Memo to: Director From: Richard
Christmas Crib sculpture by Gilbert and George
Gilbert and George have asked if, despite our discouraging reply about their recent proposal to present a sculpture for one evening, I will present to you personally their proposal that we should show their Christmas Crib Sculpture 1969 for a period of approximately two weeks immediately before Christmas this year.
The approximate dimensions of this sculpture are 8 x 40 x 40 feet. It consists of a manger with painted straw; Gilbert and George (with metallic painted faces wearing lounge suits) standing for the Virgin Mary and Joseph; hay; rustic fencing; and a cow, a donkey, a goat and a sheep, so tethered that they can move freely within an area contained by the dimensions already quoted. The infant Christ is not represented. Soft background music such as "Jingle Bells" and ''l'm dreaming of a White Christmas" is part of the work. Gilbert and George say that installation costs would be about ₤100 .
The animals would be provided and fed by a farmer from Essex who would attend to their needs, and the requirements of hygiene, throughout the period the work was on show. lt would be on show continuously from 1 0 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week.
Gilbert and George stress that this piece is a sculpture in the same sense as, for example, a Henry Moore bronze or an Anthony Caro. lt is available to the Tate either on loan or for purchase. If purchased (price not disclosed) the Gallery would acquire both a complete documentation and sole rights in its future presentation anywhere, though the media employed whether human, animal or other, would be dispersed after a period.
Another sculpture by Gilbert and George, Posing Piece 1969, was lent to the Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, between noon and 5 p.m. last Saturday, they inform me. This was authorised by de Wilde and consisted of Gilbert and George standing on the main staircase in the museum motionless for six hours.
Unfortunately (since none of us has seen any of their work) they do not plan to present any more sculpture in London before Christmas, but they say they hope the information given above will given an adequate basis for a decision.
RM
Monday July 1969
Gilbert and George the [illegible] would like to do their sculpture "Underneath the Arches" for the Institute of Contemporary Arts, the Mall London.
"Underneath the Arches"
Material: two sculptors, one gramaphone + record, one stick, one glove, one table
Time: A Saturday evening, Speech = 1/4 hour, sculpture - 1 hour, refreshments 1/3 hour
Place: Hoxton Music Hall, hoxton
Publiciti: to bring about an invited audience of 200 well dressed people
(image)
Gilbert and George, of art for all will be happy to furnish you with any further informations you feel you may require this beautiful sculpture in every way "art News"
Memo to: Director From: Richard
Christmas Crib sculpture by Gilbert and George
Gilbert and George have asked if, despite our discouraging reply about their recent proposal to present a sculpture for one evening, I will present to you personally their proposal that we should show their Christmas Crib Sculpture 1969 for a period of approximately two weeks immediately before Christmas this year.
The approximate dimensions of this sculpture are 8 x 40 x 40 feet. It consists of a manger with painted straw; Gilbert and George (with metallic painted faces wearing lounge suits) standing for the Virgin Mary and Joseph; hay; rustic fencing; and a cow, a donkey, a goat and a sheep, so tethered that they can move freely within an area contained by the dimensions already quoted. The infant Christ is not represented. Soft background music such as "Jingle Bells" and ''l'm dreaming of a White Christmas" is part of the work. Gilbert and George say that installation costs would be about ₤100 .
The animals would be provided and fed by a farmer from Essex who would attend to their needs, and the requirements of hygiene, throughout the period the work was on show. lt would be on show continuously from 1 0 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week.
Gilbert and George stress that this piece is a sculpture in the same sense as, for example, a Henry Moore bronze or an Anthony Caro. lt is available to the Tate either on loan or for purchase. If purchased (price not disclosed) the Gallery would acquire both a complete documentation and sole rights in its future presentation anywhere, though the media employed whether human, animal or other, would be dispersed after a period.
Another sculpture by Gilbert and George, Posing Piece 1969, was lent to the Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, between noon and 5 p.m. last Saturday, they inform me. This was authorised by de Wilde and consisted of Gilbert and George standing on the main staircase in the museum motionless for six hours.
Unfortunately (since none of us has seen any of their work) they do not plan to present any more sculpture in London before Christmas, but they say they hope the information given above will given an adequate basis for a decision.
RM
Monday July 1969
Gilbert and George the [illegible] would like to do their sculpture "Underneath the Arches" for the Institute of Contemporary Arts, the Mall London.
"Underneath the Arches"
Material: two sculptors, one gramaphone + record, one stick, one glove, one table
Time: A Saturday evening, Speech = 1/4 hour, sculpture - 1 hour, refreshments 1/3 hour
Place: Hoxton Music Hall, hoxton
Publiciti: to bring about an invited audience of 200 well dressed people
(image)
Gilbert and George, of art for all will be happy to furnish you with any further informations you feel you may require this beautiful sculpture in every way "art News"