Ian Falconer | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | (1959-08-25)August 25, 1959 Ridgefield, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Died | March 7, 2023(2023-03-07) (aged 63) Norfolk, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Illustrator, children's writer, costume designer |
Ian Woodward Falconer (August 25, 1959 – March 7, 2023)[1] was an American author,illustrator,set designer, andcostume designer. Falconer was a muse to pop artistDavid Hockney, with whom he collaborated on designing costumes for theatrical productions. Falconer created several magazine covers forThe New Yorker and other publications. In 2001, he received aCaldecott Honor for writing and illustrating theOlivia children's book series.[2]
Ian Woodward Falconer was born on August 25, 1959, inRidgefield, Connecticut, to parents Alexandra and Bruce Falconer.[3] His mother co-owned a gourmet food store, taught art, and operated a sailing school, while his father worked as an architect.[3]
Falconer graduated fromThe Cambridge School of Weston and studied art history atNew York University before transferring to theParsons School of Design.[3]
When Falconer was 19, he met artistDavid Hockney at the New York apartment of curatorHenry Geldzahler.[4] After they developed a relationship, Falconer transferred to theOtis Art Institute when Hockney returned to Los Angeles.[4] Falconer, however, quit college because he felt that it only taught him "cottage crafts," declaring that "he needed no other teacher than David Hockney."[4]
Falconer was active in the world of theater design. In 1987, he assisted Hockney with the costume designs for theLos Angeles Opera's production of Richard Wagner'sTristan und Isolde; in 1992 he assisted Hockney with theChicago Lyric Opera's production of Puccini'sTurandot.[5] In 1992, Falconer designed the costumes and Hockney designed the sets forThe Royal Opera's production ofRichard Strauss'Die Frau ohne Schatten atCovent Garden.[6]
In 1996, Falconer designed the set forThe Atlantic Theater's production ofThe Santaland Diaries, written byDavid Sedaris. The theater critic forThe New York Times,Ben Brantley, wrote "The cartoon cutout set by Ian Falconer looks totally chic in its monochromatic grayness."[7]
In 1999, Falconer designed scenery and costumes for theBoston Ballet's production ofIgor Stravinsky'sTheFirebird, choreographed byChristopher Wheeldon. In the same year, he designed the sets forScènes de Ballet. In 2001 he designed the sets and costumes forFelix Mendelssohn'sVariations sérieuses. Wheeldon choreographed for both productions of theNew York City Ballet.[8] In 2002, Falconer designed the sets and costumes for Stravinsky'sJeu de Cartes, choreographed for the New York City Ballet byPeter Martins.
In 2008, Falconer designed the sets and oversaw the installation for the operettaVeronique at theThéâtre du Châtelet inParis. Francis Carlin, a critic, noted, "Ian Falconer's clever play-off between background film and lavish sets climaxes in a stunning society ball."[9] Beginning with the 2015 season, thePacific Northwest Ballet'sThe Nutcracker features costumes and sets designed by Falconer.[3]
In 1996,Françoise Mouly, art editor ofThe New Yorker, hired Falconer to create illustrations for the magazine.[10] Falconer made 30 covers forThe New Yorker.[10]
His covers forThe New Yorker caught the eye ofSimon & Schuster children's book editor Anne Schwartz, who approached Falconer about the possibility of illustrating a children's book by another author.[11] Falconer shared the manuscript forOlivia, a book about a young pig namedOlivia, inspired by his niece.[3] After he took Schwartz's suggestion to cut down the manuscript, the book was published in 2000.[11] The book was an instant success. It received theCaldecott Honor, sold over 10 million copies, and remained on theNew York Times bestseller list for more than a year.[12] The final book of his sequels,Olivia the Spy, was published in 2017.[13]
In 2022, Falconer published a new children's book titledTwo Dogs about a pair of dachshunds named Perry and Augie, who were inspired by his nephews.[14][15]
In the late 1970s, Falconer lived with his friend, photographer Patrick McMullan in New York.[16]
Falconer was gay.[17][18] He dated designer and filmmakerTom Ford, whom he had met in 1979 while attending New York University.[19][16][20] They remained good friends after their breakup, and Ford used Falconer's surname for the title character in his 2009 filmA Single Man (based on theChristopher Isherwood novel, in which the title character has no surname).[21][22][23]
Falconer had a relationship with artistDavid Hockney, who was his lover and mentor.[4] After moving out of Hockney's Los Angeles home, he lived with his boyfriend Butch Kirby, who was an actor known as "Butchie," and their dachshund Heinz.[24]
In later life, Falconer lived inRowayton, Connecticut, a village within the city ofNorwalk. He died fromkidney failure in Norwalk on March 7, 2023, at the age of 63.[3][10] He was survived by his mother, Alexandra Austin, and two sisters, Tonia Falconer Barringer and Tory Falconer Crane.[3]
