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Trees company for Hockney at the Tate
Louise Jury and Miranda Bryant23.11.09
David Hockney visited Tate Britain today to see the installation of the biggest work he has ever made - alongside two equally huge photographic facsimiles.
Bigger Trees Near Warter, set near Bridlington in his home county of Yorkshire, was given to the gallery by him last year, having been unveiled at the 2007 Royal Academy Summer Show.
But this is the first time the work, which measures 12.2m x 4.6m and covers 50 canvases, has been seen in its entirety since he made the gift. It is also the first time it has been displayed publicly with the photographs.
Hockney said: "I am fascinated by what's happening with technology and pictures."
The 72-year-old, an avid iPhone user, said technology was changing the distribution of images.
But he insisted it could never replace painting itself: "You don't always need technology. Cubism didn't need certain types of brushes or anything, but painting can't go away."
He originally wanted digital versions of his work in progress so he could see how the separate canvases were coming together.
But in the end he liked the effect of all three pictures on display: "You can tell which is the original, but I thought the effect was rather good because when you look at the painting you can see the others out of the corner of your eye."
Tate Director Nicholas Serota, said: "The viewer is overwhelmed by the beauty of the winter trees and the energy of the Yorkshire landscape.
"In this work he has deftly joined the tradition of painting en plein air with digital technology."
The works are on show in Room 28 as part of the BP British Art displays.
