Hotel Acatlán: Second Day
Signed Print

Following on from Hotel Acatlán: First Dayin the Moving Focus series, this work shows a different perspective of the courtyard Hockney came across when he was forced to make an unexpected stop due to car trouble while on holiday in Mexico. Here we are again standing in the garden looking towards the portico whose red floor has turned pink. The ground too is pink which complements the green of the leaves and the yellow of the paths. To the left of the composition is a well topped with an arch made of red bricks which frames the trunk of a willow tree. As with First Day the image is split over two sheets, creating an almost artificial wide angle which allows the artist to fill the scene with greenery and architectural detail. Along with the yellow columns, the shadows of the portico frame and divide the composition, creating a dynamic visual effect which leads our eye to explore every corner of this vibrant scene. With its bright colors and white heat the viewer can easily imagine themselves in Mexico, in the artist’s shoes, looking out at this secret garden which blurs the boundaries between inside and out to create an intimate and verdant space.