New Museum's NYC 1993 Exhibition Critiqued for Historical Omissions and Political Reticence

From February 13 to May 26, 2013, the New Museum showcased NYC 1993: Experimental Jet Set, Trash and No Star, under the curation of Massimiliano Gioni and Lisa Phillips. This exhibition aimed to link contemporary artists with those active two decades earlier. However, some critics contended that it exaggerated the uniqueness of political art in 1993, neglecting feminist influences from the 1960s and 1970s. Amelia Jones highlighted that relational artists like Rirkrit Tiravanija were building on previous groundwork. Notable pieces included David Hammons's In the Hood, Gabriel Orozco's Yielding Stone and Isla en la Isla, Janine Antoni's Lick and Lather, and Glenn Ligon's Red Portfolio. Critics argued the curation resembled a time capsule, failing to explore the distinctions between art from 1993 and 2013.