The Gospel Singing (Good People)

While originally inspired by Hogarth’s series of the same name, Hockney chose the root of emulation rather than imitation, placing himself in the role of the rake to depict his experience of visiting New York for the first time. The prints in the series are often suffused in melancholy and isolation however this work is one of the more joyous editions, showing a woman singing to a congregation or audience, her arms raised in celebration and a halo hovering above her head.

In the foreground three shadowy figures avoid appearing menacing by the addition of their striped neckties emblazoned with the words ‘God is love’. In the corner, the artist is shown sitting and watching quietly, his face in profile, as is common throughout the series, his eyes blank behind his glasses. His arms and legs are crossed offering a sharp contrast to the openness of the woman’s figure above him. Here the red ink that can be found throughout the series moves from the left hand side of the composition, beginning with the words ‘hallelujah hallelujah’ coming from the gospel singer, and continues as a cloud or a burning sun and and in the figures of the audience, ending in block capitals pronouncing the word ‘HEAVEN’.