Taxpayers' chance to see the art they paid for!

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In its 100 year+  history, the Government Art Collection has acquired more than 13,500 paintings, sculptures and work in other media dating from the 16thcentury to the present day. Usually on display in more than 400 embassies and government buildings worldwide, their purpose is to promote British art and artists but they have not been shown before in a public art gallery.  ‘Government Art Collection: At Work’, which opened at the Whitechapel Gallery, London on 3 June and runs till 4 September, is a selection from various embassies and government departments, showcasing the diverse nature of the Collection, its locations and function. 

The first display includes works by Zarina Bhimji, Edward Burra, Tracey Emin, Elizabeth Frink, Jim Lambie, Michael Landy, Bridget Riley and Walter Sickert among others.

 Following the end of its run at the Whitechapel Gallery, the exhibition will tour Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery and Ulster Museum, Northern Ireland, in late 2012 and 2013.

See  our review  in July Cassone.