However, with this work I entered the words David Hockney the rakes progress into a google search and was surprised to see many hits regarding the opera. The stage design got me and I decided I would read a little to get a little more information.
So its basically a three stage play about a man's want for more and his decline......being enticed and tempted by fortune, gambling and the ladies (sins) and ignoring his past life, wife and upbringing. Regretting this it later on...... it seems to me to be a mix up of surrealism in the sense of what torment he endures and is tempted into (marriage of the bearded lady )....I feel a 60's style but for what reason I'm unsure. This is to be honest me rambling and typing what I think without thinking so to speak.
So the prints -
I don't like it!!
Why? Well I do like the curtain print.... the mix of colours and energy of the play and scenes. But from what I read of the play against the prints I was left a little disappointed. By the simple and basic lines and use of tone I feel its lacking a feel for the torment the character went through....
I guess Hockney has brought the play into modern day living, what with the suited men and tower block buildings.....which is fair enough........And thats the point I make....fair enough....not wow or being shocked into remembering the prints as I did with William Hogarth's Beer street/Gin Lane or Goya's Disasters of War. While Hockney did have an opportunity to create graphic and sordid scenes in the prints he's decided to bring it up to date. clever - probably!
Yet what I do find funny is the same things always seem to tempt us, money, power and women.
Doesn't seem to matter what age or time... sinners and the dark side of yesterday still exist today.
I do like the idea or our enemy being ourselves and the fact that foe centuries we still haven't learnt....
Hell my very own Grandad (who is 90yrs old) only two days ago, had his usual night-time tipple (whiskey) as he does every night....because of his age and meds he is supposed to only have 2-3 glasses. However, being up visiting and surrounded by loved ones he felt another couple wouldn't hurt!
We have all been there right, and if you haven't let this be a lesson!
My grandad while surrounded with loved ones decided that for what ever reason or frustration started to call his wife of 34 years a waste of space (that's the nice version) a drunken foul mouthed man who the next day was brought to tears on being reminded of his out-burst was brought to tears!
Yes my 90 yr old grandad sobbing his heart out while I was left a little shocked and disappointed upon hearing of this!
What turned a loving old fool into the vicious and deliberately cruel man (was gonna say monster but that felt cold and unloving, which he is not and I don't feel that towards him)
I do wonder how David Hockney stumbled on this subject matter and if indeed he to had some personal input into his images that he produced..... was the man in his subject maybe aimed at a loved one or himself? Or was he just commissioned to produce the work like that?
As an artist it is important to be relevant and in the moment to keep yourself in the hoop, yet many artist's copy or do they own rendition or interpretation of others works.!!!!
I wonder if I was to watch the opera what my own take on it would be?
Anyway, I think I will remember Hockney's prints not for my personal connection that came across but for the plain and illustrative look. Modern and for me I feel a Japanese style of print (which I do like the Japanese Prints)
I think another reason I disregarded the images was because it reminded me of the character from Beavis and Butt-head. At the young age of 11 or so I didn't get the humour or like the style. But more than that the huh huh laughing the pair did still makes me cringe.
I believe animation was done by the artist Rick Parker .
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