Self-Portrait, 1995

Gilbert & George   Master Artists

Gilbert and Georges, alias Gilbert Prousch and George Passmore, are artists who only work as a duo. The former from Italy; the latter from England, they met at Saint Martin's School of Art in 1967. They now live and work in London.

They are known for their performances where they transform themselves into living sculptures. In 1970 they made "The Singing Sculpture": covered in metallic powder, wearing conventional suits, with expressionless faces and accompanied by their canes, they performed a song from the 1930s, "Underneath the Arches". This piece addresses class issues, describes a depraved condition, and evokes homeless people and drunks. This was not an insignificant decision, as the artists therefore denounce the human condition and also identify themselves in the lyrics. Young, poor and bon vivant, they would wander around their working-class neighbourhood and they themselves belong to that part of the poor population in East London described in the song. 

In the 1970s, much of their work consisted of drinking to the point of being drunk while maintaining deadpan expressions. 'Smashed' is a series of photographs illustrating one of their drunken evenings, but they have also made montages and short films, such as "Gordon's Make us drunk", in reference to Gordon's gin.

In addition, the couple also makes bold photomontages where they seek to shock and denounce. They tackle themes of religion, sexuality and politics. For example, in their series of Naked Pictures photos, they depict themselves naked.

The couple has exhibited in many prestigious institutions: at the Tate Modern in London, the Musée d'Art Moderne de la ville in Paris and many others. A retrospective has been devoted to them at the Louis Vuitton Foundation since July 2019.