WHAT?  Gilbert & George: LONDON PICTURES

WHERE?  Gilbert & George Centre, 5a Heneage Street, London E1 5LJ

WHEN?  Now for the duration of 2024 

WHY GO?  For headline news.  London’s calling and Gilbert & George reply enthusiastically, unveiling their interpretation of the city that has been their inspiration since 1968. 

Their dynamic work is on show in the visionary East London gallery they created in 2023 where their philosophy, ‘Art for All’ is free for all to enjoy and this is the second big show to fill the spacious centre.

Ever radical, London life with all its ups and down is recorded in their inimitable quirky style. 

Newspaper posters they claim to have stolen over the years have been repurposed to frame the walls like ginormous paintings and the overall effect is a confusion of graphic print and punchy slogans. 

Screaming headlines such as Knife Murder Trial sit alongside Fears over missing OAP and true to form there are plenty of titles such as Tory MP Sex Scandal, to titillate.

Quite whatever inspired them to create artworks from newspaper posters initially is anyone’s guess, but then G & G are anything but conventional and have always created controversy with imagery that can be disquieting. 

From their favourite East London restaurant to their love of Spitalfields, their passion for London shines through, and ever loyal to the late Queen Elizabeth, they even filter her image throughout. 

Never short of an opinion, when asked about their lifestyle and work, they reply in unison, 

“Express yourself, visual art is all about being completely free, being free spirited.”

IN THE KNOW  An original early LONDON PICTURES exhibition of newspaper posters was exhibited globally in 2012 and now with fresh additions, Gilbert & George’s mission is to illustrate how so many issues in society have changed during that time span.  It all offers much to reflect upon!