By Katayoun Halajan
David Hockney, the pioneering British painter, passed away in London on June 11 at the age of 88. He was one of the most outstanding painters of the late 20th and early 21st centuries, and one of the world’s most celebrated artists.
His global fame was linked to several factors: his move to California in the 1970s, where he became known for his portraits and poolside scenes; for his constant artistic experimentation with new technologies (from Polaroid cameras to the iPhone and iPad); and for his openness about homosexuality at a time when, in Britain, it was still being decriminalized.
In 2025, the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris presented a major Hockney retrospective of some 400 works from between 1955 and 2025 — titled: “Do Remember They Can’t Cancel the Spring.”
Sahar Dehghan, an Iranian choreographer, director, and dancer based in France, was invited to collaborate on the exhibition by creating a dance performance inspired by the artworks on display. Drawing on the exhibition’s title, she developed a unique choreography.
“The moment I heard the word ‘spring,’ I immediately thought of Nowruz — the celebration that Iranians hold to welcome the arrival of spring. To this day, no government in Iran has succeeded in erasing this ancient tradition,” Dehghan said in an interview with Kayhan Life.
“How could I, as an Iranian — and as someone honored to have the opportunity to collaborate with David Hockney — not be inspired by the title of this exhibition?”
“When I attended the private viewing to study the works and develop the choreography, I was astonished by the richness of the colors. I walked through all five floors of the Fondation Louis Vuitton, taking in each painting one by one. Most of his works celebrated nature, and nature has always been one of my deepest sources of inspiration,” she said.
“David Hockney was very ill, and we knew that he would soon leave us. However, what remains of an artist — what makes them immortal — is their work,” she added. “That realization inspired me to create the symbol of the spiral, combining elements of Iranian dance, classical ballet, and Sufi whirling. The spiral represents eternity — a symbol of what never dies: nature and the eternal cycle of life.”
“I accepted the invitation to collaborate because I knew David Hockney was one of the most influential figures in modern art, whose work had inspired countless artists in Iran and around the world. I met him a few days before the exhibition opened. He was very ill and physically frail. He was living through the final days of his life.”
“For me, collaborating with such a distinguished artist — on what would likely be the last exhibition he would personally attend — was an extraordinary honor. At the time, I was also going through a very difficult period in my own life, yet I was determined to give the best performance I possibly could.”
“The moment I stepped onto the stage, surrounded by the extraordinary beauty and colors projected across my body and throughout the space, I forgot everything else. I became completely immersed in David Hockney’s luminous imagery, accompanied by the music of Wagner, Maurice Ravel, Igor Stravinsky, and Giacomo Puccini. I felt an incredible sense of strength and energy, and it became one of the finest performances of my career.”
“The exhibition remained on view for six months at the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris, and during three special evenings, presented as part of a specially designed production, I performed several times. I am deeply grateful that I had the privilege of collaborating with this remarkable artist before his passing,” Dehghan said.
“I pay tribute to David Hockney: to everything his eyes received from the sky and, through his paintings, offered to us. Like a whirling dervish who draws from the blue of the heavens and, after it passes through the heart, gives it back to the earth — in the way that all trees do — David Hockney has left his works as a lasting legacy for us.”
“His art connected us to the very soul of existence and to all living beings, making him immortal through his creations. Art is powerful, transformative, and enduring. I hope that one day Iranian artists, too, will enjoy freedom of expression and be able to create freely in their own country.”
“The title of David Hockney’s final exhibition carried a profound message of hope. No one can stop the arrival of spring or the eternal cycle of nature. I hope that the spring of freedom in Iran will also arrive very soon,” Dehghan said.
