Manhattan Art Review's 2026 Institutional Critique Roundup
In 2026, the Manhattan Art Review featured a collection of critiques exploring the dynamics between artists and institutions. Among the highlighted exhibitions are Sam Contis's 'Phases,' Diane Simpson's 'Formal Wear,' and Rhea Dillon's 'Heads,' all hosted at the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Other significant shows include Eric N. Mack's 'Fishers of Men' at the same venue, Carol Bove's solo showcase at the Guggenheim, and the Whitney Biennial 2026 at the Whitney Museum of American Art. The reviews address the pressures faced by millennial artists, the commercialization of art, and diminishing artistic freedom. Noteworthy discussions include the New Museum's 'new humans' exhibit and Josh Kline's essay on the intersection of real estate and art.
Key facts
- Sam Contis's 'Phases' at American Academy of Arts and Letters features 24 close-cropped black-and-white photos of female cross-country runners and a 26-minute three-screen video.
- Diane Simpson's 'Formal Wear' at American Academy of Arts and Letters includes works referencing Chicago Imagists, Memphis Group, Michael Graves, Bernd and Hilla Becher, samurai armor, Persian art, and medieval painting.
- Rhea Dillon's 'Heads' at American Academy of Arts and Letters uses cut-crystal plates cast with resin, molasses, or soil, framed in sapele mahogany boxes.
- Eric N. Mack's 'Fishers of Men' at American Academy of Arts and Letters features fabric hung on armatures without paint.
- Carol Bove's exhibition at the Guggenheim includes steel beam sculptures and references to Chamberlain and Serra.
- Whitney Biennial 2026 includes 71 artists and is described as focusing on 'mood' rather than overt political orientation.
- 'New Humans: Memories of the Future' at the New Museum includes over 200 artists and is installed like an interactive science museum.
- Hans Haacke and Louise Lawler show at Maxwell Graham includes Lawler's 'Alizarin (Terrorists are made, not born)' and Haacke's 'Untitled #1' from 2005.
- Matthew Pang's 'Looking in the Bottle' at Ulrik features paintings depicting an eye contiguous with bars and imagery from a Chanel perfume bottle.
- 'Studio Visit' at Hauser & Wirth is a maze of cubicles with AI-generated images of artists' studios and works by 26 artists.
- Greater New York 2026 at MoMA PS1 includes over 70 artists and is curated by Jody Graf and Kari Rittenbach.
- Gerhard Richter's 'Landschaften' at David Zwirner includes landscape paintings from the 1970s onward.
Entities
Artists
- Sam Contis
- Diane Simpson
- Rhea Dillon
- Eric N. Mack
- Carol Bove
- Pat Oleszko
- Aki Onda
- José Maceda
- Mo Costello
- Andrea Fraser
- Nour Mobarak
- Isabelle Frances McGuire
- Charles Ray
- Ash Arder
- Josh Kline
- David L. Johnson
- Joshua Citarella
- Hans Haacke
- Louise Lawler
- Matthew Pang
- Peter Osborne
- Jasper Johns
- Anicka Yi
- Gerhard Richter
- Caspar David Friedrich
- Benjamin H.D. Buchloh
- Cameron Rowland
- Carolyn Lazard
- Jessi Reaves
- Maddie Hampton
- Cady Noland
- Sam Gilliam
- Christo & Jean-Claude
- Robert Rauschenberg
- Rosemary Mayer
- Susan Cianciolo
- Curtis Cuffie
- Morris Louis
- Blinky Palermo
- Jordan Peele
- Lil' Kim
- Cecil Taylor
- Nicolas Poussin
- Alois Riegl
- Gustave Courbet
- Jacques-Louis David
- Dziga Vertov
- John Heartfield
- Allan Sekula
- Theodor Adorno
- Jody Graf
- Kari Rittenbach
Institutions
- American Academy of Arts and Letters
- Guggenheim
- Whitney Museum of American Art
- New Museum
- Maxwell Graham
- Ulrik
- Hauser & Wirth
- MoMA PS1
- David Zwirner
- JTT Gallery
- Gagosian
- Paula Cooper Gallery
- Performance Space New York
- e-flux
- Artforum
- October
- Kunstkritikk
- Manhattan Art Review
Locations
- New York
- United States
- Philadelphia
- Providence
- Salem
- Massachusetts
- Indonesia
- Pennsylvania