Hepworth in Colour at Courtauld Reveals Blue Interiors and Sea-Inspired Strings

The Courtauld in London presents 'Hepworth in Colour', a focused survey on Barbara Hepworth's use of color, running from June 2026. The exhibition features sculptures with deep blue painted interiors and red strings, evoking the Cornish seascapes of St Ives. Key works include 'Pelagos' (1946), an elmwood carving with white underside and red strings, and 'Sculpture With Colour (Eos)' (1946), a Hopton Wood stone with a blue-painted hole. Drawings accompany the sculptures, though some critics find them less compelling. The show argues Hepworth was not a monochrome artist, but the premise is seen as reductive by some. Hepworth's works, such as 'Turning Form (Atlantic)' (1961) and 'Sea Form (Porthmeor)', compress wave forms into abstract, geometric beauty. The strings evoke Aeolian harps, adding a sonic dimension. The exhibition runs at the Courtauld Institute of Art in London.