexuality during a time when homosexuality remained criminalized in Britain. This rarely exhibited piece, alongside others in the show, reflects Hockney’s unflinching commitment to authenticity, capturing the bohemian spirit of 1960s London and the relationships that shaped his life and art.
Curated by Louis Kasmin, grandson of John Kasmin and a sales associate at Hazlitt Holland-Hibbert, the exhibition is accompanied by a fully illustrated catalogue. It features an insightful essay by art historian Marco Livingstone, offering fresh perspectives on Hockney’s work and life during this period, alongside personal reflections from John Kasmin himself.
In the Mood for Love is a vivid portrait of an artist on the brink of greatness, navigating love, identity, and creativity in a city alive with possibility. For anyone captivated by Hockney’s enduring legacy, this exhibition is an unmissable journey into the heart of his early genius.
IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE: HOCKNEY IN LONDON, 1960-1963 Wednesday 21 May – Friday 18 July 2025 Hazlitt Holland-Hibbert 38 Bury Street, St James’s London, SW1Y 6BB
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