gilbert and george

I went to see the new Gilbert & George exhibition at the Tate modern yesterday and what a treat it was. These two East London eccentrics have been creating art since the 60s and it was fascintating to see the progression of their work throughout four formative decades. Starting out with their early sketch installations where they draw charcoal on huge canvases to depict rural scenes, pub interiors and getting drunk in Shoreditch. Before moving on to their more recognizable works using photographic images blown up to huge sizes. They started out by using black and white photography as their medium often hanging images of themselves alongside London street scenes and images of the natural world. The juxtaposition of textures were just as important as the placement of these images in conjunction with each other. As the pair progressed they started introducing red as a theme and their 'Bloody Life' series depicts their dark and angry sides as the young men explored their alcoholic natures.

As their work evolved, the use of colour became more and more evident culminating in the highly graphic works we know from the 80s. Impeccably dressed in suits, Gilbert and George feature in many of their pieces often considering themselves as the art. Fusing themes of sex and bodily waste, death and aids, hateful graffiti and religious tones, the pair were often provocative. But for me I also 'got' their dark sense of humour. Totally deadpan they are and yet if you look closely at their work there are details that can be overlooked (pubic lice, close up magnifications of semen, and garishly coloured 'turds' are some examples). The exhibition was vast and some of their works span entire walls. Huge murals of colour featuring the youth of the day mixed in with imagery of blossoming nature. Often the artists themselves are featured as huge imposing heads looking over their subjects almost god-like. In later works they appeared either nude or as full length people but smaller in size almost as though they have been shrinking in importance over the years. It really was great fun exploring the minds of these two artistic geniuses. "Art for all". Go see it. On now until May 7th 2007. The Tate Modern.