Taking place at The Barbican this year are three exhibitions centred around the work of Alberto Giacometti , whose work also features in Andipa's current exhibition 'Who Needs Colour'.
One of the most significant European sculptors of the 20th century, The Swiss-born sculptor, painter and draughtsman is known for his distinctive, elongated sculptures which experiment with the human form. Organised in collaboration with the Fondation Giacometti, this year-long series launched in May with an exhibition of works by Huma Bhabha, followed by Mona Hatoum in September and Lynda Benglis in February 2026. This is the first time that their sculptures will be seen alongside Giacometti’s works as their artworks resonate with and respond to Giacometti’s sculptures.
Best known for his tall, slender figures—often appearing both fragile and eternal—Giacometti’s work explores the existential isolation of the human condition with remarkable psychological depth. Kicking off The Barbican's Giacometti exhibition series is contemporary artist Huma Bhabha's monumental sculptures. Works from across Bhabha’s career are displayed alongside iconic works by Giacometti made mostly in the aftermath of World War II.
Meanwhile, Giacometti's lithograph Nu Debout II features in Andipa's current exhibition 'Who Needs Colour'. In this sensitive work, Giacometti presents the human figure in its most essential and existential form. This lithograph - marked by the artist’s signature spidery line and restrained use of space - reflects Giacometti’s lifelong preoccupation with the fragility and resilience of human presence. The female nude stands alone at the centre of an expansive, nearly empty field of paper. Her form, though diminutive in relation to the page, commands a powerful psychological weight. Built from restless, searching lines, the figure seems to flicker and vibrate with life, as if emerging from or dissolving into the surrounding void. Giacometti’s touch is both precise and uncertain - each mark a meditation on how we see, know, and represent another human being.
Unlike classical nudes that idealize or eroticize, Nu Debout II is a study in vulnerability and perseverance. The elongated limbs, narrow torso, and slightly bowed head evoke both dignity and isolation, mirroring the existential themes that defined post-war European art and philosophy. This work is not simply a figure drawing; it is an encounter - with presence, with absence, and with the human condition itself. In Nu Debout II, Giacometti distills the body to its core and, in doing so, reveals its profound emotional and metaphysical depth.
Who Needs Colour runs until July 5 2025 and includes 40 monochrome works by artists ranging from Picasso to Chagall, Matisse, Hirst, Haring and Banksy.
Encounters: Giacometti runs at The Barbican until 24 May 2026 and Who Needs Colour runs at Andipa until 5 July 2025.
