David Hockney visited China in the early 1980s, as the country opened up to the West following decades of cultural and political isolation. This journey had a significant impact on Hockney’s work as he explored the intersection of Eastern and Western aesthetics, particularly with regard to pictorial perspective. Red Square and the Forbidden City, a stylised aerial view of Tiananmen Square, reflects Hockney’s engagement with Chinese culture and landscape during this period. The vastness of the plaza is indicated by the expanse of white paper, dotted with tiny bicycles, that creates a sense of scale and space. Above, the Forbidden City is rendered in bold colours from an overhead view, akin to a blueprint or architectural plan. In contrast to these aerial perspectives, the Tiananmen Gate and the line of trees behind it are presented as though viewed from straight ahead, offering a more traditional frontal perspective. This approach of combining multiple perspectives and viewpoints underscores Hockney's interest in the formal qualities of Chinese art and its emphasis on balance, narrative, and spatial relationships over one-point linear perspective. Red Square and the Forbidden City is a fascinating synthesis of traditional Eastern artistic elements with Hockney’s contemporary perspective and distinctive draughtsmanship, offering a unique interpretation of one of China’s most politically and historically charged sites.
