Gilbert & George, Shilpa Vijayakrishnan
‘Art for all’ is the credo of the international artists, Gilbert and George. United by their disdain for the formalist approach to sculpture, they met as college students at the St Martins School of Art, and have been living and creating together ever since. Their increasingly formal appearance marked by matching tweed suits juxtaposed with their loud, provocative, brightly-coloured artwork is what cultivates the distinctive public persona – Gilbert and George.
Having explored many facets of human existence through their art including sex, religion, corruption, racial tension, addiction and death, they believe that art in every form exists to provoke.
Join us in conversation with these incredible artists, as they speak to Shilpa Vijayakrishnan about their ever-expanding practice, distinctive style and approach to confronting a breadth of societal issues through their Art.
This event is in collaboration with Bangalore International Centre (BIC).
Artists
Gilbert & George began creating art together in 1967 when they met at St Martins School of Art, and from the beginning, in their films and ‘LIVING SCULPTURE’ they appeared as figures in their own art. The artists believe that everything is potential subject matter for their art, and they have always addressed social issues, taboos and artistic conventions. Implicit in their art is the idea that an artist’s sacrifice and personal investment is a necessary condition of art. They have depicted themselves as naked figures in their own pictures, recasting the male nude as something vulnerable and fragile rather than as a potent figure of strength. The backdrop and inspiration for much of their art is the East End of London where Gilbert & George have lived and created art for nearly 50 years. From street signs to Ginkgo trees, from chewing gum stains on the pavements to vistas of urban grandeur and decay, their work is both an ongoing portrait of a city and a reflection on the human condition.
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