Rare David Hockney Work Expected to Lead Phillips London Auction as Demand for the Artist's Market Accelerates

LONDON, June 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Phillips is proud to present highlights of the Modern & Contemporary Art Evening & Afternoon Sale, taking place on 26 June in London, led by David Hockney's The Only One with Waves (1991), a major painting from a pivotal moment in the artist's career.

Executed shortly after acquiring his home in Malibu, The Only One with Waves encapsulates Hockney's engagement with the Southern Californian coast and his enduring fascination with water as both subject and sensation. Moving beyond the controlled stillness of his celebrated pool paintings, Hockney turns to the dynamism of the Pacific Ocean, capturing what he described as "the close movement of the water itself… endlessly changing, endlessly fascinating." Flattened perspective, luminous color, and rhythmic mark-making create a composition that feels both immediate and immersive.

Painted at a moment of expanded creative ambition, the work reflects Hockney's parallel engagement with stage design in the early 1990s, including major opera commissions. His understanding of space as constructed — layered, theatrical, and fluid — finds a direct analogue in the sweeping contours and abbreviated forms of the waves. Distilling the landscape to its essential elements, Hockney achieves a balance between observation and invention, anticipating the breakthroughs of the Very New Paintings series begun the following year.

The painting also marks a renewed chapter in Hockney's dialogue with water. From the intricate surfaces of A Bigger Splash (1967) to the more gestural handling seen here, The Only One with Waves demonstrates his evolving ability to translate movement and light into a visual language of remarkable clarity and energy.

Olivia Thornton, Deputy Chairwoman, Modern & Contemporary Art, Europe, said, "June in London is a key moment in the international art calendar and we are delighted to be building on the strong momentum of our White Glove Evening Sale in New York last month. On the heels of that success, we are excited to showcase important names from the Post-War avant-garde to leading contemporary artists working today. We look forward to welcoming clients to a sale that reflects the depth, energy and internationalism of today's market."

The sale brings together artists across generations, alongside a focused presentation of Hockney's work at a moment of critical and market momentum. The preview is on view at Phillips' Berkeley Square galleries through the auction on 26 June at 2pm BST.

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