Past Event
Whitechapel Gallery Portrait Studio maps the staffing structure of Whitechapel Gallery. The artist Lady Lucy has taken an original organisational chart produced by the gallery, and has annotated, inserted, deleted and re-ordered its content. What results is a glimpse of the organisational structure from a particular view point. Each of the portraits incorporated into this display were produced by people aged 16-19 from across east London taking part in an introductory course to the Gallery.
This immersive three dimensional diagram references the conventions of institutional portraiture. Historically, large organisations including corporations, schools, professional guilds and town councils have commissioned portraits of their staff. These works are usually exhibited behind the scenes in board rooms and offices rather than in a public context as they are here.
Lady Lucy is an artist whose work hinges on identity and biography. Her tendency to document social moments and people is informed by an interest in the interview, the portrait, the documentary and the act of naming. Drawing and painting are central to her practice, but operate as conduits for communication and understanding.
Portraits by: Rafid Arman, Raynne Bushell, Jenny Chong, Dimo Dimov, Ali Hussain, Hakan Karabulut, Habiba Khatun, Parisa Khonsari, Becca Murphy, Zuzanna Pinczewska, Qing Sun, Tamanya Thorpe-Slater, Kitty Wallace, Mhairi Wyles-Lang.
