Mr and Mrs Stephen Buckley 1974 - 1976

Curator: This is Howard Hodgkin’s “Mr and Mrs Stephen Buckley," an enigmatic piece held here at the Tate. Editor: It's quite striking! The bold shapes—the triangle and the rectangle—almost seem to guard some swirling, secret encounter at the center. Curator: Indeed. Hodgkin’s work often explores memory and relationships through abstraction. The Buckleys were fellow artists, so this could be about artistic dialogue. Editor: I see it in the clashing colors. Pink brick against swirling ochre. And the teal frame itself becomes part of the interaction, doesn't it? Enclosing it all, like a stage. Curator: Precisely! The frame isn't separate; it's integral. It speaks to the constructed nature of memory, how we selectively frame our experiences. Editor: It's fascinating how symbols can build, layer upon layer. The painting’s vibrancy and coded nature make you ponder the unspoken between people. Curator: A potent visualization, isn't it? Editor: Yes, it invites us to consider the many ways relationships can be "painted".