This is a complete list of Whitney Biennial curators who have curated or are scheduled to curate the Whitney Biennial exhibitions at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City, United States. The Whitney Biennial began as an annual exhibition in 1932, the first biennial was in 1973.
History The Whitney Museum had a long history beginning in 1932 of having a large group exhibition of invited American artists every year called the 'Whitney Annual'. In the late sixties, it was decided to alternate between painting and sculpture, although by the 1970s the decision was to combine both together in a biennial.Carol Vogel (November 29, 2012), Whitney Museum Announces Biennial Plans New York Times. The first biennial was curated by a curatorial committee under direction of director John I. H. Baur. The 1975 Whitney Biennial, the first to credit curators with the show curation, acknowledged the five person curatorial team of John Hanhardt, Barbara Haskell, James Monte, Elke Solomon, and Marcia Tucker. The catalog additionally acknowledges how the curators' work was co-supported by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Curators Year Curators/organizers Affiliated curator(s) and advisor(s) 2026 Marcela GuerreroDrew Sawyer 2024 Chrissie IlesMeg Onli 2022 David BreslinAdrienne Edwards Gabriel Almeida Baroja, curatorial project assistantMargaret Kross, former senior curatorial assistant 2019 Jane PanettaRujeko Hockley Film program guest curated by Maori Karmael Holmes, Matt Wolf, and Sky Hopinka. 2017 Christopher Y. LewMia Locks Co-curated film program with Aily Nash 2014 Stuart ComerAnthony ElmsMichelle Grabner 2012 Elisabeth SussmanJay Sanders Co-curated film program with Thomas Beard and Ed Halter, co-founders of Light Industry 2010 Francesco BonamiGary Carrion-Murayari 2008 Henriette HuldischShamim M. Momin Overseen by Donna De Salvo; advisors: Thelma Golden, Bill Horrigan, Linda Norden 2006 Philippe VergneChrissie Iles 2004 Chrissie IlesShamim M. MominDebra Singer 2002 Lawrence Rinder Chrissie Iles, curator of film and videoChristiane Paul, curator of Internet-based art worksDebra Singer, curator of performance and sound art 2000 Maxwell L. AndersonMichael AupingValerie CasselHugh M. DaviesJane FarverAndrea Miller-KellerLawrence R. Rinder 1997 Lisa PhillipsLouise Neri 1995 Klaus Kertess 1993 Elisabeth Sussman Associate curators: Lisa Phillips, John Hanhardt, and Thelma Golden 1991 Richard ArmstrongRichard D. MarshallLisa PhillipsJohn Hanhardt 1989 Richard ArmstrongRichard D. MarshallLisa Phillips With John Hanhardt choosing the artists in the film and video section. 1987 Richard ArmstrongRichard D. MarshallLisa Phillips 1985 John HanhardtBarbara HaskellRichard D. MarshallLisa PhillipsPatterson Sims Richard Armstrong 1983 John HanhardtBarbara HaskellRichard D. MarshallLisa PhillipsPatterson Sims 1981 John HanhardtBarbara HaskellRichard D. MarshallLisa PhillipsPatterson Sims 1979 John HanhardtBarbara HaskellRichard D. MarshallMark SegalPatterson Sims 1977 Barbara HaskellMarcia Tucker Patterson Sims, associate curator 1975 John HanhardtBarbara HaskellJames MonteElke SolomonMarcia Tucker 1973 Curatorial Committee Under direction of director John I. H. Baur
See also List of Whitney Biennial artists
References