A Portrait of the Artists as Young Men

Gilbert & George's 1972 video portrait of themselves.

Gilbert and George's art is a form of self-portraiture, since they always feature in their own work. They see no separation between their activities as artists and their everyday existence. In 1969, they began to present themselves as 'living sculptures' and developed the mask-like personas that are presented here. This black-and-white video is a study in stasis: they pose, barely moving, impassive in expression and matching in their bespoke suits. The title of this work suggests a painting rather than a video, and the slowed-down action suggests the long, scrutinizing gaze of an artist examining his model.

About Gilbert & George
Gilbert Proesch and George Passmore met as students in 1967 and have been working together ever since. Italian and British respectively, they are known by a combination of their first names and have always put themselves at the centre of their art. Since calling themselves 'living sculptures' in the 1970s they have become the primary subject of their art - indeed they first drew attention for an artwork entitled The Singing Sculpture which consisted of them both mouthing the Flanagan & Allen song Underneath the Arches in public, wearing matching suits and silver faces. Matching suits have since become their trademark, and they are always seen identically thus dressed.

Their more recent art has been focused on a series of stained-glass windows, usually involving images of themselves, often uncompromisingly bodily and scatological - but there's always a spark of humour and wit about their work too. They won the Turner Prize in 1986, and they and their art have been staple fare for colour supplements - and the world's modern art galleries - ever since.