Plug In For The Next Generation (No. 684)
Plug In For The Next Generation (No. 684)
Signed Print
David Hockney
94 x 71cm, Edition of 25, Digital Print, 2011
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Meaning & Analysis
Plug In For The Next Generation is a 2011 digital artwork by David Hockney. Created using an iPad and printed on wove paper, this piece measures 94.3 × 71.1 cm. It depicts an Apple plug and its cord against a textured background, mimicking the natural grains in wood. This work is part of a series of iPad drawings Hockney produced in the early 2010s, marking a significant shift in his artistic practice towards digital media.
With a prophetic title about both Hockney's career and the tech world itself, this work was created on an iPad 2 using the Brushes app and subsequently printed on wove paper, the artwork features a plug and its cord rendered with bold lines and vivid colours. The background's textured pattern contrasts with the smooth, almost three-dimensional appearance of the plug, creating a visual interplay that challenges the viewer's perception of depth on a two-dimensional surface.
The piece continues Hockney's fascination with everyday objects as subjects of artistic inquiry. By choosing a common electrical plug as his subject, Hockney invites viewers to reconsider the aesthetic potential of mundane items. The title, Plug In For The Next Generation, suggests a commentary on the role of technology in contemporary art and society, as well as foreboding the immense importance Apple technology would have on Hockney's oeuvre from these earlier digital works to the present day.
