White Cube is a contemporary art gallery founded by Jay Jopling in London in 1993. The gallery has two branches in London: White Cube Mason's Yard[1] in central London and White Cube Bermondsey[2] in South East London; White Cube Hong Kong,[3] in Central, Hong Kong Island; White Cube Paris, at 10 avenue Matignon in Paris;[4] and White Cube West Palm Beach,[5] which opened at 2512 Florida Avenue in 2020 and operates annually in West Palm Beach, Florida, from winter through to spring.
In October 2023, White Cube opened public gallery spaces and private viewing rooms in New York City's Upper East Side, in a three-floor building at 1002 Madison Avenue.[6]
The Hoxton Square space in the East End of London closed at the end of 2012[7] and the São Paulo gallery in 2015.
History
editEarly beginnings
editWhite Cube is a gallery-owned and run by the art dealer Jay Jopling (an Old Etonian and son of a Conservative MP) who, until September 2008, was married to artist Sam Taylor-Wood. It was first opened in a small, square room in May 1993 in Duke Street, St James's, a traditional art dealing street in the West End of London. In that location there was a gallery rule that an artist could only be exhibited once. The gallery achieved its reputation by being the first to give one person shows to many of the Young British Artists (YBAs), including Tracey Emin and Gavin Turk.[8]
Hoxton Square 2000-2012
editIn April 2000 it moved to 48 Hoxton Square, a 1920s building that had previously been occupied by the small publishing company Gerald Duckworth & Co. In 2002 an extra two stories (750 m2) were added by hoisting a prefabricated unit on top of the existing structure.[9]
The Hoxton/Shoreditch area has been popular with the Young British Artists (YBAs) since the 1990s, at which time it was a run-down area of light industry. More recently it has undergone extensive redevelopment with clubs, restaurants and media businesses. Hoxton Square is a prime site with a central area of grass and trees, which the vicinity is mostly lacking.[citation needed]
White Cube previews were open to the public and crowds used to fill the square on such occasions. Its publicly accessible interior had a small reception area, which lead onto a 250-m2 exhibition area downstairs, two storeys in height. Another smaller exhibition space upstairs often showed a different artist. Offices and a conference room are on the upper floors. On some occasions exhibitions have been installed on the grass of the square, one example being Hirst's large sculpture (22 ft; 6.7 m) Charity, based on the old Spastic Society's model, which shows a girl in a leg brace holding a charity collecting box. White Cube Hoxton Square closed at the end of 2012.[7]
White Cube also offers artists' editions.
St James's & Bermondsey
editIn September 2006 it opened a second site at 25–26 Mason's Yard, off Duke Street, St James's, home of the original White Cube gallery, on a plot previously occupied by an electricity sub-station. The 1,000 m2 (11,000 sq ft) gallery, designed by MRJ Rundell & Associates, is the first free-standing building to be built in the St James's area for more than 30 years.
In October 2011 White Cube Bermondsey was opened on Bermondsey Street. The building was formerly a 1970s warehouse and was converted into 5,400 m2 (58,000 sq ft) of interior space making it, at launch, Europe's biggest commercial gallery.[10]
International expansion
editWhite Cube Hong Kong opened in March 2012 at 50 Connaught Road, in the heart of Hong Kong's Central district. It was the first White Cube gallery located outside the UK. Many artists have exhibited there including Gilbert & George, Anselm Kiefer, Damien Hirst and Cerith Wyn Evans. The gallery presents in an internal exhibition space of 560 m2 (6,000 sq ft) , which is set over two floors and has a ceiling height of over 4.5 metres. The space was designed by London-based architects Maybank and Matthews.
White Cube São Paulo opened in December 2012 in a converted warehouse in the centre of the city, on a three-year lease. The 460 m2 (5,000 sq ft) gallery[11] launched after a one-off project in the space by Antony Gormley, organised in conjunction with the British artist's major exhibition at the Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil São Paulo in the summer of 2012. The gallery hosted a series of exhibitions by artists including Tracey Emin, Damien Hirst, Anselm Kiefer, Larry Bell and Theaster Gates. It closed in 2015.[12]
In summer 2015, White Cube showed works from its stable of artists at the Glyndebourne Festival Opera in East Sussex - White Cube at Glyndebourne. The launch exhibition, held in a newly designed space created by the London-based architectural studio Carmody Groarke, featured a selection of paintings by the German artist Georg Baselitz.[13]
In 2018 White Cube opened an office in Manhattan, which people could visit by appointment only.[14] In 2019, the gallery set up a presence in the 8th arrondissement of Paris.[15] By 2023, the gallery announced plans for a 300 m2 (3,230 sq ft) space in the Gangnam-gu neighbourhood of Seoul.[16] The gallery is situated in the same building as the Horim Art Centre, notable for its extensive collection of Korean modern art and antiquities, in an attempt to align White Cube more closely with the existing Korean art scene and cultural heritage.[17] White Cube opened its first New York City gallery on Madison Avenue in Manhattan in October 2023.[18][19]
Artists
editWhite Cube represents several living artists, including:
- David Altmejd (since 2018)[20]
- Michael Armitage
- Christine Ay Tjoe (since 2018)[21]
- Georg Baselitz[22]
- Julie Curtiss (since 2020)[23]
- Tracey Emin
- Cerith Wyn Evans[24]
- Theaster Gates (since 2011)[25][26]
- Gilbert & George[27]
- Antony Gormley[28]
- Louise Giovanelli (since 2022)[29]
- David Hammons[30]
- Mona Hatoum[31]
- Damien Hirst[27]
- Anselm Kiefer
- Rachel Kneebone
- Ibrahim Mahama
- Dóra Maurer
- Tiona Nekkia McClodden (since 2023)[32]
- Julie Mehretu
- Beatriz Milhazes (since 2020)[33][34]
- Sarah Morris
- Gabriel Orozco[33]
- Virginia Overton
- Eddie Peake
- Howardena Pindell (since 2024)[35]
- Doris Salcedo[27]
- Cinga Samson
- Raqib Shaw[36]
- Danh Vo (since 2018)[37]
In addition, the gallery manages various artist estates, including:
- Bram Bogart (since 2019)
- Lynne Drexler (since 2023)[38]
- Al Held (since 2018)[39]
- Richard Hunt (since 2023)[40]
- Isamu Noguchi (since 2021)
- Takis (since 2020)
White Cube has in the past represented other artists, including:
Criticism
editIn 1999, the Stuckists art group declared themselves "opposed to the sterility of the white wall gallery system", and opened their own gallery (with coloured walls) in street adjoining White Cube. On another occasion in 2002, while dressed as clowns, they deposited a coffin marked "The Death of Conceptual Art" outside the White Cube's door.[42][43]
In 2011 an anonymous group of net artists launched a website under the domain name, whitecu.be, as, among other ideas, an experimental institutional critique of authorship and trademark practices.[44] Growing in popularity and momentum toward the end of 2011, the site was deleted by the DNS.be authorities after receiving a cancellation request from White Cube's lawyers.[45][46][47] The artists transformed the subsequent legal correspondence into 19 standalone artworks.[48]
In 2015 the gallery was targeted by anti-gentrification activists who graffitied "Yuppies Out" and "Class War" onto the wall of an apartment near the gallery.[49]
The White Pube duo of critics chose their name in criticism of the white cube style in general, and of the London gallery.[50][51]
See also
edit- Brian O'Doherty, writer on white cube philosophy
Notes
edit- ^ grants; partners; Businesses, Our Portfolio of Venture. "White Cube: Mason's Yard - Gallery". visitlondon.com. Retrieved 10 October 2022.
{{cite web}}
:|last3=
has generic name (help) - ^ "White Cube's giant new third outpost: in Bermondsey". the Guardian. 27 September 2011. Retrieved 10 October 2022.
- ^ Magazine, Wallpaper* (7 March 2012). "White Cube opens a Hong Kong gallery". Wallpaper*. Retrieved 10 October 2022.
- ^ "White Cube to open 'office and viewing rooms' in Paris". The Art Newspaper - International art news and events. 2 October 2019.
- ^ Sjostrom, Jan. "White Cube follows other big galleries by taking its art to where the collectors are". Palm Beach Daily News. Retrieved 10 October 2022.
- ^ "White Cube New York". Retrieved 14 September 2024.
- ^ a b "Cultural shift as White Cube says farewell to Hoxton base". Evening Standard. 5 October 2012.
- ^ cube, White. "White Cube - Gallery Exhibitions - A Marvellous Force of Nature". whitecube.com. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
- ^ "Hoxton Square | Hackney Council". hackney.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
- ^ Jury, Louise (11 October 2011). "White Cubed third site for Jopling gallery". London Evening Standard. Retrieved 11 October 2011.
- ^ Andrew Russeth (10 April 2015), The Traffic Can Be Hell, But the Galleries Are Great! A Look Around São Paulo ARTnews.
- ^ Anny Shaw (6 July 2015), White Cube to close São Paulo gallery after three-year lease ends The Art Newspaper.
- ^ White Cube goes to the opera The Art Newspaper, 20 May 2015.
- ^ Armstrong, Annie (2 May 2018). "White Cube Gallery Has Opened a New York Office at 699 Madison Avenue". ARTnews. Retrieved 25 November 2018.
- ^ Gareth Harris (2 October 2019), White Cube to open 'office and viewing rooms' in Paris The Art Newspaper.
- ^ Melanie Gerlis (8 June 2023), White Cube joins march to Seoul Financial Times.
- ^ "White Cube is latest Western gallery to open in Seoul". The Art Newspaper - International art news and events. 8 June 2023. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
- ^ "A New Titan Has Arrived: Inside White Cube Gallery's Extravagant Opening on Madison Avenue". Artnet News. 6 October 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
- ^ "Jay Jopling's White Cube Opens in New York. What Took Him So Long?". Vanity Fair. 6 October 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
- ^ Claire Selvin (30 November 2018), White Cube Now Represents David Altmejd ARTnews.
- ^ "Christine Ay Tjoe: Black, kcalB, Black, kcalB". Artnet. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
- ^ Jackie Wullschlager (29 April 2016), The controversial German artist Georg Baselitz on his White Cube show Financial Times.
- ^ Maximíliano Durón (6 February 2020), Fast-Rising Market Star Julie Curtiss Heads to White Cube ARTnews.
- ^ Charlotte Higgins (26 September 2011), White Cube art empire chalks up a record for gallery space WSJ..
- ^ Andy Battaglia (28 November 2018), Gagosian to Represent Chicago-Based Artist Theaster Gates ARTnews.
- ^ Andrew Russeth (22 December 2011), Theaster Gates Joins White Cube New York Observer.
- ^ a b c Charlotte Higgins (26 September 2011), White Cube art empire chalks up a record for gallery space The Guardian.
- ^ Sarah Medford (17 July 2018), An Idyllic Artists’ Retreat that Invites Guests to Take in the View The Guardian.
- ^ Westall, Mark (25 February 2022). "White Cube now represents British artist Louise Giovanelli". FAD Magazine. Retrieved 10 October 2022.
- ^ Nate Freeman (6 October 2023), Jay Jopling’s White Cube Opens in New York. What Took Him So Long? Vanity Fair.
- ^ Rachel Cooke (17 April 2016), Mona Hatoum: ‘It’s all luck. I feel things happen accidentally’ The Guardian.
- ^ Maximilíano Durón (13 July 2023), Closely Watched Artist Tiona Nekkia McClodden Now Represented by Blue-Chip Gallery White Cube ARTnews.
- ^ a b Emma Crichton-Miller (17 May 2018), Latin American art takes centre stage Financial Times.
- ^ Alex Greenberger (9 January 2020), Beatriz Milhazes, One of the Most Expensive Living Female Artists at Auction, Is Now Represented by Pace Gallery ARTnews.
- ^ Maximilíano Durón (22 May 2024), White Cube Now Represents Howardena Pindell, Pioneering Artist and Curator, in Europe and Asia ARTnews.
- ^ a b c d e Anny Shaw (5 July 2018), From project space to mega dealer: Jay Jopling celebrates 25 years of White Cube The Art Newspaper.
- ^ Andrew Russeth (6 June 2018), White Cube Now Reps Danh Vo ARTnews.
- ^ Carlie Porterfield (28 November 2023), White Cube will represent Lynne Drexler's archive outside the US The Art Newspaper.
- ^ Alex Greenberger (18 September 2018), Al Held Estate Goes to White Cube ARTnews.
- ^ Tessa Solomon (16 November 2023), White Cube Now Represents Richard Hunt, Totemic American Sculptor of the 20th Century ARTnews.
- ^ a b Melanie Gerlis (15 February 2017), Jake and Dinos Chapman leave White Cube for Blain|Southern ARTnews.
- ^ "White Cube Demo 2002", stuckism.com. Retrieved 19 April 2008.
- ^ Cripps, Charlotte. "Visual arts: Saying knickers to Sir Nicholas", The Independent, 7 September 2004. Retrieved from findarticles.com, 7 April 2008.
- ^ Whitecu.be (December 2011). "I trolled Jay Jopling into paying the Kingdom of Belgium 1,620 EUR in chump change and all I got was this lousy legal correspondence from his high profile law firm". Retrieved 8 March 2012.
- ^ "Vvhite Cube". Archived from the original on 10 February 2012. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
- ^ "DNS Belgium". DNS Belgium.
- ^ "DNS Belgium" (PDF). DNS Belgium.
- ^ "Vvhite Cube". Archived from the original on 10 February 2012. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
- ^ De Peyer, Robin. "Vandals daub 'yuppies out' and 'class war' on south London art gallery". Evening Standard. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
- ^ Shaw, Madalyn. "ALL HAIL THE WHITE PUBE (Or, Can Art Criticism Be Funny?)". Peripheral Review. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
- ^ Goodpasture, Eliza (28 November 2024). "Poor Artists by The White Pube review – how to make it in the art world". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 November 2024.