Curations

Migrations

Réka Vajda

Ben Uri Gallery & Museum

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 c.1915
    Lazar Berson (1882–1954)
    Coloured inks on paper
    H 44 x W 44 cm
    Ben Uri Collection
    Circular Design for Ben Uri Art Society
    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
    The Emigrants
    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
    Sabbath Afternoon
    © Estate of Alfred Aaron Wolmark. All rights reserved, DACS 2025. 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
    Study for 'The Day of Atonement'
    © estate of John David Roberts. By courtesy of the William Roberts Society. 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
    Rabbi and Rabbitzin
    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
    Still Life with a Bottle of Benedictine
    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
    Joseph Leftwich (1892–1983)
    © the artist's estate. 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
    Jacob Kramer (1892–1962)
    © The estate of Sir Jacob Epstein / Tate Images. 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
    John Rodker (1894–1955)
    © the estate of David Bomberg. All rights reserved, DACS 2025. 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
    Svendborg Harbour, Denmark
    Image credit: Ben Uri Collection
  • In Winter, Manchester
    Harry Weinberger (1924–2009)
    Oil on canvas
    H 60 x W 90 cm
    Ben Uri Collection
    In Winter, Manchester
    © the artist's estate. 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
    Refugees
    © estate of Josef Herman. All rights reserved, DACS 2025. 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 Girl
    © 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
    Portrait of a Bearded Man
    © the artist's estate. 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
    Wilhelm Hollitscher (1873–1943)
    © 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
    Internment in Douglas
    © 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
    Charlotte
    © the copyright holder. 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
    Self Portrait with Pipe
    © the artist's estate. 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 behind Barbed Wire
    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
    Girl in Red
    © the copyright holder. 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
    Dr Barnett Stross (1899–1967), MP
    © estate of Margarete Marks. All rights reserved, DACS 2025. 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
    Frau Trautl Schranz
    © the copyright holder. 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
    West Indian Waitresses
    © 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
    Miriam
    © the artist's estate. 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
    My Grandfather in Auschwitz
    © the artist's estate / Bridgeman Images. 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
    Commemoration
    © the artist. 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
    Pages from the Diary of David Rubinowicz
    © the copyright holder. 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
    Dock Yards
    © Estate of Käthe Strenitz. All Rights Reserved, DACS 2025. 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
    Actaeon Devoured by His Hounds
    © Janina Baranowska. All rights reserved, DACS 2025. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection
  • Julia 1989
    Frank Helmuth Auerbach (1931–2024)
    Etching on paper
    H 19.5 x W 16.5 cm
    Ben Uri Collection
    Julia
    © the artist's estate. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection
  • Jake 1990
    Frank Helmuth Auerbach (1931–2024)
    Etching on paper
    H 20 x W 16.5 cm
    Ben Uri Collection
    Jake
    © 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
    Torn Poster, South Bank, London, 1984
    © the artist's estate. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection
  • Home Performance 1 2014
    Güler Ates (b.1977)
    Giclée print
    H 73 x W 105 cm
    Ben Uri Collection
    Home Performance 1
    © Güler Ates & Bridgeman images & L'étrangère. Image credit: courtesy of 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 Hand Made Map of the World
    © 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
    The Bands of Pride
    © the artist. Image credit: Ben Uri Collection
  • Swallow
    Zory Shahrokhi (active since c.2003)
    Persian cloth
    Ben Uri Collection

Explore artists in this Curation

View all 34
  • Commemorative Piece with 29 Signatures
    Ernst Eisenmayer (1920–2018)
  • The Sphinx
    Hilde Goldschmidt (1897–1980)
  • Design with Decorative Vessels from the Ben Uri Collection
    Lazar Berson (1882–1954)
  • Apocalyptic Vision
    Ludwig Meidner (1884–1966)
  • The Bands of Pride
    Hormazd Narielwalla (b.1979)
  • Home Performance 1
    Güler Ates (b.1977)
  • Revolution Street 2
    Zory Shahrokhi
  • Kurfürstendamm, Berlin, Germany
    Martin Bloch (1883–1954)
  • Backyard of Otaco Ltd Factory, 16 Market Road
    Käthe Strenitz (1923–2017)
  • West Indian Waitresses
    Eva Frankfurther (1930–1959)
  • View all 34
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