HOTA Gold Coast gallery to host artwork by legendary British artist David Hockney in 2024

A stunning new installation worth tens of millions of dollars is being erected on the Gold Coast. Find out where and when

The Gold Coast will become the new home of a giant artwork by legendary British artist David Hockney in a major coup for the city’s cultural tourism.

The 1998 piece “A Bigger Grand Canyon”, is worth more than $69m and will be installed at the Home of the Arts (HOTA) for two-year stint from June 2024.

The painting, of the Grand Canyon in the US, is 7.4m wide and made of 60 individual canvases.

Owed by the National Gallery of Australia, it has been granted to HOTA as part of a federal government initiative to share its collection around the country.

Crowds at the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra checking out the painting which will be making its way to the Gold Coast.

Also coming from the national collection is Australian contemporary artist Imants Tiller’s Mount Analogue 1985.

National Gallery director Nick Mitzevich said the two works would “electrify” Gold Coast audiences while HOTA interim CEO Mik Auckland said the paintings would be drawcards for the Gold Coast.

“As soon as we heard about the Sharing the National Collection initiative, we knew HOTA just had to be part of it,” he said.

“The opportunity to bring masterpieces from this amazing collection direct to our audiences on the Gold Coast was too good to miss out on.

David Hockney’s incredible painting will be hanging on the Gold Coast for two years. Credit: Jean-Pierre Gonçalves de Lima

“We are thrilled to proudly display these paintings alongside some of the great artworks in the HOTA collection … (they) are epic in scale and subject matter – perfect for our big, beautiful gallery.

“We can’t wait to welcome them here.”

The Gold Coast-bound paintings are only the second set to be granted under the government’s Sharing the National Collection initiative, with Tweed Heads receiving a work by Claude Monet.

Arts Minister Tony Burke said the scheme would allow works which have previously been in storage to be seen.

David Hockney sitting at Grand Canyon for inspiration for his painting "A Bigger Grand Canyon"

“Australia’s national collection belongs to all Australians,” he said.

“This initiative gets these works out of the storeroom and up onto the walls of galleries around the country for people to enjoy – as they should be.

“I can’t wait to see these pieces in their new home.”

Artist David Hockney in undated photo starting work on the painting.

It comes just months after HOTA hosted the Contemporary Masters from New York exhibition which brought to Australia for the first time 70 pieces from the collection of Jose Mugrabi, the New York-based Israeli businessman, who is the world’s leading Andy Warhol collector.

Gold Coast-based Senator Murray Watt said art tourism was a growing field for the city.

“This is a great win for the Gold Coast, which will be admired by art lovers and visitors to the city alike,” he said.

“The GC has great beaches, great entertainment, and soon it will have an even broader art offering too.

“I encourage all Gold Coasters and visitors to come and check out the new works.”

"A Bigger Grand Canyon" will be arriving on the Gold Coast in June 2024.