One of David Hockney's favourite and most frequent sayings is 'Love life!', and for nearly fifty years his art has been feted across the world because it is a celebration of what it is to be alive. All of his pictures - sometimes tender, as when he draws friends and family; sometimes playful, as in his paintings of lazy, carefree days in the pool; sometimes awe-inspiring, as with his images of the Grand Canyon - convey what it means to be in the world: to see it, to move in it, to love it. For Hockney, pictures are the perfect vehicles for communicating such feelings, and his life has been a constant exploration of how to make them in ever more vital ways. With over 320 illustrations, this is the first-ever definitive retrospective of the most popular serious artist in the world today, covering all media over almost fifty years. Presented thematically to show the evolution and diversity of Hockney's prolific paintings, drawings, watercolours, prints and photography, including new and unpublished works, it also features quotes from the artist himself that illuminate the passionate thinking behind the works produced.

'I have always believed that art should be a deep pleasure... There is always, everywhere, an enormous amount of suffering, but I believe that my duty as an artist is to overcome and alleviate the suffering of despair... New ways of seeing mean new ways of feeling... I do believe that painting can change the world' - David Hockney

David Hockney is the most popular British artist in the world today, with a huge international reputation.