Through the medium of film and photography, this major exhibition considers how masculinity has been coded, performed, and socially constructed from the 1960s to the present day.
Examining depictions of masculinity from behind the lens, the Barbican brings together the work of over 50 international artists, photographers and filmmakers including Laurie Anderson, Sunil Gupta, Rotimi Fani-Kayode, Isaac Julien and Catherine Opie.
In the wake of #MeToo the image of masculinity has come into sharper focus, with ideas of toxic and fragile masculinity permeating today’s society. This exhibition charts the often complex and sometimes contradictory representations of masculinities, and how they have developed and evolved over time. Touching on themes including power, patriarchy, queer identity, female perceptions of men, hypermasculine stereotypes, tenderness and the family, the exhibition shows how central photography and film have been to the way masculinities are imagined and understood in contemporary culture.
The exhibition is reopen for a limited time at a reduced capacity, so tickets must be booked in advance.
This exhibition contains some works of an adult nature. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult.
This exhibition is also made possible through support from the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and a Jonathan Ruffer Curatorial Research Grant from Art Fund
Lead sponsor
CALVIN KLEIN seeks to thrill and inspire their audience, while using provocative imagery and striking designs to ignite the senses. They are proud to support the Barbican’s Masculinities: Liberation through Photography exhibition.
With thanks
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Exhibition Guide
Exhibition Guide: Masculinities
Read the Masculinities: Liberation through Photography online exhibition guide featuring section introductions, gallery map and glossary of terms.
