As Tate Modern celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2025, David Hockney’s A Bigger Splash (1967) remains a central highlight in its permanent collection. Now on display at the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris as part of David Hockney 25, the artist’s largest-ever retrospective, the painting joins a comprehensive selection of works that span his remarkable career. This rare exhibition invites viewers to explore Hockney’s evolution. 

Among Hockney’s most recognizable motifs is the swimming pool, a symbol of the freedom he embraced after relocating to Los Angeles in 1964. While the splash of water in the artwork suggests an abrupt moment of action, its origins lie in a seemingly mundane magazine ad. The splash interrupts an otherwise tranquil scene, drawing the viewer’s eye, and the absence of a human figure has been interpreted as an erotic suggestion, adding layers of intrigue and complexity to the piece.

The Iconic Splash: A Moment Frozen in Time

A Bigger Splash encapsulates Hockney’s deepening engagement with Southern California’s landscape and lifestyle. By this point, he had fully immersed himself in the bold colours and modernist lines of Los Angeles. The contrasting energy of the splash against the stillness of the pool mirrors Hockney’s shift from the more reserved landscapes of Yorkshire to California’s vibrant, expressive culture. This work represents a pivotal moment in his artistic evolution, as he moved from realism to a more experimental approach to colour and form.

From Magazine Ad to Masterpiece: The Unexpected Inspiration

By the time Hockney painted A Bigger Splash, he was well-known for blending high and low culture in his work. The painting’s roots in a magazine ad showcase his ability to find inspiration in everyday, commercial imagery. By transforming this ordinary image into a monumental painting, Hockney elevated the mundane, reflecting his playful, irreverent approach to art-making. This also marked the beginning of his deeper engagement with the visual language of mass media, which would continue to inform his later works.

The Swimming Pool: A Symbol of California’s Hedonistic Spirit

Upon arriving in Los Angeles, Hockney became fascinated with the city’s sun-soaked, hedonistic lifestyle, where swimming pools symbolized wealth, leisure, and freedom. The pool became a metaphor for emotional and physical liberation, a stark contrast to the more reserved English landscapes of his earlier work. In A Bigger Splash, the pool isn’t just a visual focal point - it represents Hockney’s embrace of California’s open, carefree spirit, and the sense of personal freedom he found there.

Absent Figures and Erotic Undertones: The Mystery of A Bigger Splash

The absence of a figure in A Bigger Splash invites speculation and adds to the painting’s sense of mystery. At the time, Hockney was exploring themes of identity and sexuality, which were deeply personal to him as a gay man in the 1960s. The space leaves room for the viewer to imagine who might be responsible for the splash, creating a voyeuristic element. The subtle erotic undertones in the piece reflect Hockney’s ongoing exploration of desire and intimacy - central themes in his art that would become even more prominent in his later work.

Get closer to masterpieces like this and more! Club members enjoyed a private tour in the first week of David Hockney 25 and all recieve free priority access. Explore our membership options HERE.