Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt
Gilbert & George: The Great Exhibition

In the 1980s, they were the provocateurs of British art. Today, they are the grand old gentlemen Gilbert and George and are being given a retrospective at the Schirn, one of Deutsche Bank’s ArtCard partner museums. Always dressed in identical suits, invariably somewhat eccentric and at the same time robotic, they themselves are an important part of their Gesamtkunstwerk. When they sing as Living Sculptures, get drunk, or go for a walk that is art. In huge pictures, composed of color photographs and often containing slogans or sentences, they deal with everything from English history, nationalism, and religion to morals, sexuality, and everyday life. Above all, however, it is about personal freedom, because Gilbert & George and their work are radically liberal. This has repeatedly caused controversy and scandals.

Beginning with their early works from 1971, the grandiose show at the Schirn traces the pair’s 50-year career. The exhibition is accompanied by online contributions from Schirn-Mag, which is absolutely worth reading, and now also a podcast.

Gilbert & George:
The Great Exhibition
until May 16, 2021
Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt