David Hockney--> Is he the most influential British artist of all time?

 A recent poll carried out by The Other Art Fair, got a thousands artists to vote on who they believed was the most influential British Artist. The results are written below::

1. David Hockney

2. J.M.W. Turner

3. Grayson Perry

4. Francis Bacon

5. Jack Vettriano

6. Lucian Freud

7. Thomas Gainsborough

8. Sir Peter Blake

9. Banksy

10. Stanley Spencer

The results are quite interesting, and I think we must first discuss the British artists who are absent. Most notably maybe are some of the member of YBA's, including Damien Hirst, Tracey Emin and Jack and Dinio Chapman. These are people who have made a successful but controversial career in Art, and some have even won the Turner Prize, but the survey clearly shows how many do not see them as inspirational figures; curious considering that a lot of the art press is concentrated around them but maybe they do not see them as true artists due to there sometimes controversial and shocking work, which often seems the main reason for its creation.

Obviously some the names were bound to be on the list including J.M.W. Turner, Lucien Freud and Stanley Spencer. But I find it quite odd that Thomas Gainsborough should be on the list and not John Constable, whose work I find more superior. There are also absences from people such as Sir Joshua Reynolds and the   Pre-Raphaelites, but I suppose the artists who voted although they may like the traditional artist, may not really look to such work for inspiration. It is interesting that many of the artists are more considerable as the modern masters, such as Freud. Also the inclusion of Banksy shows the importance of street art to the modern artist, and it is interesting that he is on on the list, as no one knows who he actually showing it is his art is a key inspiration.

I think we must now move onto David Hockney, personally i was mildly surprised at him being considered the most influential, but when you consider his work I think it is more understandable as to why. Firstly we must first acknowledge the importance of Hockney and his pieces such as Splash (seen below) which among others made a key contribution to pop art in the sixties. His ability to use and master various materials should also be regarded with some merit and such a wide scope of both material and subject may go as some way to understand why he above others is more inspirational.