Rachel Whiteread's Place

The other day I was in the V&A Museum of Childhood in Bethnal Green doing some research for a new project when I came across this wonderful piece by sculptor Rachel Whiteread.

Place (Village) is an installation of over 150 doll’s houses collected by the artist over a span of 20 years. The buildings are stacked on a steep hillside created out of wooden packing cases forming a near vertical cliff-face of structures.

The houses are in an eclectic range of architectural styles - although mock Tudor does feature frequently. Perhaps this reflects the era of the doll’s houses most of which must be early 20th century. I imagine most children after all would have loved a miniature version of their very own home.

There is a nostalgic, melancholic and slightly haunted feel to the piece. The unfurnished houses are all empty - there are no inhabitants in this Village. Lights glow from the windows, but there is no-one home.

Place (Village) was donated by Whiteread to the museum in 2017 and is on permanent display. The piece is accompanied by a charming video in which Rachel talks to local school children about her own memories of visiting the museum as a child, and her particular fascination with the dolls houses. A lovely full circle.