Gilbert & George Take on 'Hoodie' Stereotypes

LONDON—The consensus is in: Gilbert & George's Hooded—the centerpiece of the UK entry at the Venice Biennale—is timely, reflecting growing public debate about the signature hooded-sweatshirt look of urban youth.

But unlike the politicians and alarmists who have decried the "yob culture" for crime and delinquency, the London-based duo has "something positive to say about them," Andrea Rose of the British Council, which sponsors the UK Viennale entry, said in a press release.

At the center of the photographic work are the artists bodies slightly contorted, feet facing backward and dressed in white suits flanked on each side by a young black man in a red "hoodie."

Hoodies have become a symbol in the media and in political debate for youth delinquency in the UK, their images splashed across crime stories in the tabloids.

Bluewater, a large shopping center in Kent, banned hooded sweatshirts earlier this month. (It also banned swearing and baseball caps in a crackdown on "anti-social behavior.") Since then, the mall has reported a jump in sales, according to the Guardian.

And while Labour government officials have tried to curb the "demonizing" of youth by the media and politicians, according to the Birmingham Post, others such as Metropolitan Police Commissioner Lord Stevens continue to use the term "yob" in discussing a crackdown on youth crime.