Gilbert & George's 'The Great Exhibition' at Astrup Fearnley Museet in Oslo
The Astrup Fearnley Museet in Oslo is hosting 'The Great Exhibition,' a retrospective of Gilbert & George spanning from the 1970s to the 2000s. The show traces the duo's evolution from their early focus on 1970s London's social upheaval to their 1980s works addressing Thatcherism, the AIDS crisis, and the IRA bombings, such as 'Two Patriots' (1980). In the 1990s, they explored the human body as fetish, and after the 2005 London bombings, they created 'The Six Bomb Pictures' (2006). The exhibition is praised for its elegant installation, though the reviewer notes the works remain superficial in political critique. The show runs until January 5, 2020.
Key facts
- Gilbert & George's 'The Great Exhibition' is at Astrup Fearnley Museet in Oslo until January 5, 2020.
- The exhibition covers their work from the 1970s to the 2000s.
- 1970s works focus on London's social transformation and punk culture.
- 1980s works address Thatcherism, AIDS, and the IRA, e.g., 'Two Patriots' (1980).
- 1990s works explore the human body as fetish and object.
- 2000s works respond to the 2005 London bombings, e.g., 'The Six Bomb Pictures' (2006).
- The installation uses elegant color combinations and optical effects.
- The reviewer criticizes the art for remaining superficial on political issues.
Entities
Artists
- Gilbert & George
- Jann Haworth
- Peter Blake
- David Hockney
- Philip Guston
- Robert Mapplethorpe
Institutions
- Astrup Fearnley Museet
- Artribune
- Rolling Stones
Locations
- Oslo
- Norway
- London
- United Kingdom