Movie portraits and picturesque postcards look very different at a new Whitechapel exhibition

Classic movie stills, vintage postcards and book illustrations all get a make-over as part of a unique exhibition at the Whitechapel Gallery.

The gallery in Whitechapel High Street is celebrating the work of British artist John Stezaker who uses collages to give old images a new meaning by adjusting, inverting and slicing separate pictures together.

His famous Mask series mixes the profiles of glamorous sitters with caves, waterfalls and other natural landmarks while his Dark Star series turns publicity portraits into cut-out silhouettes.

In the first major exhibition of his work, which runs from today until March 18, visitors can also enjoy his Third Person Archive in which the artist has removed “delicate, haunting figures” from obscure travel illustrations.

Over 90 works from the 1970s to today will be on display and the artist will also discuss his work in conversation with art historian Dawn Ades at the gallery on March 3.

Admission to the exhibition is free.

For further information visit whitechapelgallery.org.