INTRODUCTION


Gilbert & George place themselves, their thoughts, and their feelings at the center of their art, and almost all of the images they use are gathered in the half-mile or so surrounding their home in London’s East End. Yet their pictures capture a far broader human experience, encompassing an astonishing range of emotions and themes, from rural idylls to gritty images of a decaying London; from fantastical, brightly colored panoramas to raw examinations of humanity stripped bare; from sex advertisements to religious fundamentalism.

From the beginning, Gilbert & George wanted to communicate beyond the narrow confines of the art world, adopting the slogan “Art for All.” As a result, they have joined the very small handful of artists to become household names, and their impeccably dressed figures are instantly recognizable to the general public. The retrospective Gilbert & George brings together a selection of pictures that spans their entire forty-year career.

The Milwaukee Art Museum exhibition presents the artists’ large-scale pictures around the core ideas behind the artists’ work. Archival materials, from films and hand-drawn preparatory sketches to books, historical photographs, announcements, and other documentation from throughout their career, complement the exhibition and are located in Pieper Education Gallery.

 

 

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Order the Exhibition Catalogue Softcover, 208 pages with over 200 color illustrations.

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