Hockney painted these fifteen moons on an iPad between April and December 2020, sitting outside his 17th-century Normandy farmhouse after switching off every light in the house so he could actually see the moonlight. The works track the moon's phases and the shadows trees cast on grass across his twelve acres, and they land differently now that Hockney died in June at 88. If you see one gallery show before the summer closes out, make it this room.
What to expect
A single hushed Chelsea room hung with fifteen luminous prints, most of them dominated by deep blue and the small hard disc of the moon. The scale is intimate rather than monumental, so people tend to stand close and stay a while. Expect steady but calm foot traffic and a guest book that has turned into a memorial.
Good to know
- C or E to 23rd Street, then walk west toward Eleventh Avenue
- Gallery admission is free and no ticket or reservation is needed
- Chelsea galleries run reduced summer hours and many close weekends in August — check the gallery page before you go
- The ground-floor space is step-free and wheelchair accessible
- Pace has several other shows in the same building, so budget extra time
- Best for anyone who wants a quiet, contemplative half hour rather than a spectacle
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Common questions
Do I need a ticket to see the Hockney show?
No. Pace Gallery is free and open to the public with no reservation required.
Are these paintings or prints?
Hockney drew them on an iPad, and the works on view are printed on paper, mounted on Dibond and framed.
Has this series been shown before?
Yes, in Rouen and Paris, but this is the first presentation of the Moon Room series in New York.
More this weekend
