University to honour Hockney at Minster

A major event at York Minster next February, incorporating performances by the University Choir and Orchestra and the conferral of five honorary degrees, will launch a year-long calendar of events to mark the university’s 50th Anniversary year. To mark its first half-century, the University will confer honorary doctorates on David Hockney and four other people who have made outstanding contributions to York and Yorkshire in the last half 
century.

Hockney will attend the event on February 12 and will join Janet Barnes, chief executive officer of York Museums Trust; Robert Brech, chairman of York Science Park; John David, master mason of York Minster and Dianne Swiers, deputy chief nurse Scarborough and North East Yorkshire Healthcare NHS Trust in receiving 50th anniversary honorary degrees.

The vice chancellor, Professor Brian Cantor, said: “The University of York is extremely proud of its relationship with this great city and its people.

“We are starting our 50th anniversary celebrations by formally acknowledging that relationship through this exciting public event in York Minster at which we will confer honorary degrees on five people who have made significant contributions to the advancement of York and Yorkshire.

David Hockney was born in Bradford and graduated from the Bradford School of Art in 1957, receiving the Gold Medal at
the Royal College of Art in 
1962.

His work has been seen around the world in gallery and museum exhibitions.

His latest, David Hockney: A Bigger Picture, which focuses on the artist’s landscape paintings and multi-camera films, has shown at the Royal Academy of Arts, London, the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, and Museum Ludwig, Cologne.