Maggi Hambling and Sarah Lucas first met in 2000 on their shared birthday, October 23rd. They have remained fixtures in each others’ lives ever since. Living nearby in rural Suffolk, UK for over thirty years, the two artists have maintained both a close friendship and creative relationship.
Either artist tackles themes of death, impermanence, influence by one’s environment, and the humor of life in their distinct work and wider practice. They have both portrayed the other throughout the course of their careers. But this exhibition presented something new. It aimed to explore the distinct throughlines in their work.
Their joint exhibition OOO LA LA, presented by Sadie Coles HQ and Frankie Rossi Art Projects, ran this past winter up until New Years Day. The show’s opening night was a brisk, clear evening. Packed wall to wall with a lively crowd, onlookers ebbed and flowed between the two gallery spaces which lay parallel to one another on Bury Street.
Lucas’s iconic bunny sculptures, some made of stuffed stockings with large eyes, could be seen holding cigarettes and wearing shoes. The works were spread throughout the exhibition. In other rooms these sculptures were brightly colored glossy forms – emulating legs which donned high heels. I couldn’t help but sympathize with these alien forms as they held a distinct omnipresence throughout the venue. It felt as if I was privy to an inside joke between us.
Much of Lucas’s work is imbued with an impish humor. This is partly what makes her art so enjoyable to the public – she allows art to be as fun as it is impactful. Meanwhile, Hambling’s large swirling oil paintings of bright blues and grays balanced the space. Stoic, robust pieces of wood and bronze covered in blue oil paint were propped up on pedestals. Simultaneously, a mangled puff of white plaster entitled, Henriette eating meringue, drew one’s eye.
In the back room, a brown paper portrait of Hambling hung conspicuously, entitled Maggi the Magi. Upon closer inspection, one could clearly see Lucas’ trademark use of cigarettes as they formed the subject’s face. The work translated as a tongue in cheek nod to “anti anti smoking”.
Each of the pieces flowed together in a silently symbolic conversation between the two artists. The distinct works were curated in such a way that the exhibition became a physical representation of their shared experiences. The works seemed to shift in alignment, building a narrative of their symbiotic relationship that guests were witness to for a short time.
One of the standout artworks was a bewitching dual portrait of both artists entitled Sarah and Maggi (2025), hung above attendees, seemingly keeping watch over the exhibition. The artwork was completed by Julian Simmons, presenting yet another collaboration. Their shared expressions could only be described as “the cat who swallowed the canary”.
Keenly aware of secrets likely shared only between the two artists. Onlookers may infer what their artistic dynamic was like in consideration of the curation of the exhibition, but it was clear there were details that the audience would likely be unable to decipher for themselves.
The relationship of these artists tells a story that transcends collaborators, or even creative partners. Instead this exhibition displayed the amalgamation of several decades of friendship, trust, respect, and an entwined creative process that has led to global recognition.
The exhibition begs a few questions: what can this kind of creative, working, and personal relationship teach us about how the company we keep influences us? Leaving myself and other attendees to wonder what might be possible when working alongside a twin flame, year after year.
At The New Museum in NYC, guests can witness Lucas’ exhibition, VENUS VICTORIA. The exhibition opened on March 21st and will be on display for the next two years. It is a sculptural commission that celebrates women taking up space in public life.
The National Gallery hosted a speakers’ series entitled “Picture This” with Maggi Hambling and John Wilson on 10 April 2026. At this event, they discussed the themes of her art through the lens of Rembrandt‘s Self Portrait at the Age of 63.