Gilbert and George

Gilbert and George
Name	Gilbert and George
Nationality	British
Field	Art
Training	St Martin's School of Art, Central Saint Martins
Movement	Conceptual art, Performance art

Gilbert and George are a renowned British artist duo, known for their distinctive and often provocative works that explore themes of identity, morality, and the human condition, as seen in the works of Marcel Duchamp, Joseph Beuys, and Piero Manzoni. Their artistic practice is characterized by a unique blend of Conceptual art, Performance art, and Photography, drawing inspiration from Dadaism, Surrealism, and Pop art, as well as the works of Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, and Jasper Johns. With a career spanning over five decades, they have become one of the most influential and iconic artist duos of our time, exhibiting their work alongside Gerhard Richter, Cindy Sherman, and Richard Prince at institutions such as the Tate Modern, Museum of Modern Art, and Guggenheim Museum. Their work has been showcased in numerous exhibitions, including the Venice Biennale, Documenta, and São Paulo Art Biennial, and has been influenced by the works of Francis Bacon, Lucian Freud, and Egon Schiele.

Biography

Gilbert and George were born in San Martino in Badia and Plymouth, respectively, and met while studying at St Martin's School of Art in London in the late 1960s, where they were influenced by the works of Anthony Caro, Henry Moore, and Barbara Hepworth. They quickly formed a romantic and artistic partnership, and their collaborative practice has been marked by a deep exploration of the human condition, as seen in the works of Auguste Rodin, Constantin Brancusi, and Alberto Giacometti. Their early work was influenced by the Fluxus movement and the Happenings of the 1960s, as well as the works of John Cage, Merce Cunningham, and Allan Kaprow. They have lived and worked in London's East End for most of their careers, and have been associated with the Young British Artists movement, alongside Damien Hirst, Tracey Emin, and Sarah Lucas.

Artistic Style

Gilbert and George's artistic style is characterized by a unique blend of Conceptual art, Performance art, and Photography, as seen in the works of Cindy Sherman, Richard Prince, and Sherrie Levine. They are known for their large-scale, highly colored photographs, which often feature themselves as the main subjects, as well as London's East End landscapes and cityscapes, reminiscent of the works of William Hogarth, J.M.W. Turner, and Gustave Doré. Their work often explores themes of identity, morality, and the human condition, drawing inspiration from Christianity, Buddhism, and Sufism, as well as the works of William Blake, Dante Alighieri, and Fyodor Dostoevsky. They have also been influenced by the Dada movement and the works of Marcel Duchamp, Hannah Höch, and Kurt Schwitters.

Major Works

Some of Gilbert and George's most notable works include their Singling series, which features large-scale photographs of the duo singing and performing in London's East End, as well as their Dirty Words series, which explores themes of identity and morality through the use of Typography and Photomontage, reminiscent of the works of El Lissitzky, Kazimir Malevich, and Vladimir Tatlin. They have also created a number of Sculptures and Installations, including their Naked Shit Pictures series, which features large-scale photographs of the duo posing nude and covered in Feces, as seen in the works of Piero Manzoni and Yoko Ono. Their work has been influenced by the Vienna Actionism movement and the works of Hermann Nitsch, Günter Brus, and Rudolf Schwarzkogler.

Exhibitions and Collections

Gilbert and George's work has been exhibited in numerous institutions around the world, including the Tate Modern, Museum of Modern Art, Guggenheim Museum, and Centre Pompidou, as well as the National Gallery of Australia, Art Gallery of New South Wales, and Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles. Their work is held in the collections of the Victoria and Albert Museum, British Museum, and National Portrait Gallery, London, as well as the Museum of Modern Art, New York, Whitney Museum of American Art, and San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. They have also exhibited their work at the Venice Biennale, Documenta, and São Paulo Art Biennial, alongside artists such as Gerhard Richter, Cindy Sherman, and Richard Prince.

Awards and Recognition

Gilbert and George have received numerous awards and honors for their contributions to the art world, including the Turner Prize in 1986, as well as the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the Venice Biennale in 2005, and the Kaiserring award from the City of Goslar in 1998. They have also been appointed Commanders of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for their services to art, and have been awarded honorary degrees from University College London, University of the Arts London, and Goldsmiths, University of London. Their work has been recognized by the Arts Council England, British Council, and Henry Moore Foundation, and they have been associated with the Young British Artists movement, alongside Damien Hirst, Tracey Emin, and Sarah Lucas.

Public Life and Controversies

Gilbert and George have been known for their outspoken and often provocative views on art and politics, as well as their flamboyant and Camp (style) public persona, reminiscent of the works of Oscar Wilde, Noël Coward, and David Bowie. They have been involved in several high-profile controversies throughout their careers, including a 1996 lawsuit against the City of London over the display of their work in a Public art installation, and a 2007 controversy over their use of Racist and Homophobic language in an interview with the The Guardian newspaper, which sparked a debate about Freedom of speech and Censorship in the art world, with responses from artists such as Anish Kapoor, Rachel Whiteread, and Tacita Dean. Despite these controversies, they remain one of the most respected and beloved artist duos of our time, and continue to produce innovative and thought-provoking work that challenges and inspires audiences around the world, including China, India, and Brazil.

Category:Art