Eva, one half of the German artist duo EVA & ADELE, has died. Her passing was announced on the couple's Instagram page on Wednesday, with the German press agency dpa reporting that she died in Berlin after surgery on her lumbar spine. Eva never revealed her true age; the couple's representative, Galerie Nicole Gnesa, stated in an obituary that she was 34 years, one month, and 10 days old—using her chosen wedding day as her birthday. EVA & ADELE were known for treating their lives as a performance, appearing publicly in matching outfits to blur gender binaries and individuality, and were fixtures at major art events like the Venice Biennale, Documenta, and Manifesta.
The death of Eva marks the end of a decades-long, boundary-pushing artistic partnership that challenged conventional notions of gender, identity, and the boundaries between life and art. EVA & ADELE's work as a unified, twin-like entity—documented through photographic self-portraits and public appearances—offered a radical critique of the gender binary and individuality, influencing conversations around performance art and queer identity. Their presence at major international art events made them beloved and recognizable figures in the art world, and their legacy as pioneers of life-as-art performance will continue to resonate.