The use that visual artists have made of popular media, such as television, has provided a point of critical interest over recent decades. Contemporary artists, Gilbert & George, followed the pace set by media-savvy artists, through their recent television appearance on the popular talk-show Friday Night with Jonathan Ross. Their appearance on prime-time TV raised a series of questions concerning gay visibility, mainstream media and the visual subterfuge deployed in contemporary art. This article seeks to examine such issues against the background of political struggles over public and private space.
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