New Museum Reopens with Major Expansion and Inaugural Exhibition

The New Museum in New York has reopened following a four-year process and two-year closure, unveiling a 60,000-square-foot expansion designed by OMA / Shohei Shigematsu and Rem Koolhaas. The expansion doubles the institution's exhibition space and provides additional room for artist residencies, public programs, and its cultural incubator, NEW INC. The inaugural exhibition, 'New Humans: Memories of the Future,' explores human identity amid technological change across the 20th and 21st centuries, featuring works by over 150 artists, scientists, and filmmakers. Editors from Hyperallergic gathered after a press preview to discuss the expansion and exhibition. They noted that while the building offers more space, including a central staircase with neighborhood views, some found the design dated, with industrial galleries and accessibility issues like slippery stairs and narrow doors. The exhibition was criticized for being overcrowded, with over 700 objects and verbose wall texts that lacked cohesion. Some editors felt the show failed to address contemporary genocides or offer a human-centered perspective, instead presenting a corporate, startup-like aesthetic. Despite individual works by artists like Wangechi Mutu and Hito Steyerl receiving praise, the overall curation was described as uninspired and lacking experimentation, with a focus on technology that felt inhuman. The expansion aims to support institutional growth, but concerns were raised about visitor experience, including limited seating and poor layout.