David Hockney's final self-portrait, exhibited posthumously in 2025 at a Paris retrospective, features a Droste effect: the artist holds a painting within which he holds another painting. In one hand, a paintbrush; in the other, a cigarette. This image captures his lifelong passion for smoking, a habit he pursued until his death at 88.
The Paris Metro Controversy
The painting, titled 'Play within a Play within a Play and Me with a Cigarette,' sparked a dispute with Paris Metro authorities. They prohibited its use in advertising the exhibition, citing regulations against glamorizing smoking to protect youth. Hockney decried the decision as 'bossiness' and a limit on free expression. He frequently wore a badge reading 'End bossiness soon.'
Early Smoking and Artistic Identity
A 1962 photograph shows Hockney at the Royal College of Art, smoking while covered in paint. He faced mockery for his Bradford accent but later remarked, 'If I drew like that, I'd keep my mouth shut.' His smoking may have been a social crutch against early alienation or a Freudian rebellion against his father, who hated smoking. Alternatively, it was artistic self-fashioning, aligning him with iconic smokers like Picasso and Monet.
Defiance of Doctors and Social Norms
Hockney outlived four doctors who advised him to quit. He came out as gay in the 1950s, accepting his identity after seeing a Diaghilev exhibition. He later compared societal tolerance of diverse sexualities to the oppression of smokers, arguing for tolerance of minority habits. He famously kept 2,000 cigarettes at home 'for emergencies.'
Activism Against Smoking Bans
In the early 2000s, Hockney campaigned against proposed smoking bans in pubs. He protested at the 2005 Labour conference with posters reading 'Death comes to us all,' paralleling Tony Blair's message on Iraq. He wrote frequently to The Guardian, questioning medical certainties about smoking. In 2004, he cited Margaret Thatcher's longevity despite her husband's smoking. In 2007, he lamented England's 'mean and unpleasant land' compared to a smoking lounge at the Festspielhaus in Baden Baden.
Later Life and Legacy
Hockney suffered a mini-stroke in 2012, likely exacerbated by smoking, but his final works included a warm portrait of his carer, Thomas Mupfupi. He remained unapologetic, believing his joy in smoking was integral to his art. As he would argue, 'There would have been no fire without smoke.'
