Gold Leaf (2012) is a limited edition work created as part of Rachel Whiteread’s commission Tree of Life (2012) for the Whitechapel Gallery façade, unveiled on the occasion of the London 2012 Festival.  Each leaf is individually stamped with edition number and is accompanied by a signed certificate.

Original plans for the Whitechapel Gallery show that the facade was meant to hold a frieze embodying its public message – to bring great art to the people of London. It was never realized and now, 100 years later, Whiteread has been commissioned to create a new work of art to complete the building.  For Tree of Life and Gold Leaf , 2012 she draws inspiration directly from the building’s decorative features; the gold leaf on iconic buildings, like St Paul’s Cathedral; and the weeds that spring up in cities. 

Typically, Whiteread takes casts from existing objects, translating their historic profile into contemporary sculpture. The starting point here are the leaves from the Tree of Life, a symbol of renewal through the arts at the time of the Gallery’s creation, and a motif that can be seen in Townsend’s other major London building façades such as the Bishopsgate Institute and Horniman Museum.

Whiteread took imprints from the sections of decorative bas-relief at the base of the two towers in order to create clusters of gilded leaves and branches that float in front of the building’s features, catching and reflecting light, plus four negative casts of Gallery windows in terracotta. The commission aims to enhance the viewer’s awareness of the original elements of the façade.

Gold Leaf (2012) is a single leaf drawn directly from Tree of Life, and is produced using the same materials and techniques. Each edition is presented in its own specially designed conservation box for storage or display purposes.