Whitney Biennial 2026 Explores Segregation and Relationality Across US Influence

The 82nd Whitney Biennial, curated by Marcela Guerrero and Drew Sawyer, runs until August 23 at the Whitney Museum of American Art. Titled "Of All That Separates and Binds Us," the exhibition features 56 artists, duos, and collectives across four levels. Works examine US geopolitical influence through themes of segregation and connection. Highlights include Basel Abbas and Ruanne Abou-Rahme's sound and film installation addressing the Israeli-Palestinian war; Carmen de Monteflores and Andrea Fraser's works on intimacy; Nour Mobarak's resin reliefs; Michelle Lopez's "Pandemonium" reflecting on 9/11; Samia Halaby's 1980s computer-programmed kinetic paintings; Aziz Hazara's "Moon Sightings" using biometric data from war zones; Ali Eyal's painting of a pre-Iraq War memory; Mao Ishikawa's "Life in Philly" series linking Japanese and Black American experiences; Kamrooz Aram's installations on ornamentation; and Taína H Cruz's billboard piece "I Saw the Future and It Smiled Back." The biennial aims to redefine American art by addressing contemporary political landscapes.