GILBERT & GEORGE: Long live humanism!

Gilbert & George have long stood as the enfant terribles of contemporary art—a pair whose irreverent, boundary-pushing works have challenged conventions and courted controversy for over five decades. With their signature wit and unmistakable style, they’ve turned the mundane into the extraordinary, the sacred into the profane, and the personal into the universal.

Known for their striking self-portraits, bold use of colour, and provocative themes, Gilbert & George’s art serves as a mirror to society, reflecting its contradictions, absurdities, and hypocrisies. From their earliest Living Sculpture in 1969, to their monumental photographic collages, they tackle subjects that most would shy away from—religion, identity, politics, and sexuality—always with a dose of irony and razor-sharp humour.

This year, their vision takes center stage at two major exhibitions. The highly anticipated 21ST CENTURY PICTURES opens at the Hayward Gallery on October 7, 2025, showcasing new works that confront the complexities of modern life. In parallel, their project at The Gilbert & George Centre (set to open in mid-May) promises to reinforce their position as bold cultural provocateurs.

In our interview, Gilbert & George reflect on time, public identity, and their lifelong commitment to humanist ideals.

hube: Many artists see their work as a message for the future, with little regard for the present. How would you both describe the relationship between your work, yourselves, and time?

Gilbert & George: Every picture we have ever created addresses the past, present, and future.

h: Your work merges art and everyday life, becoming not only an artistic statement but also a philosophical manifesto. Is this a triumph of art or of the ordinary?

G&G: “Art for all” is our earliest slogan. We believe that each of our pictures is capable of speaking to the individual about their lives, not about their knowledge of art.

h: By creating The Gilbert & George Centre, you have added architecture, curation, and management to your practice. This requires a lot of energy; what do you hope to gain in return?

G&G: We want to show our pictures to the widest possible audience. By founding our center, we are able to do this, and there will always be somewhere in London where our art can be seen.

h: Your public image has been meticulously crafted. Would you say that the construction of this outward-facing identity serves to protect inner artistic freedom?

G&G: Our public image is created by our fans all over the world.

h: By following your artistic principles, you keep humanity at the heart of your work. Do you think the concept of humanism could eventually be exhausted?

G&G: Humanism rules. Long live humanism!