Gilbert & George

9 framed pieces

Anthony d’Offay Gallery, London
Private Collection
Sale, Christie’s London, 26th October 1994, lot 191, where acquired by David Bowie

Moscow, Tsentralnii Dom Khudozhnika, Gilbert & George, 27th April – 1st July 1990, cat. no.22, illustrated.

Rudi Fuchs, Gilbert & George: The Complete Pictures 1971-2005, Volume 1, 1971-1988, London, 2007, illustrated p.601;
Hans Ulrich Obrist and Inigo Philbrick (eds.), Gilbert & George: Art Titles 1969-2010: in Alphabetical Order, New York, 2011, p.44;
Gilbert & George: Art Exhibition 2014; "A Family Collection", (exh. cat.), Villa Paloma, Nouveau Musée National de Monaco, Monaco, 2014, p.41, illustrated (installation view of Gilbert & George, Moscow 1990).

Colour: The colours in the catalogue illustration are fairly accurate, although the green tends more towards a bright neon in the original. Condition: This work is in very good condition. Close inspection reveals some light wear in isolated places to the plexiglass and frames. Further close inspection reveals some minor surface irregularities to the upper right corner of the lower left panel, and towards the top centre of the central upper panel.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Without doubt two of the most influential figures in the British art world, Gilbert & George paved the way for the Young British Artists of the 1990s. Whilst the figurative painting of the School of London dominated during the preceding decades, Gilbert & George took a decidedly different approach by favouring conceptual strategies. It is only in hindsight that the tremendous importance of their artistic persona has really become clear: both through their legacy and influence on a younger generation, and through the relevance of their early exploration of manipulated imagery.

At a time when the boundaries between artistic mediums were becoming increasingly ambiguous and performance art started to occupy a more central position, Gilbert & George pushed the boundaries of their practice to the extremes by adopting not only a new identity for their work, but for their personal lives as a whole. Going through life as living sculptures, characterised by their signature suits and seemingly forever in each other’s company, their actions took on a collective performative or sculptural quality. Indeed, the series of Pictures, of which LEAF is a great example, are as much documents of their lived artistic persona as they are visual and photographic compositions. They simultaneously document the provocative character of the artists, whose subject-matter was often challenging in comparison to the more traditional subjects of the School of London, and constitute a formally interesting body of work that evokes the visual power of religious images whilst also exploring the possibilities of manipulated imagery – years before the availability of digital tools. As Robert Rosenblum remarked: 'The power of these images is the result of the artists’ unbridled and uncensored imagination and of their fiercely simple colours and structures, which echoes through the corridors of religious art' (Robert Rosenblum, Introducing Gilbert & George, London, 2004, p.84).

Executed in 1988, LEAF captures the artists’ signature visual vocabulary of bold colours and visually arresting imagery. The symmetrical composition of the work echoes the duality of Gilbert & George’s artistic persona, which permeates throughout their oeuvre – making the work an excellent example not only of the celebrated series of Pictures, but also standing as a powerful testament to the life and work of one of the most influential artistic duos in British art.