New Museum's 'New Humans' Explores Tangible Futures with 200 Artists

The New Museum in New York has opened its inaugural group exhibition, 'New Humans: Memories of the Future,' featuring around 200 artists from 50 nationalities. Curated by Massimiliano Gioni, Gary Carrion-Murayari, Vivian Crockett, and Madeline Weisburg, the show occupies both the museum's new OMA-designed galleries and its existing building. It includes over 15 commissioned works by artists such as Wangechi Mutu, Camille Henrot, and Hito Steyerl, alongside historical pieces by Francis Picabia, Alberto Giacometti, Eva Hesse, and Francis Bacon. The exhibition spans 5,570 square meters across multiple floors, addressing themes of social politics, technology, geopolitics, identity, memory, and the body. Three artists from the MENA region contribute: Meriem Bennani's 'TV JANGLE' (2022/25), a kinetic sculpture with a television head; Sophia Al-Maria's 'The Future was Desert Part I and II' (2016), video works exploring Gulf wealth and dreamscapes; and Monira Al Qadiri's 'Alien Technology (Tower)' (2023), a rotating aluminum device referencing oil drilling. The show juxtaposes sleek, futuristic architecture with alarming content, creating a tension between chaos and beauty.