Gilbert and George

Gilbert & George started working together in 1967 after they met at St Martins School of Art and believe that everything is a potential subject for their work. The  inspirations and overall ideas are mostly a reflection on society. They are known for their distinctive brightly coloured graphic-style photo-based artworks and have always addressed social issues. The backdrop and inspiration for much of their work is the East End of London where Gilbert & George have lived and worked for over 40 years. From street signs to Ginkgo trees, from chewing gum stains on the pavements to vistas of urban grandeur and decay, their work is both an ongoing portrait of a city and a reflection on the human condition.

 

I find this photograph by gilbert and George strange yet intriguing in that the background and subject are almost unrelated in terms of colour scheme. The picture is heavily dominated by lines, leading the eye in many different directions and confusing the audience as to where they are supposed to be looking. The composition

is fairly balanced and symmetrical by having both gilbert and George on either side of the picture. The grid lines create an element of the composition 'rule of thirds', where things are placed purposefully to create focal points.

 

 

The early work in this style is black and white, later with hand-painted red and yellow touches. They proceeded to use a range of bolder colours, sometimes back-lit, and overlaid with black grids. Their work has addressed a wide variety of subject matters including religion and patriotism.

 

 

To achieve a Gilbert and George style picture I flipped and duplicated my original photo and edited the colour and style using photoshop. I also put a grid over to the top to add to the Gilbert and George effect.

 

 

I feel that this was a successful edit because it relates well to my chosen photographers with the grid, repetition and bright colours. There is also an element of fun and isn't a serious photograph. the positioning of the subject looks like she is holding hands with herself, offering a sense of unity and connotes happiness.