Name: Bora Bora
Brand: David Hockney
Rating: 5 (236 reviews)

Track auction value trend

The value of David Hockney's Bora Bora (signed) lithograph, created in 1979, is estimated to be worth between £30,000 and £50,000. Over the past 12 months, the artwork has sold once, with an average selling price of £33,219. In the last five years, the hammer price has ranged from £15,000 in September 2020 to £33,219 in April 2025. This work has shown consistent value growth, with an impressive average annual growth rate of 25%. Bora Bora has an auction history of 14 total sales since its entry to the market in March 2006. The edition size of this artwork is limited to 100.

Meaning & Analysis

Inky brushstrokes pick out the movement of clouds in the sky, the waves on the horizon and the lush vegetation of a tropical island, presumably the Bora Bora of the title. The marks are loose, almost Fauvist in style, recalling the work of Henri Matisse. The work reflects a shift in Hockney’s style that is evidenced in this portfolio, which, coming three years after the Friends series, sees him experimenting with more relaxed painterly marks on the lithographic stone. Following the example of Toulouse Lautrec, who was one of the first artists to use lithography to mimic a painterly effect in print, Hockney adopted the method of drawing with a brush dipped in tusche (diluted lithographic ink) which allowed him to work more freely. Bora Bora is the only work in the Tyler Graphics 1979 Portfolio to represent a landscape; the rest of the prints in the series are portraits of Hokcney’s close friends – such as Joe Macdonald and Henry Geldzahler who also feature in the 1976 series – as well as their children. While the work seems like an anomaly it is reflected in the portraits of Macdonald in which he wears a Hawaiian-style shirt in a nod to this Pacific setting.

British-born artist David Hockney is a kaleidoscopic force in the art world. Born in 1937, Hockney's vibrant palette and innovative techniques have left an indelible mark on contemporary art. A pioneer of the British Pop Art movement in the 1960s, he seamlessly transitioned through various styles, from photo collages to vivid landscapes. Renowned for his exploration of light and space, Hockney's versatility extends to painting, printmaking, photography, and stage design. A captivating storyteller, his works often capture the essence of modern life with a playful yet profound touch. With a career spanning decades, Hockney remains an enduring visionary in the ever-evolving art world.