Whitney Museum of American Art Biennial in NYC 2019 Contemporary Art

Read the review of the Whitney Biennial by Jonathan Goodman Curatorial Statement By Jane Panetta and Rujeko Hockley Often described as a snapshot of art in the United States, the Biennial brings together work by individuals and collectives in a broad array of mediums. Over the past year and a halfan undeniably intense and polarized time in this countrywe made hundreds of studio visits. While we often encountered heightened emotions, they were directed toward thoughtful and productive experimentation, the reenvisioning of self and society, and political and aesthetic strategies for survival. Although much of the work presented here is steeped in sociopolitical concerns, the cumulative effect is openended and hopeful. Key issues and approaches emerge across the exhibition: the mining of history as a means to reimagine the present or future; a profound consideration of race, gender, and equity; and explorations o