{"product_id":"rachel-whiteread-gold-leaf-2012","title":"Rachel Whiteread | Gold Leaf (2012)","description":"\u003cp\u003e[[specs start]]\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003eBronze and gold leaf\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eSize: 14 x 9.5 x 2.5 cm\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eEdition of 30, stamped and accompanied by a signed certificate\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eBox produced by Smith Design\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eThis edition is a rare archive release, with just one remaining\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e[[specs end]]\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e[[work start]] \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eAbout the work\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message skipProofing\"\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGold 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOriginal 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. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTypically, 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhiteread 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGold 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.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNoSpacing\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;\"\u003e[[work end]]\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e[[artist start]]\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eAbout the artist\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eBorn in London in 1963, Whiteread studied painting at Brighton Polytechnic and sculpture at the Slade School of Fine Art. She came to public attention in 1993 with her sculpture House, a life-sized cast of the interior of a condemned terraced house in East London which was eventually demolished in 1994.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eWhiteread was the first woman to win the Turner Prize in 1993. She was commissioned to design the Holocaust memorial at Judenplatz in Vienna (2000), one of the most prestigious sculptural commissions in Europe.  She is now a leading international artist, creating major public works in both Europe and the United States, including the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square (2001). She currently lives and works in East London. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"accordionContent\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message skipProofing\"\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e \u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNoSpacing\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;\"\u003e[[artist end]]\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNoSpacing\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;\"\u003e[[exhibitions start]]\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSelected Exhibitions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eSelected solo exhibitions include: \u003cspan style=\"mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;\"\u003eHold Still. The Approach, London, UK (2025); Summer Highlights. Gagosian, Rome, Italy (2025); The Art of the Olympics. In association with the Olympic Museum. Gagosian, rue de Ponthieu, Paris, France (2024); \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eAbstract Explorations: 100 Years on Paper. Gagosian, Gstaad, Switzerland (2023); Hurly-burly: Phyllida Barlow, Rachel Whiteread, and Alison Wilding. Gagosian, Paris, France (2023); Masterpieces in Miniature. Pallant House Gallery, Chichester, UK (\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e2021);  Photography’s Last Century: The Ann Tenenbaum and Thomas H. Lee Collection (2020); Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA (\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e2020); Blanc sur Blanc. Gagosian, Paris, France (\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e2020); Objects of Wonder: From Pedestal to Interaction. Aros Aarhus Art Museum, Aarhus, Denmark (\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e2019); ON BOARD THE SHIPS AT SEA ARE WE. FLAG Art Foundation, New York, USA (\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e2019); Elephant in the Room: Sculptures of the Marx Collection and the Collection of the Nationalgalerie. Hamburger Bahnhof-Museum für Geg, Germany (\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e2018).\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;\"\u003e[[exhibitions end]]\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;\"\u003eLast\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;\"\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eone, please enquire\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhitechapel Gallery editions are generously donated by the artists. All proceeds from the sale of these works directly support our exhibition and education programmes. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAs is traditional in editions publishing, prices will rise as an edition starts to sell out. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor UK Customers, VAT is included in the price shown.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe purchase of this edition is subject to resale restrictions. See Terms and Conditions at point of sale.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Rachel Whiteread","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55994316784001,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0684\/2147\/files\/RachelWhitereadGoldLeaf.jpg?v=1785333475","url":"https:\/\/shop.whitechapelgallery.org\/products\/rachel-whiteread-gold-leaf-2012","provider":"Whitechapel Gallery","version":"1.0","type":"link"}