A NEW exhibition of David Hockney's early work will open this month at Bradford Council’s Cartwright Hall Art Gallery.

Entitled 'Looking is a Very Positive Act' it will run from October 18 until February 22, 2015.

This free exhibition will showcase Bradford’s unique collection of early Hockney from his time at Bradford College of Art from 1953 – 57.

The exhibition hopes to provide a general introduction into the early art of David Hockney considering drawing, painting, printmaking and photography.

Included in the exhibition will be the important 'Self-portrait' collage on newsprint, from 1954 that shows Hockney before he became a sensation on the London arts scene.

Coun Susan Hinchcliffe, Bradford Council's executive member for culture, said: "David Hockney is not just Bradford’s most famous artist, but one of the most famous artists in the world.

"In recent years, Hockney has had large sell-out shows in London, Cologne, Bilbao, San Francisco and Los Angeles, with numerous smaller exhibitions taking place throughout the world.

"However it will be fascinating for people to see where Hockney's first works were produced and influenced - right here in Bradford."

Last month, Hockney’s painting ‘My Parents’ from 1977 (in the national collection of Tate, London) was voted to be the nation’s favourite by over 38,000 people for an outside art initiative ‘Art is Everywhere’ which runs at various sites throughout the country from 21 July to 31 August.

This follows another poll in 2011 of 1,000 artists who also voted Hockney to be the most influential artist of all time.