White Columns was founded in 1970 in the SoHo neighborhood of New York City by Jeffrey Lew and Gordon Matta-Clark.

In 1998, White Columns moved to a location on the border of Greenwich Village and the Meatpacking District,[6] initiated by then-director Ha, who inaugurated the space with the exhibition "Inventory".

[7] In 2018, White Columns relocated to its present location at 91 Horatio Street, close to the Whitney Museum of American Art and the High Line.

[8] Since being founded, White Columns has supported and provided exposure to hundreds of artists including Alice Aycock,[9] Stephen Laub,[10] Willoughby Sharp,[11] Kiki Smith,[12] Sonic Youth,[13] Andres Serrano, Lorna Simpson, John Currin,[14] Cady Noland, Tyler Turkle,[15][16][17][18] Sarah Sze,[19] Lutz Bacher and others.

[22][23] It has been curatored by artists and art figures like Mary Manning, Bridget Donahue, Bob Nickas, Pati Hertling, and Randy Kennedy.