In 1960 a scholarship took Whiteley to London where virtuosic drawing, an uninhibited style and taste for exotic influences made the young painter an exciting prospect for London dealers. His work was soon showing at the Whitechapel and Marlborough Galleries. In 1961, he was also selected to represent Australia at the Young Painters' Convention UNESCO, Paris. Even more prestigious was his winning the International Prize at the second Biennale de Paris (International Biennale for Young Artists), which brought him widespread publicity.

Although Whiteley returned regularly to Australia to hold exhibitions, his travels took him to the USA and Asian countries, all of which was to impact on his work. During the 1970s, Whitely won a number of major national prizes and settled in Lavender Bay, Sydney.

Brett Whiteley's prolific career is well-documented as is the way in which his lifestyle integrated with his art. In this connection the poets and painters who were his acknowledged influences made a significant contribution. A deliberate course of self-destruction seemed the natural corollary for achieving the ultimate freedom in self-expression. He was found dead in a motel room on the NSW coast, the coroner's verdict being "death due to self-administered substances".