Gilbert & George: The Meaning of the Earth
Will be published approx. on 27. April 2023
Book
Hardback
560 pages
978-0-903696-53-1 (ISBN)
Description
The Meaning of the Earth offers a retrospective on the work and lives of the relentlessly controversial artists Gilbert & George, connecting their beginnings as Living Sculptures to their pictorial work of today.
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'The Meaning of the Earth, Wolf Jahn's new book, explores the vision of our Art like no one has ever done before. Congratulations Wolf! Everyone loves this amazing and beautiful book. It is a masterpiece.' - Gilbert & George
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The Meaning of the Earth offers a retrospective on the lives and work of the relentlessly controversial artists Gilbert & George, placing them within the context of twentieth-century British culture. Wolf Jahn tells the story of how Gilbert & George found their identity in opposition to pervasive ideas around social conformity and religion after meeting in 1967.
The artists staged an internal revolution, mining their psyches to create visionary and unwaveringly modern art. The 'two people but one artist' ask the questions that gnaw at us all: 'Where do we come from?', 'Who are we?' and 'Where are we going?' The book meditates on the artists' role in this century, connecting their beginnings as Living Sculptures to their pictorial work of today.
The Meaning of the Earth is a continuation of Jahn's 1989 work, The Art of Gilbert & George. A playful philosophical interrogation of Gilbert & George's work that truly grasps its cosmic scale.
----------
'The Meaning of the Earth, Wolf Jahn's new book, explores the vision of our Art like no one has ever done before. Congratulations Wolf! Everyone loves this amazing and beautiful book. It is a masterpiece.' - Gilbert & George
----------
The Meaning of the Earth offers a retrospective on the lives and work of the relentlessly controversial artists Gilbert & George, placing them within the context of twentieth-century British culture. Wolf Jahn tells the story of how Gilbert & George found their identity in opposition to pervasive ideas around social conformity and religion after meeting in 1967.
The artists staged an internal revolution, mining their psyches to create visionary and unwaveringly modern art. The 'two people but one artist' ask the questions that gnaw at us all: 'Where do we come from?', 'Who are we?' and 'Where are we going?' The book meditates on the artists' role in this century, connecting their beginnings as Living Sculptures to their pictorial work of today.
The Meaning of the Earth is a continuation of Jahn's 1989 work, The Art of Gilbert & George. A playful philosophical interrogation of Gilbert & George's work that truly grasps its cosmic scale.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Illustrations
250 Illustrations
Dimensions
Height: 211 mm
Width: 261 mm
Thickness: 55 mm
Weight
2520 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-903696-53-1 (9780903696531)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Born in Stuttgart in 1955, Wolf Jahn is an author, editor and journalist. Over the past forty years, Wolf Jahn has written extensively about the works of Gilbert & George, including the book The Art of Gilbert & George (Thames & Hudson, 1989).
Gilbert & George began creating art together in 1967 when they met at Central St Martins School of Art, and from the beginning - in their films and LIVING SCULPTURE performances - they have appeared as figures in their own art. The 'two men, one artist' believe that everything is potential subject matter for art. They address social issues and taboos, challenging what might be considered 'good taste'. Implicit in their art is the idea that an artist's sacrifice and personal investment is a necessary condition of art. The backdrop and inspiration for much of their art is the East End of London where Gilbert & George have lived and created art for nearly 50 years.
Gilbert & George began creating art together in 1967 when they met at Central St Martins School of Art, and from the beginning - in their films and LIVING SCULPTURE performances - they have appeared as figures in their own art. The 'two men, one artist' believe that everything is potential subject matter for art. They address social issues and taboos, challenging what might be considered 'good taste'. Implicit in their art is the idea that an artist's sacrifice and personal investment is a necessary condition of art. The backdrop and inspiration for much of their art is the East End of London where Gilbert & George have lived and created art for nearly 50 years.
Content
Foreward 7 Revolution After Revolution Chapter one 9 Meditation on Three Words Chapter two 49 Reversed Aceticism Chapter three 69 Go to Hell Chapter four 95 Kill Chapter five 133 New Genesis Chapter six 203 Below Chapter seven 243 Be Human Chapter eight 279 Paths and How to Take Them Chapter nine 311 The Meaning of the Earth Chapter ten 343 What we Are Chapter eleven 379 Signatura Crucis Chapter twelve 403 Obsessions Chapter thirteen 419 The Wild Donkey, the False Promise, Leviathan and Judgement Day Chapter fourteen 451 Dual Nature Chapter fifteen 483 Monarchia Chapter sixteen 543 Continents of Being epilogue 565 Endnotes 567 Bibliography 583