Art lovers in London will have the opportunity to experience a major David Hockney exhibition without paying admission fees when the Serpentine North gallery in Hyde Park hosts a comprehensive showcase of the renowned artist's work from March 12 through August 23, 2026. This free exhibition represents a rare opportunity to view works by one of the world's most celebrated living artists, who is widely revered for his vibrant landscapes of Yorkshire and Los Angeles, as well as his distinctive portraits, including his instantly recognizable depiction of Harry Styles wearing a striped cardigan.
Hockney, now 88 years old, has become synonymous with groundbreaking artistic achievements, with his most famous work, "A Bigger Splash" from 1967, permanently displayed at Tate Britain. While London frequently hosts major Hockney retrospectives, including Lightroom's immersive "Bigger & Closer (not smaller & further away)" exhibition, these shows typically come with substantial admission fees, making the Serpentine North's free offering particularly significant for public accessibility to world-class art.
The upcoming exhibition, which remains untitled, will focus specifically on Hockney's later works, particularly those created during and after the global pandemic lockdown in spring 2020. During this period, the artist turned to his iPad as his primary creative medium, producing over 100 dazzling landscape images within just a few weeks. Since then, the iPad has remained Hockney's canvas of choice, demonstrating his continued innovation and adaptation to new technologies even in his late eighties.
Among the featured works will be "Moon Room," which reflects Hockney's lifelong fascination with the cycles of light and the passage of time. The exhibition will also showcase pieces from his "Sunrise" body of work, portions of which appeared in animated form at Piccadilly Circus in 2021. Perhaps most notably, visitors will be able to view "A Year in Normandy," an extraordinary 90-meter-long frieze inspired by the historic Bayeux Tapestry that depicts the changing seasons at the artist's former studio in Normandy.
The inclusion of "A Year in Normandy" proves particularly fitting given that the actual Bayeux Tapestry is scheduled to come to London next year, creating an interesting cultural connection between these two significant artistic works separated by nearly a millennium. Hockney's modern interpretation demonstrates how contemporary artists continue to draw inspiration from historical masterpieces while creating entirely new forms of expression.
This exhibition represents not only a celebration of Hockney's recent artistic evolution but also a testament to his remarkable ability to embrace new technologies and continue creating revolutionary art well into his ninth decade. The free admission ensures that visitors from all economic backgrounds can experience the work of this living master whose influence on contemporary art remains immeasurable.
