Whitechapel Gallery

Whitechapel Gallery is noted for hosting a 1938 exhibition exhibiting Pablo Picasso’s Guernica and it is also credited with introducing Pop Art to the general public. With a rich history of presenting groundbreaking exhibitions and supporting emerging artists, the gallery offers visitors an experience at the forefront of contemporary art culture.

In 2009 Whitechapel Gallery doubled in size after acquiring the neighbouring Passmore Edwards library building and it now has nine exhibition spaces plus a bookshop and restaurant.

What to see at Whitechapel Gallery

Visitors can see a range of contemporary art exhibitions that reflect the diversity and innovation of the art world with exhibitions drawing from both international artists and artists within the local community.

Exhibitions at Whitechapel Gallery cover a range of artistic media, including painting, sculpture, photography, video art and installation. These exhibitions often explore relevant social, political and cultural themes, providing visitors with thought provoking insights into contemporary issues.

Temporary exhibitions at Whitechapel Gallery

Whitechapel Gallery does not have a permanent collection and focuses solely on hosting a programme of temporary exhibitions. Current and planned exhibitions include:

Edge Effects
This exhibition (until 26 May 2024) is a project collaborating with primary and secondary schools in Newham, East London. Inspired by the natural phenomenon where different ecosystems meet, it fosters artist residencies to explore biodiversity and community interactions. Guided by permaculture principles, workshops encourage observation and interaction with nature, from studying trees to learning about herbs. Free.

Zineb Sedira Presents…
As a complement to her exhibition Dreams Have No Titles, artist Zineb Sedira offers a selection of influential films that have shaped her work. This daily screening program (until 9 June 2024), showcases Sedira’s interest in activist cinema, particularly focusing on productions from France, Italy and Algeria post-Algerian independence. All films are shown in their original language with English subtitles, allowing visitors to join at any time during the screenings in Gallery 2. Free.

Andrew Pierre Hart: Bio-Data Flows and Other Rhythms – A Local Story
London-based interdisciplinary artist and experimental music producer Andrew Pierre Hart’s new commission explores Whitechapel’s history as a hub for migrant communities, delving into connections between sound and painting. The exhibition (until 7 July 2024) includes a sound composition, a film shot in Whitechapel’s streets, six oil paintings, a site-specific mural and a bamboo sculpture. Sound permeates the works, shaping abstract forms and influencing the dancers’ movements in the film. Hart’s pieces capture the area’s rhythm and diversity, with paintings depicting local individuals and a bamboo sculpture evoking community gathering spaces. Free.

Gavin Jantjes: To Be Free! A Retrospective (1970–2023)
Gavin Jantjes, an Oxfordshire-based South African painter and printmaker, is the subject of a comprehensive retrospective, his largest solo UK exhibition. Featuring over five decades of his work, including prints, drawings, paintings and archival material, the exhibition (12 June–1 September 2024) highlights Jantjes’ evolution as an artist, writer, curator and activist. Structured chronologically, it explores key periods in his life, from his upbringing in apartheid-era Cape Town to his influential presence in the UK’s arts scene. The exhibition also commemorates the 30th anniversary of South Africa’s first free general election, marking Nelson Mandela’s presidency and Jantjes’ return from exile.

Visiting Whitechapel Gallery

Whitechapel Gallery is near where the East End meets The City of London. It is on Whitechapel High Street, close to Brick Lane and the vibrant Whitechapel area but also just a few minutes walk to The City of London.

It is next door to Aldgate East tube station (on the District and Hammersmith & City lines) and Whitechapel tube station (Elizabeth, District and Hammersmith & City lines plus the Overground) is a 12-minute walk away. It is also served by several bus routes including buses 25, 205 and 254.

The gallery is open Tuesday to Sunday (closed on Mondays) and entrance is free of charge, although some exhibitions may have an additional charge.

Visitor facilities include a bookshop and restaurant and the gallery’s location means that there are plenty of other places to eat and drink nearby, particularly on Brick Lane, which is noted for its Bangladeshi restaurants.

Because the gallery has a focus on temporary exhibitions, the time to allow for your visit will vary depending on which exhibitions are currently running. A visit could last anywhere from half an hour to several hours, even up to half a day if there is an installation where several feature-length films are being shown.