LONDON HISTORIES - CULTURE LINE PANEL DISCUSSION
7pm talk/event
Samuel Johnson once said “By seeing London, I have seen as much of life as the world can show”. A panel of well-known writers and historians will discuss the way the capital has evolved over the centuries to absorb cultures and peoples from all over the globe. How did London’s myriad small areas acquire their distinct and fascinating characters?
 
This event celebrates the launch of CultureLine – a partnership between 10 museums and galleries, including Whitechapel Gallery, along the newly-opened London Overground East London Line.
 
www.cultureline.org.uk
tickets £5

THE GOVERNMENT ART COLLECTION
Jun 3, 2011 - Sep 2, 2012
The Whitechapel Gallery presents the Government Art Collection, shown in a public gallery for the first time in its 113-year history. The Collection’s 13,500 works dating from the 16th century to the present day are shown in 400 embassies and government buildings worldwide. The diverse nature of the Collection, and its role promoting British culture on the world stage is the subject of a series of 5 displays at the Whitechapel Gallery.
press release

THE BLOOMBERG COMMISSION : JOSIAH MCELHENY
Sep 7, 2011 - Jul 20, 2012
The Bloomberg Commission invites an international artist to create an annual site-specific artwork inspired by the rich history of the former library. Previous commissions were created by artists Goshka Macuga (2009) and Claire Barclay(2010). Bloomberg’s support reflects its commitment to innovation, and its ongoing efforts to expand access to art, science and the humanities.
press release

ROTHKO IN BRITAIN
Sep 9, 2011 - Feb 26, 2012
The Whitechapel Gallery revisits its famous first exhibition of Mark Rothko in Britain. In 1961 the Whitechapel Gallery showed the work of American artist Mark Rothko in Britain for the first time. While working on his Whitechapel Gallery exhibition Rothko made a breakthrough that was to become the blueprint for all his subsequent shows. This now iconic exhibition is brought vividly to life through the Gallery’s archives of original photographs and letters from the artist shown alongside Rothko’s painting Light Red Over Black (1957).
press release

ZARINA BHIMJI
Jan 19 - Mar 9, 2012
The Whitechapel Gallery presents the first major UK survey of photographer and film-maker Zarina Bhimji. The exhibition traces the development of her work over the last 30 years and premieres her new film, Yellow Patch (2011), an ambitious narrative inspired by the journey of countless people from India to East Africa. Previously unseen photographic series, early installations and storyboards are also on display.

ART WRITING IS AN ANTHOLOGY OF EXAMPLES
Mar 06, 2012 11:00am talk/event
The MFA Art Writing, Goldsmiths, hosts a new series of seminars in which contemporary issues in art writing are presented and debated. Each public session brings together art writing students and staff members and a visiting speaker, with each seminar themed around one of eleven Statements on Art Writing developed by the programme. Participants will be supplied with reading material and background information in advance of the session. Organised by former Writer in Residence Maria Fusco.
6 Mar: "Art Writing is a possible form of the liberty of the image"
Led by Yve Lomax and Adrian Rifkin with a guest speaker.
£10/£8 conc. Tickets by application.
Applicants should submit their interest in attending an event by emailing a letter with 100-word biographical details and a 100-word statement of interest to nicolasim@whitechapelgallery.org at least a week before the session.

GILLIAN WEARING
Mar 28 - Jun 17, 2012
Turner Prize-winning British artist Gillian Wearing’s photographs and films explore the public and private lives of ordinary people. Fascinated by how people present themselves in front of the camera in fly-on-the-wall documentaries and reality TV, she explores ideas of personal identity through often masking her subjects and using theatre’s staging techniques. This major exhibition surveys Wearing’s work from Signs that Say What You Want Them to Say and Not Signs that Say What Someone Else Wants You to Say (1992–3) to her first feature length film, Self Made (2011).