Kara L. Morrison
Opinion/Perspective
Captivating Artist Couples
Throughout History
There's just something that really appeals to me about a great collaboration. Strong partnerships in the arts have produced some of the world's best albums, paintings, films and performances--and I'm not talking about Simon & Garfunkel (although, they are the definition of shining perfection.) I'm talking about those heated, passionate, whole-heart-and-soul type of collaborations that leave their mark on pop-culture and the arts. Whether or not these couples were able to stand the test of time, we can't stop talking about their impact. Here are just some of my favorite artist couples of all time (in no particular order).
Marina Abramovic & Ulay
Marina: Performance Artist
Ulay: Performance Artist
Relationship/Collaboration Years: Mid 1970s-Late 1980s.
Marina and Ulay are certainly the most unusual couple on the list--but their shared body of work is completely fascinating. If your personal image of "performance art" consists of nudity, some bodily harm, and fasting, then you've got a general idea of some of the things that Marina and Ulay were engaging in during the 1970s and 1980s...but remarkably, as you watch them you find that they're not so freaky. Footage exists of Marina and Ulay slapping one another in the face for hours, running and slamming their naked bodies into one another time and again, doing all sorts of things that couples rarely do in public or elsewhere, but their combined performances ooze with an electric energy. Marina has an almost super-human ability to connect soul-to-soul with Ulay and audience members. You feel a surge of the couple's combined vulnerability and the mutual respect they feel for one another as they perform together. Perhaps one of the most heart-wrenching videos I've ever seen was a piece about Marina and Ulay's final and most poignant performance collaboration, The Great Wall Walk, that signified the end of their rocky relationship. Both artists began walking at separate ends of the Great Wall of China where they met in the middle, embraced...and just like that it was over. Marina was visibly heartbroken as she took in the sight of Ulay as she neared their meeting spot. If you can bear the oddities and the nudity (which I don't even notice when Marina and Ulay perform because their energy is extremely intense), I encourage you to find videos of their work together. The Artist Is Present is a fabulous documentary (currently on Netflix!) that chronicle's Marina's 2010 exhibition of the same title at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. In the doc, She addresses her past works with Ulay and (spoiler alert) he makes an appearance at her New York exhibit that will leave you in tears. Marina's reaction to seeing Ulay is deeply honest and human.
Lauren Bacall & Humphrey Bogart
Lauren Bacall: Actress
Humphrey Bogart: Actor
Relationship: Married 1945-Bogart's death in 1957.
Notable Collaboration: The Big Sleep, 1946
Johnny Cash & June Carter Cash
Johnny Cash: Songwriter, Solo & Duet Recording Artist
June Carter Cash: Songwriter, Recording Artist (Soloist, member of The Carter Family, Duet Artist)
Relationship: Married March 1, 1968-June's death, May 15, 2003.
Collaboration Years: 1956-2003.
It's said that everyone wants a "love like Johnny and June", it's a major cliche--while they are perhaps one of my favorite couples to have ever existed, they were not joined together by any fairy tale means. I love them because they went through hell and back and they survived. Both were married to other people when they began their love affair. Ultimately, they were a perfect fit but it took many years of bumpy roads for Johnny and June to finally forge a smooth partnership. The two were nothing short of magic together. Johnny had grown up listening to June and her family singing on the radio; eventually the two would meet and create perhaps one of the most enthralling romances in popular culture. Both were rough around the edges in different ways; for a time, Johnny was hell-bent on living out his bad-boy image, while June straightened him out by loving him fiercely and abundantly despite his sometimes baffling behavior. June had been steady ground for Johnny in his shaky life; she had been a soft place for him to fall when his world turned him upside down. The two remained deeply in love until June's death in 2003, John famously followed June in death shortly after. The Carter/Cash romance is wonderfully depicted in the 2005 film Walk The Line. (I wish Reese Witherspoon had delivered a more feisty, grittier June Carter, but let's not split hairs: the portrayal of Johnny and June's love was excellent). My personal two favorite of the duo's recordings are Jackson, You're A Part Of Me and If I Were A Carpenter. In 2013, I briefly met the songwriter of Johnny and June's 1960s hit Jackson, his name is Billy Edd Wheeler. The song, Jackson, has been a lifelong favorite of mine and what a treat it was to discuss the spunky song with the man that wrote it! If I Were A Carpenter is a sunny tune that never fails to make me smile, you fall in love with June as she sings with warmth in her voice. You're A Part Of Me will make you believe in love again. Also, you should drop what you're doing right now and watch Johnny Cash's Hurt video. It is entirely mesmerizing. "Ladies and Gentlemen, here's my lady, June Carter Cash."
Sonny & Cher
Sonny: Songwriter, Recording Artist, Musician, Actor, Television Personality, Politician
Cher: Recording Artist, Actress
Relationship: Unofficially Married in 1964. Divorced 1975.
Collaboration Years: First singles released in 1964. The Sonny And Cher Comedy Hour, 1971-1974. Remained friend and reunited off/on throughout the years until Sonny's death in 1998.
Lucille Ball & Desi Arnaz
Lucille Ball: Actress, Physical Comedy-Comedienne, Television Producer
Desi Arnaz: Actor, Singer/Musician, Television Producer
Relationship: Married November 30, 1940. Divorced May 4, 1960.
Collaboration Years: 1948, co-starred in radio programs together. I Love Lucy 1951-1960. Co-Founded Desilu Productions 1950. Desilu Productions merged with Paramount in 1967.
When we think about America's golden couple, we summon up a perfectly clear image of Lucy and Ricky Ricardo in their quaint New York City apartment during the 1950s. To call Lucy and Desi's relationship a "whirlwind romance" would be putting it too lightly. The couple quickly and radically eloped in 1940 only to file for divorce in 1944--that is until Desi convinced Lucy to reconcile. Each week, America laughed at Lucy's antics as she and Desi created the ultimate gold-standard for American sit-coms. Television was still a very new medium when I Love Lucy first aired in 1951, but instead of stumbling and making rookie mistakes, Lucy and Desi crafted arguably the most iconic television show to ever exist. Off-screen, Lucy and Desi were very different from their on-screen personas. Desi was a hard-drinking, womanizing, difficult man. Lucille struggled to remain married to Desi, as he had been unfaithful to her many times, but in all reality...Lucy loved Desi, and he loved Lucy. Their marriage crumbled rapidly as the years rolled on, as I Love Lucy drew closer to its end, Lucy and Desi famously refused to speak to one another. Eventually, Lucy and Desi were able to revive their friendship. It has been said by many that knew them, that they both loved each other deeply until their deaths. I grew up watching and studying I Love Lucy late at night each weekend; Lucy and Desi were terrific screen partners, and even though their marriage ended explosively, their performances continue to entertain generation after generation. My personal favorite lovey/dovey, Lucy/Desi episodes of I Love Lucy are during Lucille's real-life pregnancy. Hands-down the best episode of the entire series is episode #45 "Lucy Is Enceinte" in which Lucy surprised Ricky with the news that she is expecting a child. As Ricky sings "We're Having A Baby" to Lucy, both actors (who were welcoming a new baby in real life) become emotional. Desi and Lucy's eyes both light up with joy as Lucy starts to weep at Desi's sweet song. It is terrific to see such a sweet real-life reaction from both actors.
Ava Gardner & Frank Sinatra
Ava Gardner: Actress
Frank Sinatra: Recording artist, Actor
Relationship: Married 1951. Divorced 1957.
Perhaps the best word to describe Ava & Frank's marriage is just this: Explosive. Some would argue that Gardner and Sinatra would top a favorite "Celebrity" marriage list instead of an Artist list, they didn't really collaborate much during their on-and-off fiery, fling, but they admired the hell out of each other and pushed one another into a new stratosphere. In 1950, Frank Sinatra began making plans to leave his wife, Nancy, for Hollywood's striking actress, Ava Gardner: America was outraged. Frank suffered many career hits as his fans and backers left his side. Ava and Frank were fierce friends and passionate lovers that were completely addicted to one another. They drank, they fought, they loved. The pressures in their floundering careers, coupled with their similar, "can't-be-held-down", bigger-than-life personalities, they couldn't hold it together. Songs and films have been written about the pair, all with a similar theme: they could have been great, but love just wasn't enough. There were so many outside factors working against these two. I've always been fascinated by Ava and Frank's relationship because it went unfinished; the two of them were apt to explode at any moment, neither of them were equipped to hold down a successful relationship when they came together--It couldn't work, but they were truly the loves of each other's lives. They never truly let go of one another. Maybe they were both too beautiful, maybe they both drank too much, maybe they were both too wounded. Their explosive relationship scares the hell out of me, because they tried their very best and they loved one another deeply, but their relationship is a tale for the ages and I've personally learned very much from it: heal the wounds, grow up a little, cut back a bit on the drinking and cussing someday and maybe love's got a shot.
Much love to all of you!
Kara
