Clean Sheets, 1979-84 - Sir Howard Hodgkin - Framed art Print

Born in London in 1932, Howard Hodgkin had a unique journey to becoming one of England's most distinguished contemporary artists. Growing up amidst the ravages of World War II, he found himself evacuated to Long Island, New York, for three years. It was there in the Museum of Modern Art that he encountered the works of School of Paris artists, a rare sight in the London or Paris of that time. Upon his return to England in 1943, Hodgkin eschewed traditional education, leaving Eton College and Bryanston School out of fear it might hinder his artistic growth, despite the inspiration he found from several teachers. He went on to study at the Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts, and later at the Bath Academy of Art.

Hodgkin’s distinctive style was rooted in a keen sense of the interaction between gesture, colour, and surface. His paintings, often extending beyond their frames onto wooden supports, subverted traditional boundaries, embodying a profound commitment to expressing the ephemeral nature of emotions and private moments. A fiercely independent artist, Hodgkin did not align himself with any school or group, and his originality was reflected in his early series of portraits of artists and their families. His inaugural solo exhibition was held in London in 1962, and shortly thereafter, he developed a fascination with Indian miniatures during a visit to India, which inspired a lifelong passion for collecting Indian art.

In addition to his painting, Hodgkin pursued printmaking from the 1950s, adapting his unique aesthetic to paper. His exploration of colour and space led him to create dramatic set designs for prestigious ballet and dance companies, and his design work was even featured in the form of a Royal Mail stamp and in Olympic posters.Hodgkin's exceptional contribution to art was widely recognised, culminating in a knighthood in 1992 and the Companion of Honour award in 2003. His achievements were further highlighted when he received the Shakespeare Prise in 1997 and the inaugural Swarovski Whitechapel Gallery Art Icon award in 2014.