Gordon’s Makes Us Very Very Drunk
December 31, 2014 7:37 AM Subscribe
Gilbert & George, "Gordon’s Makes Us Drunk" (Tate Modern Video installation, 12 min, 1972).
The Tate Modern's website description: "Gin and tonic became Gilbert & George's drink of choice in 1971. They picked Gordon's because it was 'the best gin'. For this film, they have added their names to the bottle's label, on either side of the Royal crest. The artists are shown seated at a table, getting drunk to a soundtrack of Elgar and Grieg."
From the Wikipedia page on Gilbert & George:
The Tate Modern's website description: "Gin and tonic became Gilbert & George's drink of choice in 1971. They picked Gordon's because it was 'the best gin'. For this film, they have added their names to the bottle's label, on either side of the Royal crest. The artists are shown seated at a table, getting drunk to a soundtrack of Elgar and Grieg."
From the Wikipedia page on Gilbert & George:
"The two first met on 25 September 1967 while studying sculpture at Saint Martin's School of Art. The two claim they came together because George was the only person who could understand Gilbert's rather poor English. In a 2002 interview with the Daily Telegraph, they said of their meeting: 'it was love at first sight'. They have claimed that they married in 2008. They are often seen together on walks through East London.
"For many years, Gilbert & George have been residents of Fournier Street, Spitalfields, East London. Their entire body of work has been created in, and focused on, London's East End, which they see as a microcosm. According to George, 'Nothing happens in the world that doesn't happen in the East End.'"
Alexei Sayle had a great set of skits that were a parody of Gilbert & George called "Egbert & Bill" Video 1,Video 2.
Though I first learned of them through those parodies, I found Gilbert & George to be quite interesting artists. Here's two documentaries:
BBC Imagine... Gilbert and George - No Surrender
The Secret Files of Gilbert & George
posted by chambers at 8:18 AM on December 31, 2014 [3 favorites]
Though I first learned of them through those parodies, I found Gilbert & George to be quite interesting artists. Here's two documentaries:
BBC Imagine... Gilbert and George - No Surrender
The Secret Files of Gilbert & George
posted by chambers at 8:18 AM on December 31, 2014 [3 favorites]
As it's New Year's eve, there is a strong chance I will be replicating this particular art piece.
posted by slimepuppy at 8:20 AM on December 31, 2014 [5 favorites]
posted by slimepuppy at 8:20 AM on December 31, 2014 [5 favorites]
On one visit to the Tate they had 'Gordon’s Makes Us Drunk' running and it's a bit of an experience to watch it in a gallery.
Once heard on a radio doc / discussion program that they are not actually a couple of any sort or even gay and it's all for show (George at least had/has a wife and two children)... I was rather shocked by this to put it mildly.
Anyway always loves this sort of thing (and Singing Sculpture and Bend It) rather than their 'paintings' mainly because it has maximum piss-off-ness for those that hate modern art.
Chin chin
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 8:44 AM on December 31, 2014 [2 favorites]
Once heard on a radio doc / discussion program that they are not actually a couple of any sort or even gay and it's all for show (George at least had/has a wife and two children)... I was rather shocked by this to put it mildly.
Anyway always loves this sort of thing (and Singing Sculpture and Bend It) rather than their 'paintings' mainly because it has maximum piss-off-ness for those that hate modern art.
Chin chin
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 8:44 AM on December 31, 2014 [2 favorites]
mainly because it has maximum piss-off-ness for those that hate modern art.
Oh, I don't know. Their 'shit paintings' pull their weight in this respect as well.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 9:17 AM on December 31, 2014 [2 favorites]
Oh, I don't know. Their 'shit paintings' pull their weight in this respect as well.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 9:17 AM on December 31, 2014 [2 favorites]
Thanks for the context on this linked video, fearfulsymmetry. I could imagine it being much more interesting projected in a gallery; perhaps a 710x400 box in a browser tab is not quite what they had in mind. (Wanted: a Gilbert & George for the Vine generation).
The idea that George has a wife and Gilbert & George are not a couple is surprising. Not just because it goes against their current image but because they've been doing this gay-themed art for 40+ years now. Of course lots of queer folks have unconventional families and everything they do in public is a construction, so who knows the reality. FWIW a quick Google search finds reports of the rumor but doesn't dive into details, respecting the artists' public performance persona. They say they are married to each other.
posted by Nelson at 9:37 AM on December 31, 2014
The idea that George has a wife and Gilbert & George are not a couple is surprising. Not just because it goes against their current image but because they've been doing this gay-themed art for 40+ years now. Of course lots of queer folks have unconventional families and everything they do in public is a construction, so who knows the reality. FWIW a quick Google search finds reports of the rumor but doesn't dive into details, respecting the artists' public performance persona. They say they are married to each other.
posted by Nelson at 9:37 AM on December 31, 2014
Gilbert & George & Shit: 1, 2. I forget, in 1994 was a crucifix made out of a turd shocking? The shit conceit seems tedious now, I'm much more interested in the photographic technique and the color and the iconographic layout.
posted by Nelson at 9:39 AM on December 31, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by Nelson at 9:39 AM on December 31, 2014 [1 favorite]
I'm really not familiar with the sort of thing I'm seeing, but as a man who's consumed a heroic quantity of Gordon's over they years (usually in Vesper form) I will say CHEERS!
posted by The Legit Republic of Blanketsburg at 10:34 AM on December 31, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by The Legit Republic of Blanketsburg at 10:34 AM on December 31, 2014 [1 favorite]
I forget, in 1994 was a crucifix made out of a turd shocking?
For people interested in modern art? I doubt it.
For people who hate modern art? Are you joking?
I remember seeing them full size at a retrospective of their work when they first came out and there was something really splendid about seeing these enormous eight foot turds rendered on the gallery wall.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 11:00 AM on December 31, 2014 [1 favorite]
For people interested in modern art? I doubt it.
For people who hate modern art? Are you joking?
I remember seeing them full size at a retrospective of their work when they first came out and there was something really splendid about seeing these enormous eight foot turds rendered on the gallery wall.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 11:00 AM on December 31, 2014 [1 favorite]
I'd forgotten about the shit paintings... and yes they were shocking at the time.
Of course lots of queer folks have unconventional families and everything they do in public is a construction, so who knows the reality.
yeah... I think I'd kind of assumed that their 'weird' artistic lifestyle (like eating at the same restaurant everyday) was all true... so I was kind of shocked by even the chance it wasn't true. Actually doing the gay couple thing in public was pretty brave back in the 80s when homophobia was much more prominant.
Just remembered that next to where the Gordon's film was shown in the Tate they had this pretty impressive massive collage of black and white photos showing pub life - googling tells me it was this Drinking Sculpture
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 11:35 AM on December 31, 2014 [1 favorite]
Of course lots of queer folks have unconventional families and everything they do in public is a construction, so who knows the reality.
yeah... I think I'd kind of assumed that their 'weird' artistic lifestyle (like eating at the same restaurant everyday) was all true... so I was kind of shocked by even the chance it wasn't true. Actually doing the gay couple thing in public was pretty brave back in the 80s when homophobia was much more prominant.
Just remembered that next to where the Gordon's film was shown in the Tate they had this pretty impressive massive collage of black and white photos showing pub life - googling tells me it was this Drinking Sculpture
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 11:35 AM on December 31, 2014 [1 favorite]
I'm much more interested in the photographic technique and the color and the iconographic layout.
Since you mention it, I've always liked their colour palettes. The cheeky humour I can take or leave, but their design sense is really sharp.
posted by ovvl at 2:28 PM on December 31, 2014 [1 favorite]
Since you mention it, I've always liked their colour palettes. The cheeky humour I can take or leave, but their design sense is really sharp.
posted by ovvl at 2:28 PM on December 31, 2014 [1 favorite]
The meal at the same restaurant every night thing is definitely true, I have friends who live nearby and you can see them sitting there.
posted by tinkletown at 4:53 AM on January 2, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by tinkletown at 4:53 AM on January 2, 2015 [1 favorite]
I'm curious, of all the Gilbert & George pieces to feature on Metafilter why that one?
I had this in my drafts a long time and didn't really understand the best framing device for it; I decided since it had to do with drinking (ostensibly), and since it was New Year's eve, I could use a calendar event as a prompt and framing device.
Secondly, because I have direct experience with the work, whereas I do not with the other pieces you list in your (yippee! great) comment. (From your links, I find the portraits a bit dull and not as stimulating as the video piece, to each their own.)
The video piece is at once funny and challenging. It's puzzling and therefore intriguing, and uses different elements (the iconic label of the Gordon's Gin bottle, the familiar (and cliche) musical pieces, the idea of being British even, and also other things come into play like middle-class discomfort with getting too out of control and too drunk).
Also the repetition and incremental increases of "very" into the loop makes it damn memorable and quite funny. So, I guess all of the above reasons. I hoped it would prompt a good discussion and it did!
(I guess another other reason is: I saw their other work that I could've included in the post, but rejected making a more complex post; it's one of those editorial decisions, in this case I think art can be quite difficult, especially modern art, and I'm already asking people to watch an 11 minute video, or at least some of it, and that's already asking a lot. Sometimes it's better to limit what's up for discussion in the hopes of getting a more in-depth conversation.)
Sheesh - never ask me about my posts I am a huge bore about them.
posted by joseph conrad is fully awesome at 10:36 PM on January 2, 2015 [2 favorites]
I had this in my drafts a long time and didn't really understand the best framing device for it; I decided since it had to do with drinking (ostensibly), and since it was New Year's eve, I could use a calendar event as a prompt and framing device.
Secondly, because I have direct experience with the work, whereas I do not with the other pieces you list in your (yippee! great) comment. (From your links, I find the portraits a bit dull and not as stimulating as the video piece, to each their own.)
The video piece is at once funny and challenging. It's puzzling and therefore intriguing, and uses different elements (the iconic label of the Gordon's Gin bottle, the familiar (and cliche) musical pieces, the idea of being British even, and also other things come into play like middle-class discomfort with getting too out of control and too drunk).
Also the repetition and incremental increases of "very" into the loop makes it damn memorable and quite funny. So, I guess all of the above reasons. I hoped it would prompt a good discussion and it did!
(I guess another other reason is: I saw their other work that I could've included in the post, but rejected making a more complex post; it's one of those editorial decisions, in this case I think art can be quite difficult, especially modern art, and I'm already asking people to watch an 11 minute video, or at least some of it, and that's already asking a lot. Sometimes it's better to limit what's up for discussion in the hopes of getting a more in-depth conversation.)
Sheesh - never ask me about my posts I am a huge bore about them.
posted by joseph conrad is fully awesome at 10:36 PM on January 2, 2015 [2 favorites]
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The Tate page on Gilbert & George has more of the visual work they're best known for. The Google Image mosaic is nice too. I like this recent image, also their vulnerable nude self portraits. For that matter their basic dual self portraits in suits are immensely appealing to me.
I have a strong memory of seeing a Saint Sebastian they did, perhaps as an AIDS-themed exhibition? But now I can't find it and I'm wondering if I made it up.
posted by Nelson at 8:17 AM on December 31, 2014 [2 favorites]