The Whitechapel Gallery announces the artists included in The London Open, the Gallery’s triennial exhibition, which is open to all artists aged 26 or over living and working in London. The exhibition will provide a snapshot of art in London now, showcasing some of the most dynamic work being made across the capital to an international audience in 2012. The London Open offers a timely opportunity to see a selection of the latest developments and emerging trends in contemporary art.

From over 1800 applicants, 35 artists have been selected by a panel of high profile art world figures, including editor of Art Monthly Patricia Bickers, artist Rodney Graham, collector Jack Kirkland, curator Marta Kuzma and Whitechapel Gallery curator Kirsty Ogg.  Selected from open submission, the exhibition includes new and more established artists. Alice Channer, Sarah Dobai, Robert Orchardson, Amikam Toren and Roy Voss will be shown alongside more emerging artists including Dale Carney, Beth Collar and Rehana Zaman.

An engagement with political and social subject matter has emerged as a thread running through many of the works which have been selected. A number of artists use performance and DIY printing whilst others investigate cults, outsider art and counter-cultural groups as a way to explore the world today. The exhibition includes Leigh Clarke’s masks of political figures commonly worn during demonstrations, Nicholas Cobb’s photographs of plastic models staged in fictitious riot scenes at Bluewater shopping centre, and Pio Abad’s work featuring Saddam Hussein’s gold taps printed on an imitation Versace silk scarf.