Migrations presents paintings, drawings, prints and sculptures from the Ben Uri Collection exploring three principal waves of migration to Britain: the first reflects on the years 1880-1914, when immigrants of principally Jewish Eastern-European descent, settled in London’s East End, including Ben Uri’s founder Lazar Berson. The second wave reflects the artistic contribution of the so-called ‘Hitler-émigrés’, who, between 1933 and 1945, fled racial, artistic or political persecution in their native lands. The third wave reflects contemporary migration, with artists including painter Tam Joseph, photographer/performance artist Güler Ates and collagist Hormazd Narielwalla.

Artists featured in this Curation: Lazar Berson (1882–1954), Victor Hageman (1868–1940), Alfred Aaron Wolmark (1877–1961), Jacob Kramer (1892–1962), Mark Gertler (1891–1939), Clare Winsten (1892–1989), Jacob Epstein (1880–1959), David Bomberg (1890–1957), Martin Bloch (1883–1954), Harry Weinberger (1924–2009), and 24 more
36 artworks
Storyline Album Showcase
Circular Design for Ben Uri Art Society
© the copyright holder. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Circular Design for Ben Uri Art Society c.1915

Lazar Berson (1882–1954)

Coloured inks on paper

H 44 x W 44 cm

Ben Uri Collection

The Emigrants
Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

The Emigrants c.1910

Victor Hageman (1868–1940)

Oil on canvas

H 122 x W 155 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Sabbath Afternoon
© Estate of Alfred Aaron Wolmark. All rights reserved, DACS 2024. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Sabbath Afternoon c.1909–1910

Alfred Aaron Wolmark (1877–1961)

Oil on canvas

H 77.5 x W 77.5 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Study for 'The Day of Atonement'
© estate of John David Roberts. By courtesy of the William Roberts Society. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Study for 'The Day of Atonement' 1919

Jacob Kramer (1892–1962)

Brush and black wash, over graphite on paper

H 63.5 x W 93 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Rabbi and Rabbitzin
Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Rabbi and Rabbitzin 1914

Mark Gertler (1891–1939)

Watercolour & pencil on paper

H 48.8 x W 37.6 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Still Life with a Bottle of Benedictine
Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Still Life with a Bottle of Benedictine 1908

Mark Gertler (1891–1939)

Oil on canvas

H 41 x W 48 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Joseph Leftwich (1892–1983)
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Joseph Leftwich (1892–1983) c.1919

Clare Winsten (1892–1989)

Oil on canvas

H 50 x W 34.2 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Jacob Kramer (1892–1962)
© The estate of Sir Jacob Epstein / Tate Images. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Jacob Kramer (1892–1962) 1921

Jacob Epstein (1880–1959)

Bronze

H 64 x W 49 x D 25 cm

Ben Uri Collection

John Rodker (1894–1955)
© the estate of David Bomberg. All rights reserved, DACS 2024. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

John Rodker (1894–1955) c.1931

David Bomberg (1890–1957)

Oil on canvas

H 71.5 x W 57 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Svendborg Harbour, Denmark
© Martin Bloch Trust. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Svendborg Harbour, Denmark 1934

Martin Bloch (1883–1954)

Oil on canvas on board

H 69 x W 79 cm

Ben Uri Collection

In Winter, Manchester
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

In Winter, Manchester

Harry Weinberger (1924–2009)

Oil on canvas

H 60 x W 90 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Refugees
© estate of Josef Herman. All rights reserved, DACS 2024. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Refugees c.1941

Josef Herman (1911–2000)

Gouache on paper

H 47 x W 39.5 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Portrait of a Girl
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Portrait of a Girl 1921

Ludwig Meidner (1884–1966)

Charcoal on paper

H 68 x W 50.5 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Portrait of a Bearded Man
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Portrait of a Bearded Man

Else Meidner (1901–1987)

Oil on canvas

H 43.4 x W 45.4 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Wilhelm Hollitscher (1873–1943)
© the copyright holder. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Wilhelm Hollitscher (1873–1943) 1940

Hugo Dachinger (1908–1995)

Watercolour & gouache on newspaper

H 61.5 x W 46 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Internment in Douglas
© the copyright holder. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Internment in Douglas 1940

Ernst Eisenmayer (1920–2018)

Watercolour, graphite, pen & ink on paper & board

H 30.3 x W 22.8 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Charlotte
© the copyright holder. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Charlotte 1945

Julius Rosenbaum (1879–1956)

Oil on canvas

H 80 x W 52 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Self Portrait with Pipe
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Self Portrait with Pipe c.1950–1952

Henryk Gotlib (1890–1966)

Oil on canvas

H 44 x W 35 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Girl behind Barbed Wire
Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Girl behind Barbed Wire

Alfred Lomnitz (1892–1953)

Watercolour on paper

H 36.5 x W 27 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Girl in Red
© the copyright holder. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Girl in Red 1990

Klaus Meyer (1918–2002)

Colour woodcut on paper

H 45 x W 36.5 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Dr Barnett Stross (1899–1967), MP
© estate of Margarete Marks. All rights reserved, DACS 2024. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Dr Barnett Stross (1899–1967), MP 1936

Margarete Marks (1899–1990)

Lithograph on paper

H 42.5 x W 31 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Frau Trautl Schranz
© the copyright holder. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Frau Trautl Schranz 1951

Hilde Goldschmidt (1897–1980)

Pastel on paper

H 50 x W 37.4 cm

Ben Uri Collection

West Indian Waitresses
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

West Indian Waitresses c.1955

Eva Frankfurther (1930–1959)

Oil on paper

H 76 x W 55 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Miriam
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Miriam 1963

Jack Bilbo (1907–1967)

Gouache on paper

H 46.6 x W 35 cm

Ben Uri Collection

My Grandfather in Auschwitz
© the artist's estate / Bridgeman Images. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

My Grandfather in Auschwitz 1962

Dora Holzhandler (1928–2015)

Oil on canvas

H 125.5 x W 100 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Commemoration
© the artist. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Commemoration c.1993

Julie Held (b.1958)

Oil on canvas

H 152.4 x W 107 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Pages from the Diary of David Rubinowicz
© the copyright holder. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Pages from the Diary of David Rubinowicz 2005

Shmuel Dresner (1928–2020)

Collage on paper

H 20 x W 27.5 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Dock Yards
© Estate of Käthe Strenitz. All Rights Reserved, DACS 2024. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Dock Yards

Käthe Strenitz (1923–2017)

Watercolour, pastel, pencil, pen & ink on paper

H 38.8 x W 50.3 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Actaeon Devoured by His Hounds
© Janina Baranowska. All rights reserved, DACS 2024. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Actaeon Devoured by His Hounds c.1968–1969

Janina Baranowska (b.1925)

Oil on canvas

H 87.2 x W 95.2 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Julia
© the artist. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Julia 1989

Frank Helmuth Auerbach (b.1931)

Etching on paper

H 19.5 x W 16.5 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Jake
© the artist. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Jake 1990

Frank Helmuth Auerbach (b.1931)

Etching on paper

H 20 x W 16.5 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Torn Poster, South Bank, London, 1984
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

Torn Poster, South Bank, London, 1984 1984

Dorothy Bohm (1924–2023)

Photograph on paper

H 64 x W 43.8 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Home Performance 1
© Güler Ates & Bridgeman images & L'étrangère. Image credit: courtesy of Ben Uri Collection

Home Performance 1 2014

Güler Ates (b.1977)

Giclée print

H 73 x W 105 cm

Ben Uri Collection

The Hand Made Map of the World
© the artist. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

The Hand Made Map of the World 2013

Tam Joseph (b.1947)

Acrylic on board

H 70.7 x W 121.2 cm

Ben Uri Collection

The Bands of Pride
© the artist. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection

The Bands of Pride 2017

Hormazd Narielwalla (b.1979)

Collage on paper

H 66 x W 47 cm

Ben Uri Collection

Swallow

Zory Shahrokhi (active since c.2003)

Persian cloth

Ben Uri Collection

Explore artists in this Curation

View all 34
  • Paul Hamann's Art Class
    Hugo Dachinger (1908–1995)
  • Charlotte
    Julius Rosenbaum (1879–1956)
  • The Mud Bath
    David Bomberg (1890–1957)
  • Miners Singing
    Josef Herman (1911–2000)
  • Ben Uri Album
    Lazar Berson (1882–1954)
  • Commemorative Piece with 29 Signatures
    Ernst Eisenmayer (1920–2018)
  • Backyard of Otaco Ltd Factory, 16 Market Road
    Käthe Strenitz (1923–2017)
  • Kurfürstendamm, Berlin, Germany
    Martin Bloch (1883–1954)
  • The Sphinx
    Hilde Goldschmidt (1897–1980)
  • The Bands of Pride
    Hormazd Narielwalla (b.1979)
  • View all 34
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