2026 Whitney Biennial Opens with 56 Artists Exploring American Identity and Global Themes
The 82nd Whitney Biennial has launched at the Whitney Museum in New York, curated by Marcela Guerrero and Drew Sawyer. Featuring 56 artists from diverse nations including Palestine, the Philippines, and Japan, the exhibition examines themes such as human-nonhuman relationships, American imperialism, infrastructure, and horror imagery. The show opened to the press ahead of its public debut on March 8, with ARTnews editors Maximilíano Durón and Alex Greenberger offering contrasting perspectives on its approach to political commentary and aesthetic strategies. Works employ various media, from performance and sculpture to AI and painting, with some artists addressing colonialism, surveillance, and environmental concerns through indirect or abstract means.
Key facts
- The 82nd Whitney Biennial is curated by Marcela Guerrero and Drew Sawyer.
- It features 56 artists from countries including Palestine, the Philippines, and Japan.
- The exhibition opened to the press before its public inauguration on March 8 at the Whitney Museum in New York.
- Themes include human-nonhuman relations, American empire, infrastructure, and horror imagery.
- ARTnews editors Maximilíano Durón and Alex Greenberger discussed the show's political subtlety and aesthetic choices.
Entities
Artists
- Marcela Guerrero
- Drew Sawyer
- Isabelle Frances McGuire
- Sarah M. Rodriguez
- Gabriela Ruiz
- Cooper Jacoby
- Ali Eyal
- Young Joon Kwak
- Sula Bermudez-Silverman
- Michelle Lopez
- Aziz Hazara
- Jonathan González
- Samia Halaby
- Basel Abbas
- Ruanne Abou-Rahme
- kekahi wahi
- Kainoa Gruspe
- Ash Arder
- Akira Ikezoe
- Emilie Louise Gossiaux
- Agosto Machado
- Carmen de Monteflores
- Andrea Fraser
- Maia Chao
- Sung Tieu
- Kelly Akashi
- David L. Johnson
- Emilio Martinez Poppe
- CFGNY
Institutions
- Whitney Museum
- ARTnews
- Hammer Museum
Locations
- New York
- Palestine
- Philippines
- Japan
- Hawai'i
- Puerto Rico
- Iraq
- Kuwait
- Gaza