David Hockney’s funeral was held in private with only two mourners David Hockney

Only two people attended David Hockney’s funeral last week – in keeping with the British artist’s wishes.

The mourners at the private ceremony were Hockney’s 61-year-old friend, Jean-Pierre Gonçalves de Lima, and his 33-year-old great-nephew, Richard Hockney, an artist who worked as the artist’s assistant and often modeled for him. Both are trustees of the David Hockney Foundation, which was founded by the artist in 2008.

When the pioneering artist of The Splash He passed away peacefully at his home on June 11 The 88-year-old, Keir Starmer and King Charles were among those who paid tribute to his “glamorous, instantly recognizable” work and his “incredible charm, talent and enduring talent”.

Although Hockney wanted his funeral to be a private ceremony, his publicist, Erica Bolton, announced that his life and work will be celebrated in a series of memorials that will be held in places where he lived around the world, including London and Yorkshire.

Bolton said: “We are very impressed with your posts which have been very helpful and we would like to thank you.

“As we have already received many inquiries about David Hockney’s funeral arrangements and memorials, we would like to make it clear that it was David’s wish that his funeral be attended by his friend, JP, and his grandson Richard, and that their privacy be respected.

“Also in keeping with David’s wishes, we are able to announce that the first memorial service to celebrate David’s life and work will be held in London in late 2027, followed by commemorations in Yorkshire, Paris and Los Angeles.”

He added that many of Hockney’s works in his private collection will be donated to foundations and public bodies around the world “to further his legacy”.

Hockney refused to fight in 1990 and revealed why 13 years later, in a 2003 interview with his local newspaper, Bradford Telegraph & Argus. “I don’t care about controversy,” he said. “I don’t appreciate any kind of awards, because I love my friends.”

Hockney is thought to have created around 35,000 paintings over the course of sixteen years, inclusive Queen Elizabeth II window at Westminster Abbey, where the memorial in London is to be held.

He provided nearly 8,000 jobs to his foundation which was worth more than $1bn in 2024.

Free exhibition, David Hockney: A Year in Normandie and Other Reflections Drawingruns until 23 August at the Serpentine in London.

Next year there will be two more exhibitions of Hockney’s work, at Tate Britain and the Turbine Hall at Tate Modern.

There was a demand for the artist’s work on Art Basel last week, where buyers were given one chance since his death to find his work in person.

Clare McAndrew, author of The Art Basel and US Global Art Market Report, told the Supervisor Hockney’s paintings were “massive” and it is said that demand for them increased 1,200% in the 48 hours after his death.