Synopses & Reviews
Since its introduction in 1932, the Whitney Biennial—the Museum's signature exhibition and a highly anticipated event in the art world—has charted new developments in contemporary art. Inaugurated by Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney in 1932, these biennial exhibitions have demonstrated the museum's commitment to supporting the development of 20th- and 21st-century American art.
The 2012 Biennial features works by approximately 50 artists working in a variety of media, including painting, sculpture, photography, film, video, dance, and performance. Elisabeth Sussman (co-organizer of the influential, politically provocative 1993 Whitney Biennial) and Jay Sanders provide an insightful joint essay, and a group of art historians and critics contribute entries on common themes and ideas from the represented artists' techniques and influences. In addition, a significant portion of the catalogue is devoted to original contributions from each of the participating artists, in a unique effort to provide a more experiential understanding of the exhibition.
For more information on the 2012 Whitney Biennial and its participating artists, visit www.whitney.org.
Review
"This yearsand#8217; curators, Elisabeth Sussman and Jay Sanders, did something radical: they abolished the standard formatand#8212;one dreary pedagogic entry per artist, accompanied by one reproductionand#8212;and gave each of the participants free reign for six pages. The result is an omnibus of livres dand#8217;artistes that, like the biennial proper, rewards repeated immersion."and#8212;Andrea K. Scott, The New Yorker, Book Bench blog
Review
and#8220;The catalogue, typically a by-the-book affair (no pun intended), has matched the showand#8217;s experiential adventure, allotting each of the roughly fifty artists six pages for original contributions that extend, rather than merely reflect, the work in the museum..and#8221;and#8212;Nicole Rudick, Paris Review Daily
Review
and#8220;There's a strong literary proclivity, especially in the catalogue, which includes some extraordinary writing by and about the artists."and#8212;Peter Schjeldahl, The New Yorker
Review
and#8220;[Her catalog essay] is in fact [Andrea] Fraserand#8217;s contribution to the Biennial. And she uses the opportunity to articulate some of the more insidious forms of political hypocrisy and economic complicity that lie hidden in plain view throughout the art world. . .Fraserand#8217;s artwork registers as operative rather than moralizing. Itand#8217;s a cornerstone of the exhibition in so far as it activates the latent political substance of much of the work in the show.and#8221; and#8212;T Magazine
Synopsis
An exciting showcase of innovative works by contemporary American artists
Synopsis
Highlights from an unparalleled contemporary art collection are featured in this handsomely illustrated book.
Synopsis
For more than 30 years, Thea Westreich Wagner and Ethan Wagner have devoted themselves to contemporary art, and through their passion and acumen have assembled an extraordinary collection. This handsomely illustrated volume is the first to document the collection of Thea Westreich Wagner and Ethan Wagner, more than 850 artworks in all media that have been promised to the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, and the Centre Pompidou, Paris. Artists represented include Lee Friedlander, Robert Gober, Jeff Koons, Christopher Wool, Ryan Gander, and Bernadette Corporation, among others, and the works span from the 1950s to 2014.
and#160;
Over 300 highlights illustrate the collectorsandrsquo; commitment to acquiring works that challenge, excite, confound, and amuse. Essays offer context for understanding the importance of the works as a group and illuminate the art world milieus in which the collectors immersed themselves. The book also includes an engaging interview with the collectors, providing a personal perspective on contemporary art acquisition.and#160;
About the Author
Christine Macel is chief curator at the Centre Pompidou, Paris. Elisabeth Sussman is curator and Sondra Gilman Curator of Photography at the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York. Elisabeth Sherman is assistant curator at the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York.