6 June – 4 October 2026
Project Space, Floor 2
Step behind the scenes of Barbara Hepworth and Ben Nicholson鈥檚 London Studio
Coinciding with the major exhibition The Joseph Hage Aaronson & Bremen Exhibition: Hepworth in Colour in the Courtauld’s Denise Coates Exhibition Galleries, this display brings together a remarkable group of photographs of Barbara Hepworth聽(1903鈥1975)聽and Ben Nicholson鈥檚聽(1894鈥1982)聽shared聽London studio聽at 7 The Mall, Hampstead, taken in the early 1930s by聽the fine art photographer聽Paul Laib (1869鈥1958).
The photographs, which are held in the Courtauld鈥檚 collection, are among the most evocative and iconic studio images taken in Britain during the 20th century. As well as聽portraits and exquisite photographs of individual artworks, the images show聽their studio populated with sculptures, paintings and prints,聽carefully聽arranged side by side with carving tools, plants and other聽objects.
This display will offer a captivating insight into Hepworth and Nicholson鈥檚 London studio environment, which they occupied until moving to Cornwall in 1939, and which was the setting for a period of intense collaboration and experimentation for the two artists. It will also shine new light on Paul Laib, who photographed the work of many eminent British artists in the first half of the twentieth century.
This display is included in the Permanent Collection or Permanent Collection + Exhibition ticket.聽