In the early 1980s, David Hockney embarked on an experimental journey with his "Home Made Prints" series, showcasing his ingenuity and willingness to embrace new technologies in the creation of art. In February 1986, Hockney began exploring the artistic potentials of a photocopying machine, a common office equipment largely utilized for mundane, reproductive tasks until then. Hockney's foray into using the photocopier as an artistic tool resulted in a distinctive body of work, characterized by its innovative use of the machine to produce vibrant, color-rich prints (Phillips).
Hockney was captivated by the dual nature of the photocopier, seeing it as both a camera and a printing press. This realization opened up new avenues for him to explore mark making and layering of colors, leading to the creation of thirteen home-made prints featured in a Phillips auction. Hockney's approach to these prints was methodical, utilizing separate sheets of paper for each color in a manner reminiscent of traditional color printing techniques, yet with the immediacy and spontaneity afforded by the photocopier. This process allowed for the immediate transfer of Hockney's original marks, enabling him to experiment with color and texture in real-time (Phillips).
The versatility of the photocopier enabled Hockney to play with color intensively, particularly evident in works like "Bowl of Fruit, April 1986," where the absence of oil-based inks (typical of traditional prints) allowed for the creation of deep, rich blacks and vibrant colors without the reflective quality of oil, adding a unique dimension to his prints. Moreover, Hockney's inventive use of the photocopier allowed him to overcome the limitation of paper size by creating composite images, thereby achieving more ambitious, larger-scale works (Phillips).
Hockney's "Home Made Prints" series not only underscores his innovative spirit but also his desire to humanize and democratize printmaking. By elevating these prints with opulent gold frames, Hockney signified their importance within his oeuvre. His successful tours with the works in cities like New York, Los Angeles, Tokyo, and London in 1986 and 1987 further demonstrated his mastery of the medium and the broad appeal of his creative exploration (Phillips).
This series is a pivotal moment in Hockney's career, representing a bridge between his experiments with photographic collages and his later embrace of digital technologies, such as the iPad, for creating art. Through these endeavors, Hockney continually sought to push the boundaries of traditional art forms, integrating modern technology to expand the possibilities of visual expression (Phillips).