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Gilbert Prousch, sometimes referred to as Gilbert Proesch (born 17 September 1943 in
San Martin de Tor
San Martin de Tor ( it, San Martino in Badia ; german: St. Martin in Thurn ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in South Tyrol in northern Italy, located about northeast of the city of Bolzano.
Geography
As of 30 November 2010, it had a population of ...
, Italy), and George Passmore (born 8 January 1942 in
Plymouth
Plymouth () is a port city and unitary authority in South West England. It is located on the south coast of Devon, approximately south-west of Exeter and south-west of London. It is bordered by Cornwall to the west and south-west.
Plymouth ...
, United Kingdom), are two artists who work together as the collaborative art duo Gilbert & George. They are known for their distinctive and highly formal appearance and manner in
performance art
Performance art is an artwork or art exhibition created through actions executed by the artist or other participants. It may be witnessed live or through documentation, spontaneously developed or written, and is traditionally presented to a pu ...
, and also for their brightly coloured graphic-style
photo
A photograph (also known as a photo, image, or picture) is an image created by light falling on a photosensitive surface, usually photographic film or an electronic image sensor, such as a CCD or a CMOS chip. Most photographs are now created ...
-based artworks. In 2017, the artists celebrated their 50th anniversary.
Early lives
Gilbert Prousch was born in
San Martin de Tor
San Martin de Tor ( it, San Martino in Badia ; german: St. Martin in Thurn ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in South Tyrol in northern Italy, located about northeast of the city of Bolzano.
Geography
As of 30 November 2010, it had a population of ...
in
South Tyrol
it, Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano – Alto Adige lld, Provinzia Autonoma de Balsan/Bulsan – Südtirol
, settlement_type = Autonomous province
, image_skyline =
, image_alt ...
, northern Italy, his mother tongue being
Ladin
Ladin may refer to:
* Ladin language, a language in northern Italy, often classified as a Rhaeto-Romance language
*Ladin people, the inhabitants of the Dolomite Alps region of northern Italy
See also
*Laden (disambiguation)
* Ladino (disambigua ...
.
He studied art at the
Sëlva
Sëlva (; it, Selva di Val Gardena ; german: Wolkenstein in Gröden ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Val Gardena in South Tyrol, northern Italy, located about east of the city of Bolzano. The Ladin place name derives from the Latin word ' ...
School of Art in
Val Gardena
Val Gardena (; german: Gröden ; lld, Gherdëina ) is a valley in Northern Italy, in the Dolomites of South Tyrol. It is best known as a tourist skiing, rock climbing, and woodcarving area.
Geography
The valley's main river is the Derjon, a ...
and
Hallein
Hallein () is a historic town in the Austrian state of Salzburg. It is the capital of Hallein district.
Geography
The town is located in the ''Tennengau'' region south of the City of Salzburg, stretching along the Salzach river in the shadow of ...
School of Art in Austria and the
Akademie der Kunst, Munich, before moving to England.
George Passmore was born in
Plymouth
Plymouth () is a port city and unitary authority in South West England. It is located on the south coast of Devon, approximately south-west of Exeter and south-west of London. It is bordered by Cornwall to the west and south-west.
Plymouth ...
in the United Kingdom, to a single mother in a low-income household. He studied art at the
Dartington College of Arts
Dartington College of Arts was a specialist arts college located at Dartington Hall in the south-west of England, offering courses at degree and postgraduate level together with an arts research programme. It existed for a period of almost 50 ...
and the
Oxford School of Art.
The two first met on 25 September 1967 while studying sculpture at
Saint Martin's School of Art
Saint Martin's School of Art was an art college in London, England. It offered foundation and degree level courses. It was established in 1854, initially under the aegis of the church of St Martin-in-the-Fields. Saint Martin's became part of t ...
. The two claim they came together because George was the only person who could understand Gilbert's rather poor English. In a 2002 interview with ''
The Daily Telegraph
''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a national British daily broadsheet newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed across the United Kingdom and internationally.
It was fo ...
'', they said of their meeting: "it was love at first sight". They married in 2008.
They are often seen together on walks through East London.
Since 1968, Gilbert & George have been residents of
Fournier Street
Fournier Street, formerly Church Street, is a street of 18th-century houses in Spitalfields in the East End of London. It is in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets and runs between Commercial Street and Brick Lane. The street is named after a m ...
,
Spitalfields
Spitalfields is a district in the East End of London and within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. The area is formed around Commercial Street (on the A1202 London Inner Ring Road) and includes the locale around Brick Lane, Christ Church, ...
, East London. They live in an 18th-century house that has been restored to its original decor. Their entire body of work has been created in, and focused on,
London's East End
The East End of London, often referred to within the London area simply as the East End, is the historic core of wider East London, east of the Roman and medieval walls of the City of London and north of the River Thames. It does not have uni ...
, which they see as a microcosm. According to George, "Nothing happens in the world that doesn't happen in the East End."
Work
Gilbert and George's approach to art has always been anti-elitist. Adopting the slogan 'Art for All', they aimed to be relevant beyond the narrow confines of the art world. Although they work in a variety of media, they have always referred to all of their works as "sculpture".
Between 1970 and 1974 they made drawings (referred to as 'Charcoal on Paper Sculptures') and paintings to give a more tangible form to their identity as 'living sculptures'.
One of their first notable works of art was a photographic self-portrait of them wearing their trademark suits. ''George the Cunt and Gilbert the Shit'' was so titled in order to pre-empt criticism.
Singing and living sculptures
Whilst still students, Gilbert & George made ''The Singing Sculpture'', which was performed at the
National Jazz and Blues Festival
The National Jazz and Blues Festival was the precursor to the Reading Rock Festival and was the brainchild of Harold Pendleton, the founder of the prestigious Marquee Club in Soho.
History
Initially called The National Jazz Festival, it was a ...
in 1969 and at the
Nigel Greenwood Gallery in 1970. For this performance they covered their heads and hands in multi-coloured metalised powders, stood on a table, and sang along and moved to a recording of
Flanagan and Allen
Flanagan and Allen were a British singing and comedy double act most active during the 1930s and 1940s. Its members were Bud Flanagan (1896 – 1968, born Chaim Weintrop) and Chesney Allen (1894–1982). They were first paired in a Florrie For ...
's song "
Underneath the Arches", sometimes for a day at a time. The suits they wore for this became a uniform for them. They rarely appear in public without wearing them.
It is also unusual for one of the pair to be seen without the other. The pair regard themselves as "living sculptures". They refuse to dissociate their art from their everyday lives, insisting that everything they do is art. They were listed as among the fifty best-dressed over-50s by ''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' in March 2013.
''The Pictures''
The pair are perhaps best known for their large scale photo works, known as ''The Pictures''. The early work in this style is in black and white, later with hand-painted red and yellow touches. They proceeded to use a range of bolder colours, sometimes
backlit
A backlight is a form of illumination used in liquid crystal displays (LCDs). As LCDs do not produce light by themselves—unlike, for example, cathode ray tube (CRT), plasma (PDP) or OLED displays—they need illumination ( ambient light or a ...
, and overlaid with black grids. Their work has addressed a wide variety of subject matter including religion and patriotism. The two artists also often appear in their own "pictures". They have described their "pictures" as a sort of "visual love letter from us to the viewer".
In 1986, Gilbert & George were criticised for a series of pictures seemingly glamourising 'rough types' of London's
East End
The East End of London, often referred to within the London area simply as the East End, is the historic core of wider East London, east of the Roman and medieval walls of the City of London and north of the River Thames. It does not have uni ...
such as
skinhead
A skinhead is a member of a subculture which originated among working class youths in London, England, in the 1960s and soon spread to other parts of the United Kingdom, with a second working class skinhead movement emerging worldwide in th ...
s, while a picture of an Asian man bore the title "Paki". Some of their work has attracted media attention because of the inclusion of (potentially) shocking imagery, such as
nudity
Nudity is the state of being in which a human is without clothing.
The loss of body hair was one of the physical characteristics that marked the biological evolution of modern humans from their hominin ancestors. Adaptations related to ...
, depictions of
sexual acts
Human sexual activity, human sexual practice or human sexual behaviour is the manner in which humans experience and express their sexuality. People engage in a variety of sexual acts, ranging from activities done alone (e.g., masturbation) t ...
, and bodily fluids (
faeces
Feces ( or faeces), known colloquially and in slang as poo and poop, are the solid or semi-solid remains of food that was not digested in the small intestine, and has been broken down by bacteria in the large intestine. Feces contain a relati ...
,
urine
Urine is a liquid by-product of metabolism in humans and in many other animals. Urine flows from the kidneys through the ureters to the urinary bladder. Urination results in urine being excretion, excreted from the body through the urethra.
Cel ...
and
semen
Semen, also known as seminal fluid, is an organic bodily fluid created to contain spermatozoa. It is secreted by the gonads (sexual glands) and other sexual organs of male or hermaphroditic animals and can fertilize the female ovum. Semen i ...
). The titles of these works, such as ''Naked Shit Pictures'' (1994) and ''Sonofagod Pictures'' (2005), also contributed to the attention.
A book, ''The Complete Pictures, 1971–2005'', published in 2007 by
Tate Modern
Tate Modern is an art gallery located in London. It houses the United Kingdom's national collection of international modern and contemporary art, and forms part of the Tate group together with Tate Britain, Tate Liverpool and Tate St Ives. It is ...
, includes over a thousand examples of their art.
In May 2007, Gilbert & George were the subject of the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
documentary ''
Imagine
Imagine may refer to:
* Imagination
Music Albums
* ''Imagine'' (Armin van Buuren album), 2008
* ''Imagine'' (Eva Cassidy album), 2002
* ''Imagine'' (Janice Vidal album), 2012
* ''Imagine'' (John Lennon album), 1971
** ''Imagine: John Lennon' ...
'', presented by
Alan Yentob
Alan Yentob (born 11 March 1947) is a BBC presenter and retired British television executive. He stepped down as Creative Director in December 2015, and was chairman of the board of trustees of the charity Kids Company from 2003 until its collap ...
. At the end of the programme a picture entitled 'Planed' was made available as a free file download from the BBC and ''The Guardian'' websites for 48 hours. People who downloaded the files could then print and assemble the piece, and thus own an original Gilbert and George picture for free.
''Jack Freak Pictures''
''Jack Freak Pictures'' is, to date, the largest series of work created by Gilbert & George. According to
Michael Bracewell "the ''Jack Freak Pictures'' are among the most iconic, philosophically astute and visually violent works that Gilbert & George have ever created." The Union Jack and Gilbert & George are the two dominant pictorial images – appearing contorted, abstracted, and sometimes complete. The entire series is set in the East End of London indicated by flags, maps, street signs, graffiti and other less obvious motifs such as brickwork and foliage that can be found there.
After showing at
White Cube
White Cube is a contemporary art gallery founded by Jay Jopling in London in 1993. The gallery has two branches in London: White Cube Mason's Yard in central London and White Cube Bermondsey in South East London; White Cube Hong Kong, in Centra ...
's Hoxton and Mason Yard galleries in 2009 the exhibition travelled to the Croatian
Museum of Contemporary Art, Zagreb
The Museum of Contemporary Art ( hr, Muzej suvremene umjetnosti, often abbreviated to MSU) is a contemporary art museum located on Dubrovnik Avenue in Zagreb, Croatia. It is the biggest and most modern museum in the country.
History
The museum ...
; The
Kröller-Müller Museum
The Kröller-Müller Museum () is a national art museum and sculpture garden, located in the Hoge Veluwe National Park in Otterlo in the Netherlands. The museum, founded by art collector Helene Kröller-Müller within the extensive grounds of her ...
, the Netherlands; Centro de Arte Contemporaneo de Malaga, Spain;
Arndt & Partner Arndt & Partner was the name of a contemporary art gallery based in Berlin, Germany, founded by Matthias Arndt, that belongs to the city's most important exhibition sites.Hohmann & Ehlers. (2007). ''Berlin Contemporary'', page 22. Jovis Verlag GmbH, ...
gallery, Berlin; the Baronian Francey Gallery, Brussels; and the Bozar Center for Fine Arts, Brussels.
Later work
During lockdown amid the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
, Gilbert & George started an online video diary, posting weekly updates on life in their newly limited circumstances. The bulletins, often short films, were a continuation of their usual creative habit of documenting social change.
Awards and honours
Gilbert & George have received much acclaim with extensive solo exhibitions in the UK, USA, France, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, Spain, Austria, Denmark, Finland, Russia and China; numerous Honorary Doctorates from academic institutions including Plymouth University; and awards such as the Special International Award, the South Bank Award and the Lorenzo il Magnifico Award. In 1986 they won the Turner Prize which is widely considered to be the UK's most prestigious contemporary art award. In 2005 they represented the UK at the
Venice Biennale
The Venice Biennale (; it, La Biennale di Venezia) is an international cultural exhibition hosted annually in Venice, Italy by the Biennale Foundation. The biennale has been organised every year since 1895, which makes it the oldest of ...
.
In 2017, Gilbert & George were elected to the
Royal Academy of Arts
The Royal Academy of Arts (RA) is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly in London. Founded in 1768, it has a unique position as an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects. Its purpo ...
; in 2020, however, they resigned from the academy in reaction to a decision not to go ahead with an exhibition they had been planning to stage in its galleries.
Notable honours include:
*1981 – won the ''Regione Lazio Award'' (Torino)
*1986 – won the ''
Turner Prize
The Turner Prize, named after the English painter J. M. W. Turner, is an annual prize presented to a British visual artist. Between 1991 and 2016, only artists under the age of 50 were eligible (this restriction was removed for the 2017 award) ...
''
*1989 – won the ''Special International Award'' (Los Angeles)
*2005 – represented the UK at the
Venice Biennale
The Venice Biennale (; it, La Biennale di Venezia) is an international cultural exhibition hosted annually in Venice, Italy by the Biennale Foundation. The biennale has been organised every year since 1895, which makes it the oldest of ...
*2007 – their retrospective at
Tate Modern
Tate Modern is an art gallery located in London. It houses the United Kingdom's national collection of international modern and contemporary art, and forms part of the Tate group together with Tate Britain, Tate Liverpool and Tate St Ives. It is ...
was the largest of any of the artists who have had retrospectives there
*2007 – won the ''
South Bank
The South Bank is an entertainment and commercial district in central London, next to the River Thames opposite the City of Westminster. It forms a narrow strip of riverside land within the London Borough of Lambeth (where it adjoins Alber ...
Award'', as well as the ''Lorenzo il Magnifico Award'' (Florence).
*December 2008 – awarded Honorary Doctorates by
London Metropolitan University
London Metropolitan University, commonly known as London Met, is a public university, public research university in London, England. The University of North London (formerly the Polytechnic of North London) and London Guildhall University (f ...
.
*October 2010 – awarded the honorary title "Magister Artium Gandensis" by
University College Ghent
*November 2010 – conferred with Honorary Doctorates by the
University of East London
, mottoeng = Knowledge and the fulfilment of vows
, established = 1898 – West Ham Technical Institute1952 – West Ham College of Technology1970 – North East London Polytechnic1989 – Polytechnic of East London ...
*March 2012 – conferred with Honorary Doctorates by the
Open University
The Open University (OU) is a British public research university and the largest university in the United Kingdom by number of students. The majority of the OU's undergraduate students are based in the United Kingdom and principally study off- ...
*2013 – awarded Honorary Doctorates of Arts by
Plymouth University
The University of Plymouth is a public research university based predominantly in Plymouth, England, where the main campus is located, but the university has campuses and affiliated colleges across South West England. With students, it is the ...
*2017 – elected as Royal Academicians by the
Royal Academy of Arts
The Royal Academy of Arts (RA) is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly in London. Founded in 1768, it has a unique position as an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects. Its purpo ...
in London, resigned in 2020
Political stance
Gilbert & George claim to be an oddity in the artistic world because of their openly conservative political views and their praise for
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher (; 13 October 19258 April 2013) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 to 1990. S ...
. George claims never to have been anti-establishment: "You're not allowed to be Conservative in the art world, of course," he says. "Left equals good. Art equals Left. Pop stars and artists are meant to be so original. So how come everyone has the same opinion? ... We admire Margaret Thatcher greatly. She did a lot for art. Socialism wants everyone to be equal. We want to be different."
Both are supportive of
Brexit
Brexit (; a portmanteau of "British exit") was the withdrawal of the United Kingdom (UK) from the European Union (EU) at 23:00 GMT on 31 January 2020 (00:00 1 February 2020 CET).The UK also left the European Atomic Energy Community (EAEC or ...
and the
Conservative Party
The Conservative Party is a name used by many political parties around the world. These political parties are generally right-wing though their exact ideologies can range from center-right to far-right.
Political parties called The Conservative P ...
. The duo are
monarchists
Monarchism is the advocacy of the system of monarchy or monarchical rule. A monarchist is an individual who supports this form of government independently of any specific monarch, whereas one who supports a particular monarch is a royalist. ...
and have said of the King, at the time
Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales ( cy, Tywysog Cymru, ; la, Princeps Cambriae/Walliae) is a title traditionally given to the heir apparent to the English and later British throne. Prior to the conquest by Edward I in the 13th century, it was used by the rulers ...
: "We're also fond of the Prince of Wales: he's a gentleman."
In a ''
Guardian
Guardian usually refers to:
* Legal guardian, a person with the authority and duty to care for the interests of another
* ''The Guardian'', a British daily newspaper
(The) Guardian(s) may also refer to:
Places
* Guardian, West Virginia, Unite ...
'' interview, they said that they opposed the
removal of statues after the George Floyd protests, saying that "they're part of the city" and that their removal is "shameful".
Influence and legacy
Gilbert & George inspired two characters, Man Green and Man Yellow, Chief Constables of the Science Gestapo, in
Grant Morrison
Grant Morrison, MBE (born 31 January 1960) is a Scottish comic book writer, screenwriter, and producer. Their work is known for its nonlinear narrative
A narrative, story, or tale is any account of a series of related events or experiences, w ...
's comicbook series ''
The Filth''. The two characters appear in pastiches of Gilbert & George's artwork, with the separate sections of the imagery acting as individual comic book panels. The look that electronic music band
Kraftwerk
Kraftwerk (, "power station") is a German band formed in Düsseldorf in 1970 by Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider. Widely considered innovators and pioneers of electronic music, Kraftwerk were among the first successful acts to popularize the ...
adopted between 1974 and 1978 with men in suits wearing ties, was partly inspired by Gilbert & George: musicians
Florian Schneider
Florian Schneider-Esleben (7 April 194721 April 2020) was a German musician. He is best known as one of the founding members and leaders of the electronic band Kraftwerk, performing his role with the band until his departure in 2008.
Early li ...
and
Ralf Hütter
Ralf Hütter (born 20 August 1946) is a German musician and composer best known as the lead singer and keyboardist of Kraftwerk, which he founded with Florian Schneider in 1969. On May 12, 2021, Kraftwerk was announced as one of the inductees of ...
had seen an exhibition of the artists in Düsseldorf in 1970 and were seduced by the idea of "bringing art into everyday life".
Vic Reeves
James Roderick Moir (born 24 January 1959), better known by his stage name Vic Reeves, is an English comedian, artist, surrealist, musician, actor and television presenter, best known for his double act with Bob Mortimer as Reeves & Mortimer. ...
has explained to ''
The Independent
''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...
'' that ''
Vic Reeves Big Night Out
''Vic Reeves Big Night Out'' was a cult British comedy stage show and later television series which ran on Channel 4 for two series in 1990 and 1991, as well as a New Year special. Its live incarnation marked the beginnings of the collaboration ...
'' was initially thought of as "performance art, like Gilbert and George's singing sculpture".
David Bowie
David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the ...
was known to collect the work of Gilbert & George.
References
Notes
Further reading
* Baudino, Isabelle; Gautheron, Marie, eds. (2005), ''Gilbert & George, E1'', Lyon: ENS Editions (to accompany an exhibition at the Musée d'art moderne de Saint-Etienne, parallel French and English texts)
* Dutt, Robin (2004), ''Gilbert & George: obsessions & compulsions''. London: Philip Wilson Publishers
*
Farson, Daniel (1999), ''Gilbert & George: a Portrait'', London: HarperCollins
* Farson, Daniel (1991), ''With Gilbert & George in Moscow'', London: Bloomsbury
* Fuchs, Rudi (2007), ''Gilbert & George: the Complete Pictures'',
Tate Publishing
* Gilbert & George (1987) ''The Words of Gilbert & George'', Violette Editions, London,
* Jahn, Wolf (1989), ''The Art of Gilbert & George.'' New York: Thames & Hudson
*
Jonquet, François (2005), ''Intimate Conversation'', London: Phaidon
* Rosenblum, Robert (2004), ''Introducing Gilbert & George'', London: Thames & Hudson
Exhibition catalogues
*1997: Lehmann Maupin, New York,
The Fundamental Pictures'
*2001: White Cube, London, ''New Horny Pictures''
*2004: Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac, Paris, ''London E1 Pictures''
*2004: Gallery Bernier/Eliades, Athens, ''Thirteen Hooligan Pictures''
*2004: Sonnabend Gallery/Lehmann Maupin, New York
Perversive Pictures 2004'
*2006: White Cube, London, ''Sonofagod Pictures''
*2012: White Cube, London, ''London Pictures''
*2017: White Cube, London, ''The Beard Pictures''
External links
*
* Gilbert & George solo exhibition at White Cube Gallery Bermondsey London, review by art critic Kostas Prapoglo
for ''THE SEEN'' Journal February 2016
2007 interview from ''Independent on Sunday'' ABC Arts magazineGilbert and George: Major Exhibition at Tate Modern, London, 2007*
*
ttps://web.archive.org/web/20141007084517/http://www.guggenheim.org/new-york/collections/collection-online/artists/1658 Gilbert & George works in the Guggenheim Collection
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gilbert and George
Alumni of Saint Martin's School of Art
Art duos
British performance artists
British male sculptors
British monarchists
British conceptual artists
Gay artists
Living people
People from the London Borough of Tower Hamlets
Postmodern artists
Turner Prize winners
English contemporary artists
Royal Academicians
Year of birth missing (living people)
British Eurosceptics
Italian monarchists
Italian male sculptors
Italian conceptual artists
Italian contemporary artists
Italian eurosceptics