The Barbican’s spring art show offers an intimate look at the personally amassed collections of 14 post-war and contemporary artists, alongside at least one key example of their work. Expect a wide range of delightful and bemusing peculiarities, including Andy Warhol’s cutsey cookie jars, Damien Hirst’s taxidermy, Pae White’s silk scarves, Peter Blake’s Brit folk art, Dr Lakra’s LP covers, and Martin Parr’s canine cosmonauts. From chaotic hoarders to careful connoisseurs, the exhibition explores the artists’ varied approaches to collecting, and how these objects have informed their practice – helping to unravel the threads, themes and forms in their artwork. The influential possessions are now the ones getting a considered viewing from the gallery.

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