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Spring Cannot Be Cancelled: David Hockney in Normandy Hardcover – May 25, 2021

by Martin Gayford (Author), David Hockney (Author)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 661 ratings
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David Hockney reflects upon life and art as he experiences lockdown in rural Normandy in this inspiring book which includes conversations with the artist and his latest artworks.

On turning eighty, David Hockney sought out rustic tranquility for the first time: a place to watch the sunset and the change of the seasons; a place to keep the madness of the world at bay. So when Covid-19 and lockdown struck, it made little difference to life at La Grande Cour, the centuries-old Normandy farmhouse where Hockney set up a studio a year earlier, in time to paint the arrival of spring. In fact, he relished the enforced isolation as an opportunity for even greater devotion to his art.

Spring Cannot Be Cancelled is an uplifting manifesto that affirms art’s capacity to divert and inspire. It is based on a wealth of new conversations and correspondence between Hockney and art critic Martin Gayford, his long-time friend and collaborator. Their exchanges are illustrated by a selection of Hockney’s new Normandy drawings and paintings alongside works by Van Gogh, Monet, Bruegel, and others. We see how Hockney is propelled ever forward by his infectious enthusiasms and sense of wonder. A lifelong contrarian, he has been in the public eye for sixty years, yet remains entirely unconcerned by the view of critics or even history. He is utterly absorbed by his four acres of northern France and by the themes that have fascinated him for decades: light, color, space, perception, water, trees. He has much to teach us, not only about how to see . . . but about how to live.

142 color illustrations
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  1. Print length
    280 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Thames & Hudson
  4. Publication date
    May 25, 2021
  5. Dimensions
    6.4 x 1.4 x 9.4 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0500094365
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0500094365
  8. See all details
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From the Publisher

David Hockney
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Warm, intelligent and quietly inspiring... A memoir of love in the time of Covid: of friendship and a shared passion for art... Spring Cannot be Cancelled takes us inside the mind of a major modern artist."
― The Wall Street Journal

"A bright amble through Hockney's emails to (and context from) his old friend Martin Gayford on such topics as good countries for smokers, and theories of perspective with art by Hockney and others."
― Vanity Fair

"Few artists have responded to the pandemic more vibrantly than David Hockney... One of the most exciting artbooks to come down the pike in years... The correspondence [with art critic, friend and co-author Gayford]...is a kind of modern, digital version of Vincent van Gogh's letters to his brother Theo."
― WAG

"Amply illustrated, both with new pieces by Hockney and works by artists of previous eras... The overall effect is of a continuous slide lecture delivered in a delightfully informal style. It is also, as the title indicates, an affirmation of life in grim times."
― John Dorfman, Art & Antiques

"A deeper look at the artist’s new Norman phase and his capacity to inspire others. Gayford writes this insightful book in the form of a dialogue...with a close look at Hockney’s process... Along with lots of friendly banter between two people who really love art, Spring Cannot Be Cancelled offers numerous illustrations of Hockney’s works from Normandy and of the art-historical masterpieces that pepper their conversation."
― Artful Jaunts

About the Author

Martin Gayford is a writer and art critic. His books include Man with a Blue Scarf: On Sitting for a Portrait by Lucian Freud; Modernists and Mavericks: Bacon, Freud, Hockney and the London Painters; A History of Pictures: From the Cave to the Computer Screen and Spring Cannot Be Cancelled: David Hockney in Normandy, both with David Hockney; Shaping the World: Sculpture from Prehistory to Now, with Antony Gormley; Love Lucian: The Letters of Lucian Freud, 1939–1954, with David Dawson; and Venice: City of Pictures.

David Hockney is one of the most influential British artists of the twentieth century. He has produced work in almost every medium―painting, drawing, stage design, photography, and printmaking―and has stretched the boundaries of all of them. His previous books include David Hockney's Dog Days and Hockney’s Pictures, as well as his books in partnership with Martin Gayford, including A History of Pictures: From the Cave to the Computer Screen and Spring Cannot Be Cancelled: David Hockney in Normandy. He continues to create and exhibit art, and to inspire enormous affection and admiration worldwide.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Thames & Hudson (May 25, 2021)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 280 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0500094365
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0500094365
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.4 x 1.4 x 9.4 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 661 ratings

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Martin Gayford

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Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
661 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

James M. McCarthy
5.0 out of 5 stars Hockney never stops exploring
Reviewed in the United States on November 12, 2023
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This is an inspirational book about an artist who continues to experiment and innovate ... even in his 80s! David Hockney's paintings in Normandy are simply beautiful. A joy to behold, contemplate and learn from.
One person found this helpful
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LennyK
5.0 out of 5 stars A Master shows us the essence of being an artist
Reviewed in the United States on June 10, 2022
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This book is written and as series of exchanges of ideas between Martin Grayford as interviewer and David Hockney the master artist. It’s title suggests a guy holed up in the north of France during The original Covid outbreak but the book is so much more - it is like being in the middle of a conversation between two Oxford dons of art history dropping quotes and ideas from many great artists and writers to express the feelings they have about art in general and about Mr Hockney’s new works illustrated throughout the book in particular (many of which were created on an iPad!). At the end of day the book tells us that what it takes to be an artist is a fascination with everything - or at least one thing (a la Monet’s Lilly pond or Cezanne’s mountain) and to draw or paint what you are fascinated with all the time. Discipline and constant work are what Mr Hockney shows us. As Mr Grayford states Hockney has a “driving fascination with pictures” and the urge to paint them “differently and better” than anyone else - even himself. A surprising, informative and easy-moving book through which Mr Hockney gives us a lesson (as Martin Grayford states) “not only in how to see, but also in how to live”.
3 people found this helpful
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Balconybar
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful book, gorgeously presented
Reviewed in the United States on September 6, 2023
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My wife is an artist and I bought this book after we saw a review of the Hockney Spring exhibition a couple of years back. We read it together and it's a lovely story about Hockney buying his house/studio/estate in France and doing his work there with spring flowers.
It's an altogether charming book to read and gorgeous to look at. We pick it up regularly just to leaf through it and read a little now and then. Highly recommended.
One person found this helpful
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Sean
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful print
Reviewed in the United States on April 3, 2024
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It's David Hockney! Great paper and prints.
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Ron Levkovitz
4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting insights of interesting people
Reviewed in the United States on September 7, 2023
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Previous books by Martin Gayford and David Hockney are better written in my opinion but this is still interesting with many insights about Hockney and other artists. I am not sure the iPad images are great art but some are really nice. The strongest emotion I had when reading the book is envy. I wish I could have passed the closures in such a way.
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J. Linhoff
5.0 out of 5 stars Great
Reviewed in the United States on June 7, 2021
Verified Purchase
The book is great and it's nice to see something so intelligent and beautiful come out of the pandemic. Nicely illustrated throughout, not just DH work, other artists as well.
The delivery was awful, I have a covered porch, package was left hanging over the edge of the porch in the rain. It didn't fall into this position, it was perfectly lined up to balance half on and half off so that half of the box was wet, soaked through.
It's Thames and Hudson so a well-made book and the laminate-like book cover saved the integrity of the book itself.
Not going to penalize DH or MG with less than 5 stars for delivery idiocy or passive-aggressiveness. Fingers crossed for karma instead.
19 people found this helpful
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B
5.0 out of 5 stars Uplifting and beautiful
Reviewed in the United States on June 13, 2021
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Must read. Great and full of energy and life!

The combination of Hockney and Gayford discussing life and art during a global pandemic is enchanting start to finish, with provoking observations that make this something you think about long past your reading. Highly recommend to anyone that loves art and life.
6 people found this helpful
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dioskouroi
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Conversation
Reviewed in the United States on September 22, 2021
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I've been a fan of Hockney and Gayford's other two books and this one continues in that tradition. Hockney shares his insights and brilliance and Gayford unpacks the details. Compelling thinking and also a lovely nod to memoir.
4 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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arundhati sarkar bose
3.0 out of 5 stars Not bad...
Reviewed in India on January 9, 2023
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I would have appreciated a book with only plates of paintings. The text is not adding much value.
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CYANN
5.0 out of 5 stars L'eBook è eccellente sulla piattaforma iOS📱
Reviewed in Italy on February 10, 2022
Verified Purchase
Il display a colori dei photo è molto comodo sul dispositivo ios📱, ma deve essere acquistato prima attraverso una ricerca Kindle, non l'app mobile. E il prezzo è un po costoso, anche più alto dei libri di carta.
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CYANN
5.0 out of 5 stars L'eBook è eccellente sulla piattaforma iOS📱
Reviewed in Italy on February 10, 2022
Il display a colori dei photo è molto comodo sul dispositivo ios📱, ma deve essere acquistato prima attraverso una ricerca Kindle, non l'app mobile. E il prezzo è un po costoso, anche più alto dei libri di carta.
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Spencer Mason
5.0 out of 5 stars Magnificent!!!!!!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 2, 2022
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This book is a marvel. While many of us were paralyzed by the pandemic, Martin Gayford and David Hockney made the absolute most of a very tough situation and collaborated to put together one of the most important books concerning art and its making that have ever been written. Never before has the the creative process been more deftly described and demystified. Both Gayford’s and Hockney’s pure enthusiasm for art, its creation and appreciation of others’ work is utterly infectious, intellectually fulfilling and life affirming. Alone, the insight we gain in Hockney’s daily schedule, the staggeringly prolific output during the spring of 2020, during which one magnificent iPad painting after another appeared, is a road map for the kind of sensational creative possibilities that exist for those above 80. To sit in on the Hockney’s and Gayford’s wide ranging, affectionate chats is to know what deep friendship is all about. The book is brilliant, accessible and often funny, without being remotely pretentious. Most highly recommended for any and everyone interested in creativity. Written during the worst of times, the defiantly joyous Spring Cannot Be Cancelled should be on the required reading list of any institution that teaches any aspect of Art.
3 people found this helpful
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LOTHIER
5.0 out of 5 stars Un héros anglais qui aime la France
Reviewed in France on June 12, 2021
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Les aventures d’Hockney en France
One person found this helpful
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Beautiful Picture Books
5.0 out of 5 stars great book
Reviewed in Italy on December 25, 2022
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Great Book. Highly recommended
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