Sculpture, painting, installations, and photography—as well as dance, theater, music, and film—will fill the galleries of the Whitney Museum of American Art in the latest edition of the Whitney Biennial. With a roster of artists at all points in their careers the Biennial provides a look at the current state of contemporary art in America. This is the seventy-sixth in the ongoing series of Biennials and Annuals presented by the Whitney since 1932, two years after the Museum was founded.
The 2012 Biennial takes over most of the Whitney from March 1 through May 27, with portions of the exhibition and some programs continuing through June 10. The participating artists were selected by Elisabeth Sussman, Curator/Sondra Gilman Curator of Photography at the Whitney, and Jay Sanders, a freelance curator and writer who has spent the past ten years working both in the gallery world and on independent curatorial projects. Sussman and Sanders co-curated the Biennial’s film program with Thomas Beard and Ed Halter, the co-founders of Light Industry, a venue for film and electronic art in Brooklyn. Read more
Biennial Events
The Whitney’s fourth-floor Emily Fisher Landau Galleries will become a dynamic 6,000-square-foot performance space for music, dance, theater, and other events. This is the first Whitney Biennial in which nearly a full floor of the Museum has been given over to a changing season of performances, events, and residencies. Choreographers Sarah Michelson and Michael Clark will be in residence in March and early April; additional Biennial residencies and events will be announced in the coming weeks.
2012 Biennial Residencies
Sarah Michelson
in Residence
Sarah Michelson’s residency will consist of her presence with her dancers on the fourth floor, which will be open to Biennial visitors part of the day. Daily performances require event entry tickets.
2012 Biennial Residencies
Michael Clark
in Residence
During Michael Clark’s residency, the fourth floor performance space will be open to Biennial visitors for all or part of the day. Daily performances are scheduled March 29 through April 8, which require event entry tickets.
Tickets may be purchased via whitney.org or in person at the Whitney, Wednesday through Sunday during gallery hours. Buy tickets online
2012
Biennial Artists
Kai Althoff
Thom Andersen
Charles Atlas
Lutz Bacher
Forrest Bess
(by Robert Gober)
Michael Clark
Cameron Crawford
Moyra Davey
Liz Deschenes
Nathaniel Dorsky
Nicole Eisenman
Kevin Jerome
Everson
Vincent Fecteau
Andrea Fraser
LaToya Ruby
Frazier
Vincent Gallo
K8 Hardy
Richard Hawkins
Werner Herzog
Jerome Hiler
Matt Hoyt
Dawn Kasper
Mike Kelley
John Kelsey
John Knight
Jutta Koether
George Kuchar
Laida Lertxundi
Kate Levant
Sam Lewitt
Joanna Malinowska
Andrew Masullo
Nick Mauss
Richard Maxwell
Sarah Michelson
Alicia Hall Moran and
Jason Moran
Laura Poitras
Matt Porterfield
Luther Price
Lucy Raven
The Red Krayola
Kelly Reichardt
Elaine Reichek
Michael Robinson
Georgia Sagri
Michael E. Smith
Tom Thayer
Wu Tsang
Oscar Tuazon
Gisèle Vienne,
Dennis Cooper,
Stephen O’Malley,
and Peter Rehberg
Frederick Wiseman
Sponsored in part by
Major support is provided by
Lighting and audio by
Exclusive hotel partner
Generous support is provided by the Brown Foundation, the National Committee of the Whitney
Museum of American Art, and the Jacques and Natasha Gelman Trust.
Additional support is provided by the 2012 Biennial Committee, chaired by trustee Beth Rudin
DeWoody and Renee Preisler Barasch: Philip Aarons and Shelley Fox Aarons, Joanne Leonhardt
Cassullo, Rebecca and Marty Eisenberg, Glenn and Amanda Fuhrman, Diane and Adam E. Max,
Heather and Tony Podesta, Mari and Peter Shaw, John Studzinski, and an anonymous donor;
The Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany, and the E. T. Harmax Foundation.
Funding for the 2012 Biennial is also provided by endowments created by Melva Bucksbaum,
Emily Fisher Landau, and Leonard A. Lauder.
