bright colors and overlaying black grids, which
echo the early patterned compositions. The artists
very literally proclaimed themselves subject matter
and appeared in almost every picture or included
blown up images of their urine, sperm, and excre-
ment, but often featuring natural elements like trees
or clouds. These montages were far less realistic and
much more humorous and ironic, and often car-
toon-like, as exemplified by the 1983 work,Coming,
which shows the artists looking toward the sky as
enlarged and brightly-colored sperm passes by.
They also experimented with huge photo-murals
consisting of a single composition in framed panels
spanning up to 30 feet.
Despite the often difficult subject matter, these
montaged works were very well received by both the
public and the critics, ensuring the artists an inter-
national reputation in the contemporary art world.
Gilbert and George have had numerous exhibitions,
referred to, fittingly, as one-man shows, all over the
world. Their work was shown on three occasions at
the international festival of contemporary art, Doc-
umenta in Kassel, Germany and was selected for the
Venice Biennale. They were short listed for the
Turner Prize in 1984 and won the prestigious
award in 1986. With their work included in the
collections of the most important photography
museums and in those of world renowned art insti-
tutions, Gilbert and George occupy a unique place
in the history of twentieth century photography.
StijnVanDeVyverSeealso:Conceptual Photography; Montage; Pho-
tography and Sculpture
Biography
Gilbert Proesch was born in St. Martin in Thurn, Italy, 11
September 1943. He studied at the Wolkenstein School
of Art, South Tyrol, Italy, and Hallein School of Art in
Austria, Akademie der Kunst, Munich, Germany, and
Saint Martin’s School of Art, London, England, 1967.
George Passmore was born in Plymouth, United Kingdom, 8
January 1942. He studied at The Dartington Hall College
of Art, England, The Oxford School of Art, England, and
Saint Martin’s School of Art, London, England, 1965.
Gilbert & George meet and begin collaboration in London,
- Begin association with Anthony D’Offay Gallery;
London, early 1970s, and Sonnabend Gallery, New York,
early 1980s. Awarded Turner Prize, 1984; 1986: Won the
Turner Prize. Live and work in London, England.
Individual Exhibitions
2002 The Art of Gilbert & George; Fundac ̧ a ̃o Centro Cul-
tural de Bele ́m; Lisbon, Portugal
2000 Nineteen Ninety Nine 1999; Museum Moderner Kunst
Stiftung; Vienna, Austria
1999 Gilbert & George 1970–1988; Astrup Fearnley Museet
for Moderne Kunst; Oslo, Norway
1998 New Testamental Pictures; Museo di Capodimonte;
Naples, Italy
1997 Gilbert & George; Muse ́e d’Art Moderne de la Ville de
Paris; Paris, France
1993 China Exhibition 1993; National Art Gallery; Peking,
China (traveled to The Art Museum, Shanghai, China)
1992 New Democratic Pictures; Aarhus Kunstmuseum;
Arhus, Denmark
1991 The Cosmological Pictures; Palac Sztuki; Krakow,
Poland (traveled to Palazzo delle Esposizioni, Rome,
Italy; Kunsthalle Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Wiener
Secession, Vienna, Austria; Ernst Muzeum, Budapest,
Hungary; Haags Gemeentemuseum, The Hague, The
Netherlands; Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin,
Ireland; Fundacio Joan Miro, Barcelona, Spain; Tate
Gallery, Liverpool, England; Wurttembergischer Kun-
stverein, Stuttgart, Germany)
1990 Gilbert & George Pictures 1983–1988, Moscow Exhibi-
tion; New Tretyakov Gallery; Moscow, Russia
1987 Gilbert & George Pictures; The Aldrich Museum; Rid-
gefield, Cincinnati
1986 Gilbert & George, The Complete Pictures 1971–1985;
CAPC, Musee d’Art Contemporain de Bordeaux, (tra-
veled to Kunsthalle, Basel, Switzerland; Palais des Beaux
Arts, Brussels, Belgium; Palacio de Valazquez; Parque
del Reitrio, Madrid, Spain; Stadtische Galerie im
Lenbachhaus, Munich, Germany; Hayward Gallery,
London, England; Sonnabend Gallery, New York,
New York)
1985 Gilbert & George; The Solomon R. Guggenheim
Museum; New York, New York
1984 Gilbert & George; The Baltimore Museum of Art;
Baltimore, Maryland (traveled to Contemporary Art
Museum, Houston, Texas; The Norton Gallery of Art,
West Palm Beach, Florida)
1983 Modern Faith; Sonnabend Gallery; New York, New York
1980 Photo-Pieces 1971–1980; Stedelijk van Abbemuseum;
Eindhoven, The Netherlands
1977 Red Morning; Sperone Fischer Gallery; Basel, Switzer-
land
New Photo-Pieces; Art & Project Gallery; Amster-
dam, The Netherlands (traveled to Konrad Fischer Gal-
lery, Du ̈sseldorf, Germany)
1975 Post-Card Sculptures; Sperone Westwater Fischer Gal-
lery; New York, New York
1973 Reclining Drunk; Nigel Greenwood Gallery; London,
England
1972 New Photo-Pieces; Konrad Fischer Gallery; Du ̈ssel-
dorf, Germany
The Bar; Anthony D’Offay Gallery; London, England
The Evening Before the Morning After; Nigel Green-
wood Gallery; London, England
It Takes A Boy To Understand A Boy’s Point Of View;
Situation Gallery; London, England
1971 There Were Two Young Men; Sperone Gallery; Turin,
Italy
The Paintings; Whitechapel Art Gallery; London,
England (traveled to Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam,
The Netherlands; Kunstverein, Du ̈sseldorf, Germany;
Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten; Antwerp,
Belgium)
1970 George by Gilbert & Gilbert by George; Fournier Street;
London, EnglandGILBERT & GEORGE