Born in 1973 in Braşov, Romania, the twin brothers had completed their studies at the Braunschweig College of Fine Arts. Since then, the Cologne-based brothers gained international fame by pioneering in new techniques of making woodcuts. Gert & Uwe have developed their very own pictorial language and realised it into various mediums, including drawings, collages, woodcuts, and ceramics.
Their works have been dedicated to numerous solo exhibitions, Pinakothek der Moderne in Munich London’s Whitechapel Gallery and Collezione Maramotti, Reggio Emilia, to name a few; and are included in several museum and public collections such as New York’s MoMA, Museum of Art in Los Angeles, and Kunstmuseum Bonn.
We started Speaking Garments two years ago with the dream of developing garments for people, who loves both art and fashion. They are whom who look for pieces, that are able to withstand trends and seasons.
Words can not express how proud and happy we are now taking Speaking Garments further and are now onto our completion of our third collaboration with artists Gert & Uwe Tobias. For many years we follow the work of Gert & Uwe.
The defining moment come not long after ArtCologne in 2014, where they had a solo presentation presented by their Berlin based gallery CFA. A short time later we had the opportunity to meet the brothers and further in-depth about their work.
It is out of the enthusiasm we have for their work and their endless imagination, that became the basis for this collaboration.
Sometimes harmonious and beautiful, yet sometimes strange and repulsive; the influence of Gert & Uwe’s Romanian heritage – rich in folklores and myths – morphs into the twins’ collaborative works in forms of grotesque heads, distorted animals, folkloric creatures and plant-like organisms. It is a collage of gloom and abyss, with a hint of humour. However, there is one thing in common in all their works: their ability to avoid showing any reference to a particular time by representing an unspecified moment in the past, as seen through the lens of the present.
In this collaboration, we have worked closely with Gert & Uwe to bring the mythical motives and characteristic symbols from their work into wearable textiles. Playing homage to these elements, we hope to string together a cohesive representation and essence of Gert & Uwe`s ingenuity and whimsicality.
![[Translate to Englisch:] Edition Gert und Uwe Tobias](https://www.speakinggarments.com/fileadmin/_processed_/f/6/csm_edition-gut-01_92bf2c1da7.jpg "[Translate to Englisch:] Edition Gert und Uwe Tobias")
The first pieces of the edition is 100 limited t-shirts which we based on the artists’ working process, whit arm prints chosen from Gert & Uwe’ s large woodcut work from 2014.
The sweater carries the motive of a typwriter drawing on its back; and on the front, the sign „&“ can be seen in an exposed position as it is a significant symbol which connects the artists’ first names. Every piece is handcrafted and the used cotton material is produced in Germany.
The silk scarf showcases a flower collage taken from another woodcut. In addition, the motive of two hands emerges, citing a more recent work from 2018. The scarf is made of silk georgette and handcrafted in London.
The unisex maxi hooded coat collects three motifs of various large-format woodcuts from the years 2013 to 2014.
On the back of the coat is one of the Tobias' figures, then extending from the side seams are two hands grabbing in the direction of the front pockets, which belong to another work of theirs. It took seral months for the realization ofevthis elaborate and colour-intensive printing.
All of our hand-crafted pieces are made by our carefully selected artisans in Europe.
It is this level of quality that we provide, is able to withstand the test of time and trend. Every piece of our garments is numbered and comes with a certificate signed by the artists.
![[Translate to Englisch:] Gert & Uwe Tobias Edition – signiertes Zertifikat](https://www.speakinggarments.com/fileadmin/_processed_/d/2/csm_edition-gut-02_0d8052c0c6.jpg "[Translate to Englisch:] Gert & Uwe Tobias Edition – signiertes Zertifikat")
