David Hockney graduated art school by refusing to paint
The legendary British artist secured his diploma from the Royal College of Art by submitting a drawing of a bodybuilder instead of the required female model.
In the early 1960s, David Hockney was the star student of London's Royal College of Art, but he remained a working-class outsider in a rigid academic environment. When graduation approached, the college mandated that every student submit a traditional life drawing of a female model and a formal academic essay to earn their diploma. Hockney, already developing the rebellious streak that would define his career, refused to do either.
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