Art History Comparative Essay: Hockney vs. Morley, Contemporary Art

This essay provides a comparative analysis of two contemporary artworks: David Hockney's 'Nicholas Canyon' (1980) and Malcolm Morley's 'Farewell to Crete' (1984). The essay begins with an introduction to the art styles of the 1980s, highlighting the context of appropriation and neo-expressionism, which influenced the creation of both artworks. It offers a detailed visual analysis of each painting, comparing their use of color, composition, and subject matter, contrasting Hockney's bright, Fauvist style with Morley's darker, more ambiguous approach. The essay also explores the artists' backgrounds, their influences, and the inspirations behind their respective works, including Hockney's inspiration from Los Angeles and Morley's reflections on his childhood and the impact of World War II. The essay further discusses the artists' differing use of materials, such as acrylics versus oils, and the role of photography in their creative processes. Ultimately, the essay contextualizes the artworks within the broader framework of contemporary art, highlighting their shared characteristics and the unique artistic visions of Hockney and Morley.

COMPARATIVE ESSAY: NICHOLAS CANYON vs FAREWELL TO CRETE
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Introduction
Over the centuries, the art world has invented a wide variety of art styles, movements,
and forms. The 20th and 21st centuries have witnessed the rise and fall of many diverse art styles
and the emergence of others. All these art styles have been grouped within the larger category of
contemporary art and show great variance in skill, media, and technique. Most of the artistic
works in this period have made a huge impact either within a short period or a long period. Some
of them have even remained popular in the present world. Ideally, the 1980s were characterised
by highly conservative political and social ideas1. This period also saw the rise of prominent
music cultures which were reflected in the art of the time with some artists utilising their skill to
illustrate their views on political and social issues.
Appropriation, which emerged in the late 1970s and spilt off to the 1980s, was majorly
founded on borrowing2. Artists altered images or the objects that already existed. The artists took
images of the pop culture and everyday life and created outstanding art from them. Nicholas
Canyon by David Hockney is an art of this nature adapted from the area in the Hollywood Hills.
Neo-expressionism art, introduced in the late 1970s was a response to the conceptual art, popular
in the 1970s. While the earlier art styles disregarded traditional art ideas, the style reintroduced
them3. The focus was laid in recognisable objects with artists painting intensely giving rise to
vividly-coloured art and seemingly rough handling of the art materials. Farewell to Crete by
Malcolm Morley is an art that perfectly fits in this style. Both Nicholas Canyon and Farewell to
1 Michael, Galerie. 2017. A Look into the Contemporary Art Styles of the 1980s. July 1. Accessed December 13, 2018.
https://galeriemichael.com/2018/01/analyzing-periods-of-contemporary-art-the-1980s/.
2 Michael, Galerie. 2017. A Look into the Contemporary Art Styles of the 1980s. July 1. Accessed December 13, 2018.
https://galeriemichael.com/2018/01/analyzing-periods-of contemporary-art-the-1980s/.
3 Michael, Galerie. 2017. A Look into the Contemporary Art Styles of the 1980s. July 1. Accessed December 13, 2018.
https://galeriemichael.com/2018/01/analyzing-periods-of contemporary-art-the-1980s/.

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Crete were drawn within the same period, using the same medium and have had great influence
in contemporary art, acquiring recognition both in the 1980s and in the modern world. The two
artworks, however, vary both in terms of content and the manner in which the artist appears to
have handled their materials While David Canyon appears too bright, Farewell to Crete is rather
too dull.
Nicholas Canyon is a two-dimensional artwork painted in 1980 by David Hockney4. The
painting measures 152.4 cm by 213.3 cm and is currently exhibited at a Private collection. The
painting is done with acrylic on a medium of canvas5. Nicholas Canyon is painted in real fauvist
style. David Hockney is among the top and most important living English painters. This painting
is undeniably eye-catching just like all other paintings that he has done. Superficially, the
intensity of all the bright colours calls and demands for adequate attention which causes the eyes
of any viewer to wander all over the canvas medium.
4 Hockney, David. 1980. Nicholas Canyon. Accessed December 13, 2018.
5 Hockney, David. 1980. Nicholas Canyon. Accessed December 13, 2018.

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The painting is adopted from the area in Hollywood by the same name located in the
county of Los Angeles, Californa. The painting is a perfectly and beautifully arranged
representation of the destination. The winding road, black in colour, is marginally exaggerated
and artistically juxtaposed against the deeply coloured blue water shades in the background
demands the viewer’s attention into the landscape. David Hockney himself commented that he
actually admired the wavy lines6. The scenery on the painting is presented in a highly expressive
manner making it a torrent of multicoloured tones seemingly celebrating Hockney’s love for
Nicholas Canyon. Several small houses that are aesthetically placed along the road are coloured
and shaped in a similar manner but are however cleverly unique. There are limited or no
6 Hockney, David. 1980. Nicholas Canyon. Accessed December 13, 2018.

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concerns at all criticising the painting on what is possible or real. The painting is merely a
depiction of an artist’s playful imagination coupled with extreme emotional expression. It is an
outstanding decorative piece that any pop or fauvist art fan would treasure. Although David
Hockney denies the claims that he is a pop artist, he is often categorised to be one by most of his
fans following his earlier artistic works.
Farewell to Crete is a painting by Malcolm Morley created in 1984. Just like Nicholas
Canyon, the painting is done on a medium of canvas. However, in this particular painting, oil is
used to replace the acrylic in Hockney’s painting. The painting measures 203.2 cm by 416.6 cm.
This makes Farewell to Crete dimensionally larger than Nicholas Canyon7. The painting appears
dark, and the artist superficially appears to have mishandled his materials. However, this is not
the case as the practice was an art style in the 1980s.
7 Morley, Malcolm. 1984. Farewell to Crete. Accessed December 13, 2018.
https://www.saatchigallery.com/artists/artpages/malcolm_morley_7.htm.

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Farewell to Crete forms a basis for Morley’s criticism on beliefs. Although most of his
works have caused contestation on beliefs, this work particularly manifests much evidence and
appears to be the most ambitious painting. Farewell to Crete is an effect of the combination of
Morley’s earlier works in 1982, Untitled and Palms of Vai8. The painting is highly dependent on
a seemingly complex network of pairs. For instance, the painting on the right depicts two fertility
goddesses, on the left and foreground centre a naked couple and the horizon a bull and a horse.
All the pairs appear disjunctive. The two fertility goddesses who look out blindly in varied
vertical panels have their heads detached from the rest of their bodies. The bronze horse and the
clay bull are facing one another even in more varied vertical panels9. The bodies of the couple
8 Rosenthal, Norman. 2013. Malcolm Morley at the Ashmolean: Paintings and Drawings from the Hall Collection.
Ashmolean: Oxford.
9 Hall, Heinrich. 2017. Exploring Crete 2017 Diary – Day 13: Farewell. April 29. Accessed December 13, 2018.
https://www.petersommer.com/blog/greece-travel/crete-diary-2017/souda-flowers.

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also appear to exist in distinct vertical panels and have their faces hidden. Ideally, the traditional
and modern worlds lead to the central pair of the painting. The serene beach coupled with its
heroic sands and waters of the time is full of showy beach umbrellas and enhance the view of the
blood of the bull. While the Trojan horse and the Cretan bull make the modern world to appear
decadent and trivial, the knowledge that the modern world possesses on the Trojan War and the
Cretan rites hints that the ancient sands were also drenched in blood and cruelty.
Both Nicholas Canyon and Farewell to Crete were painted by renowned British
nationalities who had moved to the United States most probably to advance their careers. David
Hockney born in 1937 at Bradford in England moved from his home country and went to reside
at Los Angeles in California, United States. He was highly skilled and acted as a painter, stage
designer, draftsman, photographer, and printmaker. He made huge contributions in the pop art
movement in the mid-20th century. Hockney’s residence inspired the painting of Nicholas
Canyon. He owned two places of residence in California where he lived both on and off from
1964. His home in Hollywood Hills was his inspiration to paint Nicholas Canyon.
Malcolm Morley was born in 1931 in north London10. He was a British-American painter
and artist who pioneered various art styles. He worked both as an expressionist and a photorealist
among other varied styles. He had a troubled childhood as his family was victim to the World
War II bombing. Later in life, he visited New York in 1957 which at his time was the major
location of Western art in the world. In 1958, he moved to New York where he met other artists
who helped in establishing his painting career. He taught various art schools in New York in the
1960s and 1970s. Morley won the inaugural Turner prize from an exhibition organised by
10 Wroe, Nicholas. 2013. (October 4, 2013). "Malcolm Morley: 'The moment anyone said my work was art, I had this
block – I took a long time to find myself'. October 4. Accessed December 16, 2018.

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Whitechapel in London. He bought an abandoned church in New York State where he spent the
rest of his life. At his death in June 2018, he still resided in New York.
Apart from the artworks having been authored by artists of the same nationality, they
were painted during the same time. The two works fall under contemporary art. This implies that
the works were painted in a similar social and political setting. The works share in the kind of
freedom expressed by the artists. They use colours freely create their works. The varied colour
compositions in the paintings imply a transition, freedom, and deviation from the traditional art
regulations. Both artists concentrate on important social aspects. While Hockney paints nature,
Morley deals with past events but still crafts the painting in such a way that it fits well in
contemporary art by the use of colours.
Critically, the two artists had different inspirations for their artistic works. Often, art
critics tend to link the biographical lives of the artists with their artworks. In this sense, the
works could be viewed in the lens of experiential painting. While Hockney’s painting exhibits
clarity, Morley’s work appears rather ambiguous. While both artistic works are attractive,
Morley’s work is a higher emotional appeal compared to Hockney’s work. Farewell to Crete
could be viewed as an expression of Morley’s dark childhood. He was a direct victim of the
Second War which led to his family losing their home11. Additionally, Morley at his teens was
sentenced to three years in prison after engaging in petty theft. These experiences made Morley
able to easily relate to violence and hardships. His ambiguous painting explains it all; his
disintegrating childhood and unrewarding teenage.
11 Clearwater, Bonnie. 2005. Malcolm Morley: The Art of Painting. FL: Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami.,
North Miami.

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Hockney’s work, on the other hand, was greatly inspired by his travel. The enthusiastic
colour and the seemingly simplified forms in Nicholas Canyon are a reflection of
experimentation and love for adventure and scenic destinations. The lifestyle in Los Angeles
became an important feature of Hockney’s work. The brightness depicted in his work is
symbolic to his own life; having schooled with reputable people and taught by recognisable
teachers. Apart from recognising his talent at a young age, he grew in extreme self-awareness.
His reputation in the art world pushed his school to award him a diploma even without meeting
all its set regulations. He demanded to be assessed in art only and refused to write an essay
which was a prerequisite in his final examination.
Although the two artistic works are painted on the same medium, canvas, the painters
used different materials in their works. This could perhaps be used to explain the easily
identifiable differences between them. Morley uses oil in his painting which is predominant in
most of his works. Hockney had also used oil in his preceding paintings but changed in the
painting of Nicholas Canyon. In the painting, he uses acrylics. The two artistic works also differ
in the possible use of photography. Hockney’s work depicts an extreme use of photography
particularly for the purposes of documentation. Morley’s work does not appear to use any
photography skills.
The paintings also differ in the use of colours. In Nicholas Canyon, the colours appear
perfectly balanced12. Both the background and the content colours are well blended giving rise to
a stable art piece. The colours in the painting are exceptionally warm and appear to be drawing
the viewers together to share in the experience of the artist. Morley’s painting is composed of
12 Hockney, David. 1980. Nicholas Canyon. Accessed December 13, 2018.

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contrasting colours which heighten the ambiguity in the painting13. The contents in the painting
provoke tension. The goddesses have their heads disconnected from the rest of their bodies14.
This detaching combined with the superficially incompetent use of clouds makes Farewell to
Crete an epitome of art tensions.
While Nicholas Canyon is based on nature, Farewell to Crete concentrates more on the
supernatural. The contents in the latter can hardly be explained without closely borrowing from
the disciplines which concern themselves with beliefs. The essence of the supernatural in the
painting is to revive ancient art which was dying in the period as only a few artists explored
traditional art. Nicholas Canyon, on the other hand, is purely modern; depicting exaggerated
natural scenes. Hockney simply presents the appearance of the ideal scenic environment.
Conclusion
Overall, Nicholas Canyon and Farewell to Crete are two paintings done within the same
period exhibiting some similar features though very different when studied in details. The
paintings, on a similar medium display varied use of colours both in composition and brightness.
The works also deal with varied themes having been painted by painters from varied
biographical backgrounds. The works are a good representation of varied art existing within the
same period.
References
13 Morley, Malcolm. 1984. Farewell to Crete. Accessed December 13, 2018.
https://www.saatchigallery.com/artists/artpages/malcolm_morley_7.htm.
14 Brenson, Michael. 1984. Grand-Scale Malcolm Morley Morley. April 13. Accessed December 13, 2018.
https://www.nytimes.com/1984/04/13/arts/grand-scale-malcolm-morley.html.

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Brenson, Michael. 1984. Grand-Scale Malcolm Morley Morley. April 13. Accessed December
13, 2018. https://www.nytimes.com/1984/04/13/arts/grand-scale-malcolm-morley.html.
Clearwater, Bonnie. 2005. Malcolm Morley: The Art of Painting. FL: Museum of Contemporary
Art North Miami., North Miami.
Hall, Heinrich. 2017. Exploring Crete 2017 Diary – Day 13: Farewell. April 29. Accessed
December 13, 2018.
https://www.petersommer.com/blog/greece-travel/crete-diary-2017/souda-flowers.
Hockney, David. 1980. Nicholas Canyon. Accessed December 13, 2018.
Michael, Galerie. 2017. A Look into the Contemporary Art Styles of the 1980s. July 1. Accessed
December 13, 2018. https://galeriemichael.com/2018/01/analyzing-periods-of-
contemporary-art-the-1980s/.
Morley, Malcolm. 1984. Farewell to Crete. Accessed December 13, 2018.
https://www.saatchigallery.com/artists/artpages/malcolm_morley_7.htm.
Rosenthal, Norman. 2013. Malcolm Morley at the Ashmolean: Paintings and Drawings from the
Hall Collection. Ashmolean: Oxford.
Wroe, Nicholas. 2013. (October 4, 2013). "Malcolm Morley: 'The moment anyone said my work
was art, I had this block – I took a long time to find myself.' October 4. Accessed
December 16, 2018.