For 2010, the Whitney Biennial, several artists have organized performance or event components as part of the Biennial. All programs and events are free with museum admission; there are no special tickets or reservations.
Theaster Gates will collaborate on a series of “monastic residencies” in the museum’s sculpture court. See full schedule
Martin Kersels’s 5 Songs is a sculpture that doubles as a performance stage. See full schedule
Five is a multimedia performance that pushes the boundaries of traditional performance documentation. More info
Strange Attractors is a sculptural installation that the artist will alter through a series of improvisational performances. More info
For 2010, the Whitney has expanded its usual programming series to feature Biennial artists.
The Whitney Live performance series showcases and eclectic variety of cutting-edge artists. See full schedule


The Whitney’s vibrant, long-standing history of performing arts can be traced to museum founder Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney. She played a critical role in the experimental music circles of the 1920s, actively supporting such musical pioneers as Edgard Varèse, Carl Ruggles, and Carlos Salzedo, and their International Composers’ Guild. Her influence could still be felt when the Whitney first formally began presenting music in its galleries in the 1960s. Far from viewing these events as a departure from its fields of activity in the visual arts, the Museum embraced performance in its many iterations—including music, dance, theatre, multimedia, and other cross-genre work—as an integral part of its mandate to nurture and support American artists, and to commission and present new work. This pioneering approach was evident in the Museum’s initial series, which showcased experimental jazz composers and included performances by innovators such as Gil Evans, Jimmy Giuffre, and the Modern Jazz Quartet. Read more