Untitled c. 1973

Editor: This gelatin-silver print, "Untitled," created around 1973 by Gilbert & George, presents the artists in a formal portrait. They appear very self-contained; there's a stillness, an almost unsettling rigidity in their poses. What do you see in this piece, beyond the surface? Curator: Absolutely. This image, typical of Gilbert & George's conceptual work, demands a deeper look into its historical and social context. We aren’t just seeing a photograph, but a carefully constructed performance of identity. Consider the early 1970s in Britain – a period of social and economic upheaval. What statement are they making by presenting themselves as these almost deliberately mundane, very traditionally dressed figures? Editor: Well, the suits definitely strike me as quite conservative. Were they playing with ideas of conformity, or perhaps critiquing traditional masculinity? Curator: Exactly! Think about how traditional masculinity was being challenged. Gilbert & George insert themselves into this arena. Their living sculpture is both a critique and an embodiment of certain societal norms. The drab palette and almost architectural rigidity further emphasize the constraints they seem to be exploring. Is there something almost dehumanizing in their carefully crafted stillness? What does this tell us about power, identity, and the performance of self? Editor: I see it! It is a really powerful idea: performance and societal expectations play out in these almost uncomfortably posed photographs. It really subverts your expectations. Curator: It makes you question what "authentic" even means in relation to identity and art, doesn’t it? It transcends the single artwork in many ways and becomes this mirror of what performance can mean for society itself. Editor: Thank you. I have something really insightful to reflect on.