Gilbert & George: Dark Shadow: the sculptors

Gilbert & George created Dark Shadow in 1974 as a 'living sculpture book’, featuring original text and artwork by the pair. Hurtwood’s limited re-edition celebrates its fiftieth anniversary.

Gilbert & George created Dark Shadow in 1974 as a ‘living sculpture book’, the ‘result of our past three years of earnest daily thoughts, shadows, deeds, cares and pleasures.’ Hurtwood’s limited re-edition of 2,000 marks its fiftieth anniversary.

Featuring original text and artwork by Gilbert & George, the publication offers an unparalleled perspective on the early career of one of the twentieth century’s most significant artistic duos. Like their art, Gilbert & George’s writing is irreverent, rebellious, fantastical, often funny and deeply poetic. The book includes a letter to their readers and original photographs by the artists of themselves, their famous home in Spitalfields in East London and their pictures.

Dark Shadow is structured into eight chapters, which elaborate on the inspirations behind Gilbert & George's work such as London life and British culture, including, of course, Gordon’s Gin. As is emblazoned on the cover, Dark Shadow is a continuation of their lifelong agenda ‘Art for All’, and each book is a piece of art in itself, uniquely bound in the UK with hand-marbled cloth.