Dedications: My four late friends Rory, Stan, Bryan, Jeff - shine on you crazy diamonds, they would have blogged too. Then theres Garry from Brisbane, Franco in Milan, Mike now in S.F. / my '60s-'80s gang: Ned & Joseph in Ireland; in England: Frank, Des, Guy, Clive, Joe & Joe, Ian, Ivan, Nick, David, Les, Stewart, the 3 Michaels / Catriona, Sally, Monica, Jean, Ella, Anne, Candie / and now: Daryl in N.Y., Jerry, John, Colin, Martin and Donal.

Saturday 26 May 2012

Hockney & Royal Diamond Jubilee

600th post! When I began this 2 years ago I had no idea I would even come up with 100 posts, let alone 600. There will be a few more too ....

We are gearing up for the Royal Jubilee here next week, so cue lots of parties, long holiday weekend etc.  What I found perfectly marvellous was the Royal visit to Ireland last year and the goodwill it caused, as Bono told Her Majesty at the Royal Academy Gala for the Arts, which was the place to be this week as 800 of the great and the good of the Arts world turned up to celebrate. (I have got my own personalised ticket for the seating outside Buckingham Palace for the events on 5th June). People will have 2 days off work and the weather might be good too.

David Hockney designed the cover for the programme on his iPad; he received The Queen's Order of Merit 2 days before, and he praised The Queen for hosting a party to celebrate Britain's culture. As he said: "The arts aren't a luxury, they're an essential." Dame Judi Dench introduced to Hockney said "I can't believe it. I've been a fan for years".
Bradford's golden boy of the '60s, after those very productive years in California and Paris among others now seems at home back in England (and at the pinnacle of the arts world) and after his recent very successful Royal Academy exhibition of those large new landscapes that delighted us so much. More on the grand old man of art at Hockney label. 

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