Spitalfields is set to get a new gallery and exhibition space devoted to Gilbert & George.
The idiosyncratic duo have been stars of the London art scene since the 1960s, and consider themselves to be living sculptures. Over the years, they've crafted countless works of beauty, wit, wonder and weirdness — often in the form of stained glass, and usually featuring themselves.
Now the Gilbert & George Centre on Heneage Street will display the best of their vast oeuvre. The free gallery is built into the shell of an old brewery, just around the corner from the pair's well-known home on Fournier Street. The building will also serve as a space for art scholarship and research. The extravagant wrought-iron gates to the centre include the initials of Charles III — perhaps the first cultural centre to do so.
The opening exhibition, called ‘The Paradisical Pictures' displays Gilbert and George's interpretations of Heaven. You'll be able to visit the new cultural centre from 1 April 2023.
(In case the opening date has you concerned that it's all one big arty joke, you can view the multiple planning documents on Tower Hamlets' website.)
