In 1970, Pat Gilmour reviewed the first major retrospective of a 32-year-old David Hockney at the Whitechapel Gallery in London. The exhibition assembled over 40 paintings, as many drawings, and his entire print output, showcasing Hockney's autobiographical themes, playful use of graphic devices, and evolving techniques from faux-naïf scribbles to sophisticated explorations of pictorial depth, water, and the male nude. Gilmour highlighted works like 'Picture emphasising still-ness' and 'Play within a Play', noting Hockney's witty commentary on pictorial conventions and his frank treatment of homosexuality.
This review matters because it captures a pivotal moment in Hockney's career—his first major institutional survey at age 32—and offers a contemporary critical perspective on an artist who would become one of the most celebrated figures in contemporary art. The article also reflects broader shifts in 1960s-70s British art criticism, including debates about the relationship between painting and graphic conventions, and the growing acceptance of openly gay subject matter in fine art. As a historical document, it provides insight into how Hockney's early work was received before his global fame.