Launch of the Gilbert and George exhibition and the opening of Milton Keynes Gallery

A film showing the launch of the Gilbert and George exhibition and the opening of Milton Keynes Gallery. It includes a presentation by the director, Steven Snoddy, and questions to the artists, Gilbert Proesch and George Passmore, at the launch the day before the opening. At the opening we see interviews with some of the first people to visit the gallery.

The film opens with a statue of a man on a balcony on the first floor of Milton Keynes Gallery and we see people arriving. We are then taken inside the gallery where Stephen Snoddy, the director of the gallery, is sat on a raised platform with Gilbert Proesch to his left and George Passmore to his right. Stephen Snoddy is talking to the guests about the development of the gallery and what the exhibition and education policies of the gallery will be. He goes on to talk about why he picked a Gilbert and George exhibition to be the opening exhibition of the gallery. While he talks the camera pans around the room to show the audience as well as the director and artists. He finishes by asking Gilbert and George several questions about their artwork. We then see the guests, including Edna Read, looking at the art work and talking to Gilbert and George.

00:13:26 the scene changes to outside the gallery and a queue of people waiting to get in. Stephen Snoddy opens the door and shakes hands with everyone as they enter. We then see men talking around and moving a smokers post. This section of the film is silent.

00:16:11 the film cuts to inside the gallery. We see a series of short interviews by Sally Russell with people about their opinions of the art gallery and of the work. It includes an interview with the first visitor. The interviews are interspersed with scenes of people looking at the art work. Gilbert and George can also be seen in the galleries. The final interview takes place outside the gallery.

The film cuts at 00:33:25 to inside the theatre, on stage two actors are given directions. The film ends at 00:34:50.

A full transcript of the speeches and interviews are available on request.