2014
La Nostalgia De Londres captures the essence of London's iconic landmarks and atmosphere through the lens of memory and the passage of time. The title translates to "London Nostalgia," reflecting Hook's deep personal connection to the city where he studied illustration at Middlesex University and later lectured at the Royal College of Art.
The series focuses on the emotional texture of London's urban landscape, its weight, its light, its constant movement. Using cold blues and earthy tints, Hook evokes a sense of nostalgia that is felt rather than described. Through subsequent layers of transparent paint, he depicts the moments between events, making the city feel as though it is always in motion, both physically and mentally. Past and present collide in each piece, offering alternating perspectives on a single subject through what Hook calls the broken image.
The collection features works named after some of London's most recognisable locations — Embankment, Trafalgar Square, Paddington Station, Westminster Bridge — alongside pieces like Horses of Helios at Piccadilly Circus and Madrugada, a nocturnal view of Parliament. Each painting treats its subject not as a static landmark but as a living, breathing accumulation of time and human experience.
Within Hook's career, the series serves as a bridge between his early life as an illustrator in London and his emergence as one of the most significant figurative artists of his generation. It was created in the same year he won Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year at the National Portrait Gallery, a homecoming of sorts to the city that shaped him.
2014 · 14 works
7 Hours (London Eye)
