In line with tradition, the pictures feature the artists themselves Enlarge Image

The pieces - entitled Bomb, Bombs, Bomber, Bombers, Bombing and Terror - appear on tombstones and will be seen at the Tate Modern gallery in February.

They were "the most chilling pictures we have created", the pair said.

All six will feature in a retrospective of the artists' work, which showcases more than 200 pictures across 35 years.

"We believe that as artists, we were able to bring something special in thoughts and feelings to this subject, something the media, religious leaders and politicians find difficult to do," Gilbert and George said.

'Living sculptures'

The pieces contain sandwich-board posters with headlines from London's Evening Standard newspaper.

The pair thought their work brought "something special" to the subject

The artists appear to be covered by wire in one picture, and also feature as guards, witnesses and exploding atomised beings, standing in ashes.

These are the only works created by Gilbert, 63, and George, 64, this year.

The exhibition will run from 15 February to 7 May, and will include their work as "living sculptures", early black-and-white pictures and large-scale images such as Named, which was nearly 15m (50ft) long.

It will fill the fourth floor of the gallery, and Tate Modern director Vicente Todoli said it would be the largest display of their art ever mounted.