David Hockney's death on 11 June has cast a poignant shadow over Art Basel, where his work appears on multiple gallery stands. Annely Juda in London offers Delphiniums on My Garden Table, July 2025 (2025) for $12m; Offer Waterman shows two drawings from the 1960s and 1970s priced above £100,000; and Richard Gray Gallery has sold an $8.5m painting of Hockney's studio interior. The artist's market has surged, with MyArtBroker reporting a 1,200% increase in collector demand for his editions within 48 hours of his death.
The article matters because it captures the immediate emotional and commercial response to the loss of one of the most beloved and bankable figures in contemporary art. Hockney's enduring relevance—still experimenting and surprising collectors until his death—is reflected in the tributes from galleries and the exceptional spike in demand, underscoring his unique position as both a living legend and a market powerhouse.