Whitney Museum Names 2026 Biennial Curators

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Shortly before the 2024 Whitney Biennial ends its run on 11 August, New York‘s Whitney Museum of American Art has announced the curators of its 2026 edition.

The 82nd Whitney Biennial will be led by Marcela Guerrero and Drew Sawyer.

Guerrero joined the Whitney seven years ago from the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles. She specialises in Latinx art, and her exhibitions include 2022’s no existe un mundo poshuracán: Puerto Rican Art in the Wake of Hurricane Maria and Shifting Landscapes, which opens on 1 November.

Sawyer joined the Whitney in 2023 as its photography curator. His first exhibition at the museum, Mark Armijo McKnight: Decreation, opens on 24 August 24.

Kim Conaty, who took over as Whitney’s Chief Curator in April, said, ‘Marcela and Drew have established themselves as leading curatorial voices in the field, innovative and rigorous exhibition makers, and dedicated collaborators with artists.’

‘Each is a renowned scholar who possesses the rare ability to bridge past and future in their work by bringing great curiosity, care, and imagination to the space of artistic practice today,’ she said.

Scott Rothkopf, who was the museum’s Chief Curator before being promoted to Director in November, said, ‘the Biennial may open every two years, but it is “always on” at the Whitney, helping to shape how we think about our broader artistic program, our collection, our ways of working with artists, and role in our community and beyond.’

‘As much as the Biennial is a showcase of current artistic talents, it is also a platform for visionary curators like Marcela and Drew,’ he said. —[O]

Main image: Marcela Guerrero and Drew Sawyer. Photo: Bryan Derballa.