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Shock of the old in new Gilbert and George show
By Tom Teodorczuk, Evening Standard 05.09.06
Retrospective: Gilbert and George's handcoloured Death Hope Life Fear (1984)
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Gilbert and George have been the London art scene's most subversive exponents for four decades.
Now the Evening Standard can reveal details of a retrospective exhibition devoted to the eccentric duo at Tate Modern next year.
The show - the first Gilbert and George retrospective in Britain for 25 years - will comprise more than 200 pictures dating back to 1971. But those of a sensitive disposition are advised to steer clear - the pair's work has incorporated faeces, nudity, bondage, semen and bad language.
Large, photography-based pictures, with titles such as New Horny Pictures, S****y Naked Human World and C*** Scum, will feature alongside new work and paper and charcoal sculptures rarely on public view. There will also be postcard pieces, films and documentation.
The exhibits will occupy both the east and west wings on Level 4 of the gallery, making it Gilbert and George's largest show ever.
Tate Modern says the exhibition will trace their "stylistic and emotional development" and will include their rarely seen early work, including Dusty Corners (1975) and Cherry Blossom (1976), which is tame compared with later work.
The deadpan duo - Gilbert Proesch, 62, and George Passmore-64 - have lived, worked and exhibited together ever since they met at St Martin's School of Art in 1967. Many consider them to be the founding fathers of the Nineties' Young British Artist movement.
The pair regard themselves as "living sculptures" and always wear matching business suits in public. Not content with depicting graphic sexual acts and questioning the sexuality of Jesus Christ in their work, Gilbert and George have criticised Tate Modern itself, describing it as being like "stepping into the Third Reich".
They are launching the exhibition today in a tapas bar in Spitalfields, where they have l ived and worke d for 35 years while building an East End property empire.
Cultural commentator Michael Bracewell, who is contributing to the exhibition catalogue, said: "The word spectacular will be accurate to describe what will be on show.
"It is very difficult to think of another artist, even internationally, who could do a retrospective while they were still alive consisting of 200 pictures. You get the feeling this is a mid-career retrospective for Gilbert and George. They're still endlessly refining and updating what they do."
He added: "There's a constancy and fluency in their ideas and intentions that go right through to the present. Even their early work still looks like it could have been made in five years' time.
"Gilbert and George have an extraordinary vision which remains absolutely modern.
They made a decision early on in their career to remain absolutely separate from any other movements in art or any idea or prevailing trend in fashion.
"They use their very conventional appearance to be completely wild and shocking in their work."
Gilbert and George, Tate Modern, 15 February to 7 May.
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Reader views (3)
Have they not retired yet? Christ, their work is awful, I don't know why the Tate insists on giving them space. I don't want to see what these sordid old men think is 'art'.
- Joseph, Wood Green via Paris
I love Gilbert and George and I can't wait for their new show. Why do I like them? It's definitely art - as in you can tell you need talent to create it (Emin, take note!) - but it's not boring (portraits in oil: lovely, clearly took effort, bloody dull to look at though). If you can make art out of semen and still have some respect from the art world, you know you're talented, and these two are. Bravo Gilbert and George!
- Julia Porter, Farringdon
The last Gilbert and George exhibition I went to was brilliant, so I'm over the moon another one is coming to the Tate Modern. I can't believe how old G&G are now, and how they still delight in painting and creating pictures and photos that show them off as dirty old men! I hope when I'm their age I'm as cool as them, but it's not going to happen. My favourite piece by them is Cherry Blossom - I shall surprise my girlfriend and take her to see it.
- Christopher , Wandsworth
