Organised by Whitechapel Gallery, on the First Thursday of every month, more than 130 galleries and museums in East London stay open late (’til about 9PM) with free events, talks, workshops, private views and exhibitions. Visitors that start at the Whitechapel can pick up a free map of that month’s selected walking tour, which highlights a handful of shows opening on the night. Following are photos from three galleries on a recent ‘First Thursdays’ tour (7 November 2013).

Whitechapel Gallery – SITUATION Absolute Beach Man Rubble – Sarah Lucas

Until 15 December 2013, Galleries 1, 8 & Victor Petitgas Gallery

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Work by Sarah Lucas, in ‘Situation Absolute Beach Man Rubble’, at Whitechapel Gallery, London. Image courtesy Whitechapel Gallery.

“…bawdy euphemisms, repressed truths, erotic delights and sculptural possibilities of the sexual body…” – Sarah Lucas at The Whitechapel

Graffiti Life Gallery – Star Wars and Stuff – Benjamin Badbones

From 7 November to 1 December 2013

“…journey of experimentation with themes of repetition, iconography and pop culture. Benjamin has never been precious about his work, painting over old canvases with new work; he believes that paintings should ‘live their life’ whether it’s for a few days in the street or years on a canvas – nothing lasts forever.” – Graffiti Life

Espacio Gallery – Quantum – 11 artists participate in a group show

From 7 to 24 November 2013

Artists exhibiting in ‘Quantum’: Roan Allen, Julie Caves, Ahmed Farooqui, Esperanza Gomez-Carrera, Nick Hazzard, Lee Herring, Ruth Jones, Ralph Overill, John Rance, Liz Whiteman Smith, Joao Trindade

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“11 artists grapple with the mind-bending ideas behind modern physics in this exhibition of painting, sculpture, printmaking, video projection and installation.” – Espacio Gallery

In her intriguing tissue paper sculpture, ‘Lump of Sugar’, Esperanza Gomez-Carrera quotes physicist Sonia Fernandez Vidal, “If we could join all the human beings on this planet, take their atoms and remove the empty space within them, all humanity, all the inhabitants of the earth, would fit in a lump of sugar. We are 99.999 % of emptiness.”

This delicate representation of a man refers to humanity as the “…illusion of solidity that consists of particles in motion.”

Esperanza Gomez-Carrera, 'Lump of Sugar', 2013, tissue paper and glue, in 'Quantum' at Espacio Gallery, London. Photo credit Kelise Franclemont.
Esperanza Gomez-Carrera, ‘Lump of Sugar’, 2013, tissue paper and glue, in ‘Quantum’ at Espacio Gallery, London. Photo credit Kelise Franclemont.

More links and information

More links about the artists

Event details: Over 130 participating galleries in the First Thursdays event are open late (from 6PM til 8 or 9PM) every first Thursday of the month. Sponsored by Whitechapel Gallery, 77-82 Whitechapel High Street, London, E1 7QX London. Free admission.

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