The art world lost one of its brightest voices this week with the passing of British artist David Hockney, who died peacefully at home on June 11, 2026 at the age of 88.
Over a career spanning more than seven decades, Hockney transformed the everyday into something extraordinary. From his iconic California swimming poolsand intimate portraits to his vibrant Yorkshire landscapes and groundbreaking iPad drawings, his work celebrated the joy of looking closely at the world around us.
Some symbols can move the whole world. The Rainbow Flag, first unfurled at the San Francisco Gay and Lesbian Freedom Day Parade on June 25,1978, is a gleaming example. Led by Gilbert Baker (1951 – 2017), a political activist and designer, 30 volunteers hand-dyed and stitched rainbow flags for the event.
A few months back, I found myself in Staten Island for an art show and decided to squeeze in a little window shopping on my way back to the ferry. That’s when I wandered into a gift shop so heavily decorated for Pride that I thought I’d stepped into a rainbow vortex — in the best possible way. Front and center was what I can only describe as a Pride-themed Christmas Tree, and honestly, it might be one of the most joyful things I’ve ever seen. Continue reading Pride-Themed Holiday Tree and Ornaments→
In Globe of the United States (1990), artist and activist David Wojnarowicz transforms a familiar object into a charged symbol of political and cultural critique. This mixed-media sculpture — a lightbulb-illuminated globe, its surface painted black — abandons the standard cartographic view of the world. Instead, multiple outlines of the United States float across a void of darkness, isolated from any surrounding continents. Continue reading Modern Art Monday Presents: David Wojnarowicz, Globe of the United States→
