In a digital age of swiping, matching and ghosting, surely love has never been so complicated, right?
Maybe. But the London Barbican’s autumn exhibition is proving that we might be seriously underestimating the last century, as real-life artist couples throughout history, their explosive relationships, and the impact on their creative endeavours has been documented in extensive showcase, Modern Couples: Art, Intimacy and the Avant-garde.
Pablo Picasso and Dora Maar. Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. Virginia Woolf and Vita Sackville-West. Barbara Hepworth and Ben Nicholson. Over 40 famous pairs (writers, musicians, painters, photographers and more) are featured in the retrospective, which lays bare their love letters, photographs and even gifts – exploring everything from their desires, synergy, and seminal fruits of their labours, to even often their untimely demises.
Modern Couples also gives deserved visibility to female artists who historically may have taken a backseat to their male partners. Oh, and that fuckboys (yep, you heard), have roamed these lands for a lot longer than we originally thought.
Modern Couples: Art, Intimacy and the Avant-garde is on at the Barbican Art Gallery until Jan 27. Find out more here