White Rabbit

Everyone here is really friendly! This is the place to go for a heartier breakfast/​lunch. Friday arvos have great live music!

Sydney, you’re so lucky to have this! Have you been here yet? No? Well, shame on you. This gallery is in all honesty amongst the best I have been to; and I have been to a few around the world. Yes, it is small. But it is all about the quality of work.
White Rabbit showcases contemporary art coming from Asia. A lot of this art is not allowed to be shown in Asian Countries as they are banned or controversial.
The exhibition we went to see was called «Paradi$e Bitch» and featured some really wonderful art over three stories.
One piece in particular that was banned for nudity was an electronic frame with a beautiful picture of a woman in traditional styled clothing who slowly undressed herself. Sounds raunchy I now, but it was really quite beautiful and cheeky.
Another piece that took my attention was a film clip by Chen Tianzhuo of a pair of gangsta dwarves rapping and fighting over a girl. The music filled the hall.
Behind there was a separate art space of a nightclub by Chen Wei called ‘Drunken Dance Hall’. It looked like the party was definitely over and the lighting revealed empty booths powdered with cocaine dust, and a dance floor all but covered in shattered beer bottles, crowned by a fallen disco ball.
Fairy Tales In Red Times a wall of six hand coloured photographic portraits of children. The imagery was taken of children from a local deaf and blind school and did depict tones of Mao. Rosey cheeks, bright blue hase in the background and almost holy looking children. They really brought out the beauty of the children and depicted the influence of the time Moa ruled.
Finally, there was a room at the back (I’ve forgotten the name of the piece) that was dark and featured an array of green lasers. Almost set up like they have in the movies as security for a bank vault. Immediately upon entering you find yourself interacting and trying to step over and avoid the lights. Way too much fun!
After enquiring, I have found out that the gallery changes it’s exhibition every 6 months. I would travel to Sydney just to see the next exhibit alone. Very well done, great helpful and friendly staff. Fantastic use of space and a gem in Sydney!

What a place… 4 levels of contemporary art from China. Amazing.
There is something special about Chinese contemporary art. Recently Ai Weiwei has hit the headlines due to Lego refusing to let him buy their product to use in an installation. This demonstrated to me how important art is in China as a form of protest and critique of the political environment there.
When we visited there were pieces that really made me stop and think about Chinese culture and what people are experiencing there. Not all was political though and the other pieces were breathtaking in their own right.
A must see in Sydney for art lovers.

WHITE Rabbit Gallery is Kerr and Judith Nielson’s gift to the people of Sydney.
This private (and free) gallery, tucked in a quiet corner of Chippendale, harbours a collection of contemporary Chinese art in a renovated four-​storey warehouse that the Nielsons have collected over the years.
The gallery features rotating exhibitions of post-​2000 Chinese art from the Nielson collection — drawings, photographs, sculptures, paintings, video and multimedia works. It is one of the world’s largest and most significant collections of contemporary Chinese art, and exhibitions run for five months before the gallery closes for a couple of weeks to bring in replacement works.
The gallery has staff on every floor to inform visitors of the individual pieces and also has a book club and informal talks on Chinese culture and history every so often.
The space is also home to the White Rabbit Gallery Teahouse.
The teahouse is to the left of the entrance and is popular not only with gallery visitors but with those who have a taste for Chinese and Taiwanese fine teas.
Dozens of old Chinese bird cages hang from the ceiling, the stark white-​washed walls decorated with a few old Chinese posters and 1940s Shanghai songs play in the background. Solid timber tables are neatly lined in rows, some decorated with long and narrow red silk runners. To one side is the long bar for tea and food prep.
There is a limited food menu — dumplings and some other savouries — but it isn’t the food that is the attraction here (apart from the art) — it’s the tea menu.
There is a selection of 13 teas. Some noteworthy mentions: Jin Xuan (Taiwan oolong); Yin Zhen (Chinese silver needle); Zhu Ye Qing (bamboo leaf green tea); and the Tie Guan Yin (the Iron Goddess of Mercy oolong). Teas are either $ 4, $ 4.50 or $ 5 per pot and as with all high-​quality teas these can be steeped up to four to five times.
White Rabbit had many jewels worth exploring.

UPDATE: The latest show, Paradise Bitch, is one of their best yet, with fewer, larger installations. Don’t miss it before it closes in early 2016!
White Rabbit is an amazing private gallery. Across four floors of a converted warehouse space in Chippendale, not far from Central Station, the Chinese art works of a Judith Neilsen, a private collector and philanthropist, are displayed. And it’s completely free.
With new shows displayed twice yearly, every time I visit there’s some amazing, fascinating new works to intrigue and delight. Many of the works are the result of immense effort, with many the college projects of new and upcoming artists, snapped up on regular visits to China. (Make sure you check in advance on the website that it’s open, as it closes for nearly a month to change over shows.)
And afterwards, there’s a delightful tea house downstairs, from whose ceiling dangles antique bird cages. Choose from one of many Chinese teas to try, along with a plate of simple nibbles. Or at lunch time there’s also homemade dumplings available, which make a good snack to share. Certainly worth 5 stars!
Note: In regards to children visiting, there’s usually at least some works that are not suitable for children. I would recommend taking children to experience most of the works, but looking out for signs and asking one of the many guides stationed around the floors for what to avoid.

This place is amazing. A friend insisted I come here and I am so thankful. As others have noted, this gallery showcases the private collection of one woman. The collection is amazing and what is shown in the gallery is a small fraction of what she owns. She regularly travels to China and Taiwan and buys art — and sometimes commissions work especially for the gallery. Then she created a beautiful gallery in an area with pricey rent and opens it to the public for free.
I was blown away by each and every piece in the Commune show. There are two shows a year (supposedly they don’t do more because they want to have enough time for all the school groups to come through before they change it up).
I was also very impressed by the guides, who are probably more properly termed docents. These young helpful people are not just there to make sure you don’t touch the artwork, but they can answer all your question about the work. Be sure to take the time to ask them about the pieces!
There are a few things at the store, but nothing really tempted me. I hear the café has good dumplings, but I didn’t take the time to visit it – at least not yet.
GO HERE!

Was there on the weekend for the Beams festival and loved the exhibits.

A cool Asian inspired gallery with a good collection of modern art. The Chinese tea house is also a highlight — delicious dumplings and dips, and a nice variety of leaf teas.

Really liked the exhibit — nice that it’s free and the food prices aren’t bad either. Great place!

I can’t believe this amazing gallery only has one review. I think it is one of the highlights of Sydney. Phenomenal, captivating, unique, cutting edge contemporary Chinese art. Is this gallery Sydney’s best ?? I think so. We take all our friends for a visit and a fabulous cup of tea afterwards. MUST MUST GO.

White Rabbit is an art gallery showcasing a private collection of largely modern asian art that rotates fairly regularly. The collection had some very impressive artworks when we were there, ranging over three floors.
There’s a shop at the entrance, but more importantly there’s a swanky tea joint! Get some extensively documented teas of all varieties, snack on some sweets or dumplings, and look at some nutty artworks.