Whitechapel Gallery facts for kids
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The original Whitechapel Gallery to the left; and the former Passmore Edwards library building, now incorporated into the gallery, to the right
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| Established | 1901 |
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| Location | 77–82 Whitechapel High Street, London, England, United Kingdom |
| Visitors | 490,000 (April 2009 – April 2010) |
| Public transit access |  Aldgate East |
The Whitechapel Gallery is a famous art gallery in Whitechapel, London. It is located on Whitechapel High Street. The gallery first opened its doors in 1901. It was one of the first art galleries in London to be funded by the public. The original building was designed by Charles Harrison Townsend. It is a great example of the British Modern Style of architecture.
In 2009, the gallery became much bigger. It took over the old Passmore Edwards library building next door. The Whitechapel Gallery shows art from artists living today. It also holds special shows that look back at an artist's whole career.
Contents
Gallery History
The Whitechapel Gallery has a long and interesting history. It has shown many important artworks over the years.
Early Exhibitions
In 1938, the gallery showed Pablo Picasso's famous painting Guernica. This was part of a special tour. The tour was organized to protest against the Spanish Civil War.
Supporting New Artists
After World War II, the gallery became very important. It helped new and upcoming British artists show their work. Many famous exhibitions took place here.
One key show was This is Tomorrow in 1956. In 1961, the gallery held the first UK exhibition by Mark Rothko. In 1964, The New Generation show featured artists like John Hoyland, Bridget Riley, David Hockney, and Patrick Caulfield.
These shows helped introduce Pop Art to many people. They also showed off new artists and ideas from the 1960s.
Changes and Growth
For a while, other galleries became more popular. But in the 1980s, the Whitechapel Gallery became popular again. This was thanks to its director, Nicholas Serota.
The gallery was updated in 1986. Then, in 2009, it grew even more. It expanded into the old library building. This made the gallery much larger. It also meant the Whitechapel Gallery could stay open all year round.
Important Exhibitions
The Whitechapel Gallery has hosted many memorable art shows. Here are some of them:
- 1908 – An exhibition about Islamic art and life.
- 1956 – The groundbreaking This is Tomorrow exhibit.
- 1958 – A show featuring American abstract artist Jackson Pollock.
- 1961 – An exhibition by Mark Rothko. The way his art was displayed here became a model for his future shows.
- 1964 – The New Generation – Painting. This show featured artists like John Hoyland, Patrick Caulfield, and David Hockney.
- 1965 – The New Generation – Sculpture. This show included artists like Philip King and William Tucker.
- 1982 – An exhibition of art by Frida Kahlo.
- 1993 – A show featuring the famous artist Lucian Freud.
- 2008 – Cornelia Parker's film Chomskian Abstract.
- 2010 – A look at the portraits by Alice Neel.
- 2011 – The first UK show for German photographer Thomas Struth.
- 2012 – A big show about British artist Gillian Wearing. She won the Turner Prize.
- 2013 – The first major London show for YBA artist Sarah Lucas.
- 2015 – The first show in Britain about Arab Modernism. It was called "Imperfect Chronology: Arab Art from the Modern to the Contemporary."
- 2016 – A new art piece by the feminist art group Guerrilla Girls. Also, a big show about British artist Eduardo Paolozzi.
- 2018 – A show by Mark Dion. Also, the first big UK show for the artist duo Elmgreen & Dragset.
Gallery Expansion
The Whitechapel Gallery reopened in April 2009. This was after a two-year project. The project almost doubled the gallery's size. It did this by adding the old Passmore Edwards library building next door. The library moved to a new place called Whitechapel Idea Store.
The expansion cost about £13.5 million. Some of the money came from the Heritage Lottery Fund. As part of the new opening, a large tapestry was shown. It was based on Pablo Picasso's Guernica. This tapestry was loaned from the United Nations Art Collection.
The expansion also created new spaces. These include an Archive Gallery and a reading room. There is also a special place to keep the Whitechapel's old records. These records show how the gallery started. They also have letters from past directors. These letters explain important decisions in the gallery's history.
Gallery Directors
Here are the people who have led the Whitechapel Gallery:
- Charles Aitken (1901–1911)
- Hugh Scrutton (1945–1952)
- Bryan Robertson (1952–1968)
- Mark Glazebrook (1969–1971)
- Jenny Stein (1972–1974)
- Jasia Reichardt (1974–1976)
- Nicholas Serota (1976–1988)
- Catherine Lampert (1988–2002)
- Iwona Blazwick (2002–2022)
- Gilane Tawadros (2022–Present)
See also
In Spanish: Whitechapel Gallery para niños
