Viva Brighton Issue #62 April 2018

Gilbert & George Family Tree 1991 (above). Gilbert & George Existers 1984 (below). ARTIST ROOMS Tate and National Galleries of Scotland.
Acquired jointly through The d’Offay Donation with assistance from the National Heritage Memorial Fund and Art Fund 2008
For me they have transformed
what art can be. In a very serious
but also humorous way they
raise issues and themes relevant
to all of us, to humanity – sex,
faith, class and beyond. And
yet as much as they address big
themes, they still leave space
for ambiguity and playfulness.
I’m fascinated by how they
have managed to continue their
‘living sculptures’ project for
50 years. Nobody else has done
something like this, had that total
vision. Their art is their life.
Does exhibiting their work
present any challenges? Their
work can be shocking and provoking,
but that’s not the key
thing to communicate. Their
images show us something
about life that might change
our way of thinking. We might
tell people to expect some nudity
and some explicit imagery
around sexuality and bodily
functions more generally, but
to what extent do you warn
people? I must admit I’m a bit
wary that warning people they
will see something ‘explicit’ is
encouraging viewers to be offended.
Gilbert & George have
said their intention is to ‘deshock’,
and I think they would
like for people to go away and
think about how their images
relate to their own lives.
Lizzie Lower interviewed
Jenny Lund, Curator of Fine Art,
Brighton Museum & Art Gallery
ARTIST ROOMS - Gilbert &
George is at Brighton Museum &
Art Gallery from 29th April until
2nd September
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