David Hockney’s exclusive art for Telegraph Magazine

As restrictions start to ease and we begin to emerge from the long, dark tunnel of lockdown, the only certainty is that life will never be quite the same again. We are starting to look at what the future might hold and what it means for us, and as yet there are still many questions to be answered.

Currently in lockdown at his home in Normandy, David Hockney was painting the arrival of spring when he agreed to produce this special, exclusive collectors cover for Telegraph Magazine’s A New Dawn issue (out 23 May).

So what will life look like going forward? A post-pandemic world is certainly set to be a different one but many experts agree that there are positives to be taken from this global catastrophe. In the slow return to normal, we are able to consider which parts of normal are worth going back to. Indeed, looking back at the lockdown, there have been many striking things we have gained: birdsong, clearer skies, acts of great kindness, a sense of community, and a renewed love for the people who really matter. We have weaned ourselves off ‘pile-em-high’ consumerism and discovered the joy of make-do-and-mend; we have adjusted to the challenges of working from home and found a new work/life balance, and we have discovered a new-found and heartfelt appreciation for NHS workers, carers and key workers everywhere.

In the 20-page special issue, hope plays a strong theme, with four top writers giving us their thoughts as to what a new dawn will look like. Columnist Allison Pearson shares the silver linings she has discovered, A&E doctor Stephen Fabes predicts what the future holds for the NHS, fashion director Lisa Armstrong examines the reinvention of retail and special correspondent Harry de Quetteville looks at current scientific thinking and paints a portrait of what an average day will look like a year from now.

Find all this and more in The Telegraph Magazine, out Saturday 23 May. In the meantime, we hope you enjoy Hockney’s exclusive artwork.