Gilbert and George: Art, Identity, and Urban Society

Gilbert and George

1943– and 1942– | British | Performance Art; Photography; Mixed Media

Gilbert and George are highly successful, narcissistic couple who regularly appear in their own work as two cheap-suited “living sculptures,” and started as real-life “living sculptures.”

The large “photopieces” (produced since 1971) are technically very impressive. Their subject matter comes out of inner-city decay and is openly moralistic and politically subversive to all sides, to liberals (racist overtones), and to conservatives (overt homosexuality with young Englishmen; nationalism as much as old-school fascism). Their work unquestionably reflects something of the 1970s to the 1990s (but what?). Are they criticizing the physical, moral, social, and educational decay of Britain? Exploiting it? Propagating it? Or are they praising it? Their pandering to stereotypes is controversial. Today their works rapidly begin to look very dated. Are they Hogarth’s heirs, dutifully recording the seamy side of life, or is their inability to set an agenda a comment on the state of British society?

Gilbert & George Thirteen Earthly Pictures Baronian, Knokke Heist 2021

Gilbert & GeorgeJack Freak Pictures 2009

KEY WORKS: Singers, 1970 (London: Tate Collection); United (Fabric Painting), 1970 (Frankfurt: Städel Museum); The Dirty Words Pictures, 1977 (New York: Dia Beacon)