Life Painting for a Diploma - 1962

Hockney challenged the Royal College of Art's graduation rules. He refused to complete the final assessment to paint a female model from life. In protest, he created 'Life Painting for a Diploma'; insisting that his friend Mo McDermott be officially hired as a model so that he can make 'Life Painting for Myself'; and submitted a thesis on Fauvism so hastily written that his tutors considered it twice before passing it. RCA reversed the rules and Hockney is awarded a Gold Medal distinction which he receives wearing his gold lamé jacket to the cermony.

"I got a copy of one of those American physique magazines and copied the cover; and just to show them that even if the painting isn't anatomically correct I could do an anatomically correct thing. I stuck on one of my early drawings of a skeleton."