Gilbert & George STREET MEET, 1982

The 1980s marked a stylistic departure in Gilbert & George’s pictures, which became bigger, brighter and bolder as they introduced vivid primary colours into their previously monochrome works. As they explain, ‘At first we used red and then we used red and yellow. Now we use more colours, but in each picture they mean something different. It depends on how we put them to work. They can be symbolic or they can be atmospheric or emotional.’ While retaining their characteristic gridded format, the individual images flow across these internal borders to form complex figural arrangements, enlivened by the strong use of colour that enhances the dramatic content of the works.