Side by Side

The first book by Gilbert & George was published in 1971, by Gebrüder König, in a small edition. Long out of print, Side by Side is at last being republished. Described in a new preface as "a contemporary sculpture novel," the book functions as a manifesto or declaration of Gilbert & George's views on life and art, expressed through texts and images. The book is divided into three chapters, in sequences of spreads linking typographic elements with a single image. As with the first edition, the most striking visual feature of Side by Side is the beautiful hand-marbled cover that makes every copy a unique art object in itself. This edition is also signed and numbered by the duo; the edition size is 2,000, of which only 1,000 are commercially available.