GAUGUIN'S CHAIR

IN 1993 HOCKNEY RECALLED OF THE PRESENT WORK: "IN LATE 1988, I MOVED ALMOST PERMANENTLY DOWN TO THE SEA. I STAYED THERE MOST OF THE TIME. I PAINTED THE HOUSE. GAUGUIN'S CHAIR, VAN GOGH'S CHAIR AND THE INTERIORS WERE ALL MADE AFTER THE RETROSPECTIVE (LOS ANGELES COUNTY MUSEUM, LOS ANGELES; METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART, NEW YORK AND TATE GALLERY, LONDON). VAN GOGH'S CHAIR WAS A COMMISSION FROM THE PEOPLE WHO RAN THE PHOTOGRAPHY FESTIVAL AT ARLES. 1988 WAS THE CENTENARY OF VAN GOGH'S ARRIVAL IN ARLES AND THEY ASKED VARIOUS ARTISTS TO DO A HOMAGE TO HIM, INCLUDING ROBERT RAUSCHENBERG AND ROY LICHTENSTEIN. I LIKED THE PAINTING SO MUCH, I MADE ANOTHER VERSION FOR MYSELF BECAUSE I GAVE THE FIRST ONE TO THE VAN GOGH FOUNDATION IN ARLES. AT THE SAME TIME, HAVING DONE VAN GOGH'S CHAIR, I DID GAUGUIN'S CHAIR BECAUSE I FOUND VAN GOGH'S PAINTING OF GAUGUIN'S CHAIR, BUT I ALTERED IT AND PUT THEM BOTH IN REVERSE PERSPECTIVE. IN THESE PAINTINGS I WAS STILL EXPLORING THE SPATIAL IDEAS OF PERSPECTIVE, AS I WAS IN THE INTERIORS." (DAVID HOCKNEY, OP. CIT.).