An Incomplete History of Protest: Selections from the Whitney’s Collection, 1940–2017
Aug 18, 2017–Aug 27, 2018
Through the lens of the Whitney’s collection, An Incomplete History of Protest looks at how artists from the 1940s to the present have confronted the political and social issues of their day. Whether making art as a form of activism, criticism, instruction, or inspiration, the featured artists see their work as essential to challenging established thought and creating a more equitable culture. Many have sought immediate change, such as ending the war in Vietnam or combating the AIDS crisis. Others have engaged with protest more indirectly, with the long term in mind, hoping to create new ways of imagining society and citizenship.
Since its founding in the early twentieth century, the Whitney has served as a forum for the most urgent art and ideas of the day, at times attracting protest itself. An Incomplete History of Protest, however, is by name and necessity a limited account. No exhibition can approximate the activism now happening in the streets and online, and no collection can account fully for the methodological, stylistic, and political diversity of artistic address. Instead, the exhibition offers a sequence of historical case studies focused on particular moments and themes—from questions of representation to the fight for civil rights—that remain relevant today. At the root of the exhibition is the belief that artists play a profound role in transforming their time and shaping the future.
An Incomplete History of Protest: Selections from the Whitney’s Collection, 1940–2017 is organized by David Breslin, DeMartini Family Curator and Director of the Collection; Jennie Goldstein, assistant curator; and Rujeko Hockley, assistant curator; with David Kiehl, curator emeritus; and Margaret Kross, curatorial assistant.
Major support for An Incomplete History of Protest: Selections from the Whitney’s Collection, 1940‒2017 is provided by The American Contemporary Art Foundation, Inc., Leonard A. Lauder, President.
Significant support is provided by the Ford Foundation.
Artists
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Jeffrey Gibson
1 work in the collection -
John Ahearn
2 works in the collection -
Emma Amos
5 works in the collection -
Rudolf Baranik
3 works in the collection -
Andrea Bowers
4 works in the collection -
Mark Bradford
18 works in the collection -
AA Bronson
1 work in the collection -
Paul Burlin
13 works in the collection -
Paul Chan
3 works in the collection -
Mel Chin
2 works in the collection -
Larry Clark
75 works in the collection -
Sue Coe
25 works in the collection -
William N. Copley
2 works in the collection -
Allan D'Arcangelo
14 works in the collection -
Bruce Davidson
7 works in the collection -
Jane Dickson
8 works in the collection -
Louis H. Draper
4 works in the collection -
Melvin Edwards
3 works in the collection -
Daze
1 work in the collection -
Larry Fink
159 works in the collection -
Vincent Gagliostro
1 work in the collection -
Ja'Tovia Gary
1 work in the collection -
Theaster Gates
2 works in the collection -
General Idea
2 works in the collection -
Leon Golub
6 works in the collection -
Felix Gonzalez-Torres
14 works in the collection -
Avram Finkelstein
1 work in the collection -
Hermine Freed
1 work in the collection -
Gran Fury
7 works in the collection -
Nancy Grossman
3 works in the collection -
Group Material
1 work in the collection -
Guerrilla Girls
115 works in the collection -
Keith Haring
6 works in the collection -
Hock E Aye Vi Edgar Heap of Birds
17 works in the collection -
Charles B. Hinman
3 works in the collection -
Jenny Holzer
35 works in the collection -
Rashid Johnson
10 works in the collection -
Mary Kelly
2 works in the collection -
Edward Kienholz
6 works in the collection -
Barbara Kruger
6 works in the collection -
Suzanne Lacy
1 work in the collection -
Annette Lemieux
14 works in the collection -
Glenn Ligon
40 works in the collection -
Fred Lonidier
27 works in the collection -
Daniel Joseph Martinez
1 work in the collection -
Crash
1 work in the collection -
Josephine Meckseper
7 works in the collection -
Julie Mehretu
17 works in the collection -
Toyo Miyatake
7 works in the collection -
Donald Moffett
5 works in the collection -
Peter Moore
2 works in the collection -
Frank Moore
18 works in the collection -
Robert Morris
30 works in the collection -
Senga Nengudi
1 work in the collection -
Louise Nevelson
101 works in the collection -
Gordon Parks
7 works in the collection -
Irving Petlin
4 works in the collection -
Howardena Pindell
3 works in the collection -
Carl Pope
1 work in the collection -
Ad Reinhardt
42 works in the collection -
Marlon Riggs
1 work in the collection -
Faith Ringgold
5 works in the collection -
Tim Rollins and K.O.S.
4 works in the collection -
Kay Rosen
4 works in the collection -
Martha Rosler
4 works in the collection -
Dread Scott
3 works in the collection -
Gary Simmons
10 works in the collection -
Jaune Quick-to-See Smith
16 works in the collection -
Jack Sonenberg
2 works in the collection -
Nancy Spero
8 works in the collection -
May Stevens
7 works in the collection -
Carol Summers
3 works in the collection -
Mierle Laderman Ukeles
1 work in the collection -
Kara Walker
32 works in the collection -
Joseph Wolin
1 work in the collection -
Martin Wong
7 works in the collection -
Adja Yunkers
10 works in the collection -
Richard Deagle
1 exhibition -
John Giorno
1 exhibition -
Tom Starace
1 exhibition -
Vietnam Day Committee
2 works in the collection -
International Union of Students
6 works in the collection -
Unknown artist
148 works in the collection -
A. Lunsford
2 works in the collection -
William Weege
7 works in the collection -
Napalm Graphics
1 work in the collection -
David Weinrib
2 works in the collection -
SP/4 Vietnam
1 work in the collection -
Dan Patterson
1 work in the collection -
Irving White
2 works in the collection -
Various artists
5 works in the collection -
Michael Lynne
1 work in the collection -
Bastian
1 work in the collection -
Pro-Arts, Inc.
4 works in the collection -
Tom Lafferty
2 works in the collection -
Yoko Ono
2 works in the collection -
John Lennon
1 work in the collection -
Andrew Castrucci
3 works in the collection -
Vietnam Referendum '70
2 works in the collection -
Richard Avedon
9 works in the collection -
Leif Skoogfors, 1940-
1 work in the collection -
Clergy and Laymen Concerned
1 work in the collection -
Student Mobilization Committee to End the War in Vietnam
8 works in the collection -
Women Strike for Peace
3 works in the collection -
Lambert Studios, Inc.
2 works in the collection -
New Mobilization Committee to End the War in Vietnam
4 works in the collection -
Vietnam Peace Parade Committee
1 work in the collection -
The Union of Vietnamese in the United States
1 work in the collection -
Santa Monica Moratorium Committee
1 work in the collection -
Greg Daily
1 work in the collection -
Don Peterson
1 work in the collection -
National Peace Action Coalition
3 works in the collection -
Northern California Peace Action Coalition
1 work in the collection -
william cordova
15 works in the collection -
Leslie Hewitt
4 works in the collection -
Brian Shannon
2 works in the collection -
Gross National Product
1 work in the collection -
Mobilization by the Antioch Bookplate Co.
1 work in the collection -
United Women’s Contingent
2 works in the collection -
England Free Press
1 work in the collection -
David Wojnarowicz
48 works in the collection -
Robert L. Ross
1 work in the collection -
the Gallery
2 works in the collection -
Kiyoshi Kuromiya
2 works in the collection
Videos
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Whitney Stories: Jeffrey Gibson on Howardena Pindell
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Whitney Stories: Gran Fury's Tom Kalin on Hock E Aye VI Edgar Heap of Birds
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Badlands Unlimited presents What is Crypto?
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Whitney Stories: Shellyne Rodriguez on Ja’Tovia Gary
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Carl Pope, Some of the Greatest Hits of the New York City Police Department: A Celebration of Meritorious Achievement in Community Service | Video in American Sign Language
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Theaster Gates, Minority Majority | Video in American Sign Language
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Senga Nengudi, Internal I | Video in American Sign Language
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AA Bronson, Felix Partz, June 5, 1994 | Video in American Sign Language
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Dread Scott, A Man Was Lynched by Police Yesterday | Video in American Sign Language
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Nancy Grossman, Head 1968 | Video in American Sign Language
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What Art Speaks To These Times
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Whitney Stories: Dread Scott on Badlands Unlimited
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Edgar Heap of Birds in Conversation with David Breslin
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Singular Visions: AA Bronson on Felix Partz, June 5, 1994
Events
View all-
Wed,
July 18Member Night
7:30–10 pm
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Fri,
June 15Pride at the Whitney
7–9 pm
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Wed,
Apr 18Immigrant Justice Night
4–6 pm
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Fri,
Feb 16Verbal Description and Touch Tour: An Incomplete History of Protest: Selections from the Whitney’s Collection, 1940–2017
10–11:30 am
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Sat,
Feb 10Contemporaries Winter Brunch
11 am
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Sat,
Feb 10Stroller Tour:
An Incomplete History of Protest: Selections from the Whitney’s Collection, 1940–2017
9:30–10:30 am
Whitney Stories
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An Incomplete History of Protest:
Jeffrey Gibson on Howardena Pindell"Is it a form of activism to expose yourself?" asks artist Jeffrey Gibson, as he discusses Howardena Pindell's video work Free, White and 21.
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An Incomplete History of Protest:
Gran Fury's Tom Kalin on Hock E Aye VI Edgar Heap of BirdsTom Kalin of the AIDS activist collective Gran Fury responds to American Policy, a series of pastel drawings by Cheyenne/Arapaho artist Hock E Aye VI Edgar Heap of Birds and discusses language-based artwork.
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An Incomplete History of Protest:
Shellyne Rodriguez on Ja'Tovia GaryArtist and activist Shellyne Rodriguez responds to Ja’Tovia Gary’s film An Ecstatic Experience and discusses how the work explores strategies for survival in the current political moment.
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An Incomplete History of Protest:
Dread Scott on Badlands UnlimitedPublisher Badlands Unlimited and artist Paul Chan produced The New No's in response to the 2016 election. Here, Dread Scott discusses why he thinks of the work as a beacon for other artists to follow.
Audio guides
“I make revolutionary art to propel history forward. I’m a visual artist.”
—Dread Scott
Hear directly from artists including Dread Scott, and Senga Nengudi as they discuss their work in An Incomplete History of Protest: Selections from the Whitney’s Collection, 1940–2017. Listen to additional commentary from curators on selected highlights from the exhibition.
Installation Photography

Installation view of An Incomplete History of Protest: Selections from the Whitney’s Collection, 1940–2017 (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, August 18, 2017–). From left to right, top to bottom: Pro-Arts, Inc., Peace Needs No Excuse, 1970; Women Strike for Peace, Stop Bombing, c.1967–70; Irving White, Our foreign policy must always be an extension of this nation’s domestic policy…, 1968; Atomic Energy Group, “The streets of our country are in turmoil…”, 1970; Unidentified artist, Cry Freedom, 1967; Women Strike for Peace, End the Draft!, c.1967–70; Josephine Meckseper, March on Washington to End the War on Iraq, 9/24/05, 2005. Photograph by Ron Amstutz


Dread Scott (b. 1965), A Man Was Lynched by Police Yesterday, 2015 (installation view, Whitney Museum of American Art). Nylon, 84 1/2 x 52 1/2 x 1/8 in. (214.6 x 133.4 x 0.3 cm). Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; purchase with funds from the Director’s Discretionary Fund T.2017.262. Photograph by Ron Amstutz


Installation view of An Incomplete History of Protest: Selections from the Whitney’s Collection, 1940–2017 (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, August 18, 2017–). From left to right, top to bottom: Ad Reinhardt, Abstract Painting, 1960–66; May Stevens, Dark Flag, 1976; Black Panther Party for Self-Defense, The Racist Dog Policemen Must Withdraw Immediately from Our Communities…, c.1970; Gordon Parks, Black Panther Headquarters, San Francisco, California, 1970; Bandaged Hands, Muhammad Ali, 1966; Louis H. Draper, Malcolm X, 369th Armory, Harlem, New York, 1964; Louis H. Draper, Fannie Lou Hamer, Mississippi, 1971; Bruce Davidson, Untitled (Khrushchev can eat here, Why Can’t We), Birmingham, Alabama, 1963; Toyo Miyatake, Watchtower, c.1943; Toyo Miyatake, Untitled (Open Image from Valediction), 1944; Toyo Miyatake, Untitled (Memorial Service at Memorial Monument, Manzanar, c.1945; Toyo Miyatake, Classroom—Visual Education, 1944. Photograph by Ron Amstutz


Installation view of An Incomplete History of Protest: Selections from the Whitney’s Collection, 1940–2017 (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, August 18, 2017–). From left to right, top to bottom: Nancy Grossman, Head 1968, 1968; Larry Clark, (No title), 1963 (printed 1980); Larry Clark, (No title), 1963 (printed 1980); Larry Clark, (No title), 1963 (printed 1980); Larry Fink, Beatniks, 1958; Larry Fink, Beatniks, 1958; Larry Fink, Beatniks: Tula and Mary, 1958; Larry Fink, Beatniks, 1958; Peter Moore, March for Freedom of Expression, New York, Protesters in a Line, 1964; Peter Moore, March for Freedom of Expression, New York, Peter Orlovsky and Allen Ginsberg, 1964. Photograph by Ron Amstutz


Installation view of An Incomplete History of Protest: Selections from the Whitney’s Collection, 1940–2017 (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, August 18, 2017–). From left to right: Black Panther Party for Self-Defense, The Racist Dog Policemen Must Withdraw Immediately from Our Communities…, c.1970; Charles B. Hinman, Red Figure, 1967; William N. Copley, Untitled (Think/flag), 1967; Allan D’Arcangelo, Dipped, 1967; Nancy Grossman, Head 1968, 1968. Photograph by Ron Amstutz


Installation view of An Incomplete History of Protest: Selections from the Whitney’s Collection, 1940–2017 (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, August 18, 2017–). From left to right: Carol Summers, Kill for Peace, 1967; Louise Nevelson, Composition, 1967; Adja Yunkers, Aegean I, 1966; Ad Reinhardt, No War, 1967; Irving Petlin, Skin, 1967; Jack Sonenberg, Literal Dimensions, 1967; Leon Golub, Killed Youth, 1967; May Stevens, Dark Flag, 1976. Photograph by Ron Amstutz


Installation view of An Incomplete History of Protest: Selections from the Whitney’s Collection, 1940–2017 (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, August 18, 2017–). From left to right, top to bottom: Edward Kienholz, The Non War Memorial, 1970; Student Mobilization Committee to End the War in Vietnam, Hell No We Won’t Go, c.1969; Unidentified artist, Unite, c.1965–70; Women Strike for Peace, Stop the War, c.1967–70; Leif Skoogfors, John Kerry, 1971; Pro-Arts, Inc., Your Tax Dollars at Work, 1969; Janos Dannavitz, The War Makes Me Sick, 1967; New Mobilization Committee to End the War in Vietnam, No Christmas-as-usual, c.1971; Students for a Democratic Society, Come to Detroit Nov. 3, Elections are a Hoax…, 1970; Unidentified artist, Tin soldiers and Nixon coming… (Kent State), 1971; Yoko Ono and John Lennon, War is Over! If You Want It, 1969; International Union of Students, Stop U.S. Dirty War in Viet Nam, 1966; Lambert Studios, Inc., War Is Good Business, Invest Your Son, 1969; Unidentified artist, The United States government must end its systematic oppressions of political dissidents…, 1970; Brian Shannon, …But You Can’t Fool All of the People All the Time, 1971; Napalm Graphics, Johnson Pull Out Like Your Father Should Have, 1967; Kiyoshi Kuroyima, Fuck the Draft, 1968; Vietnam Peace Parade Committee, They can do anything we let them get away with…, 1971; Unidentified artist, Cambodia Too?, 1970; Tom Lafferty and Ken Deardoff, War is Hell! As the Man Who Fought One, 1968; Antioch Bookplate Co., Help Free America from Our Tragic Involvement in Vietnam, 1969; Clergy and Laymen Concerned, Is This What You’d Call “Phased Withdrawal?”, 1972; Vietnam Referendum ’70 Committee, Let the People Vote on War!, 1970; Michael Lynne, Give a Damn, Mend America, 1968; Robert L. Ross, Eat Me, 1967; Pro-Arts, Inc., Peace Needs No Excuse, 1970; Women Strike for Peace, Stop Bombing, c.1967–70; Richard Avedon and Marvin Israel, Who Has a Better Right to Oppose the War?, 1969; Gross National Product, Resist, 1968; Unidentified artist, Untitled, 1970; Women Strike for Peace, No More…Stop the War!, c.1967–70; Student Mobilization Committee to End the War in Vietnam, Would You Buy a Used WAR from This Man?, 1969; New Mobilization Committee to End the War in Vietnam, Rich Man’s War, the People Pay, 1967; Northern California Peace Action Coalition, March & Rally against the War…, c.1960–70; Irving White, Our foreign policy must always be an extension of this nation’s domestic policy…, 1968; Atomic Energy Group, “The streets of our country are in turmoil…”, 1970; A. Lunsford, “Those who have had a chance for four years…”, 1972; Robert Owen Bastian, Untitled, c.1965–70; National Peace Action Coalition, 25 Years After, 1970; Unidentified artist, Help End Demonstrations, 1968; Unidentified artist, March against Death, Peace Pilgrimage, San Francisco, Nov. 15, 1969, 1969; Pandora Productions, The Vacation Visit Beautiful Vietnam, 1966; United Women’s Contingent, “When Women Decide This War Should End, This War Will End”, 1971; Student Mobilization Committee to End the War in Vietnam, Out of S.E. Asia Now! Join the SMC, 1969; Student Mobilization Committee to End the War in Vietnam, U.S. out of Vietnam Now! Bring All the GI’s Home Now, 1970; The Union of Vietnamese in the United States, Nguyen Thai-Binh. Born: 1948—Assassinated: July 2, 1972, c.1972; Unidentified artist, Give Peace a Chance, 1969; Unidentified artist, The Battle of My Lai, 1971; Unidentified artist, “Never think that war, no matter how necessary nor how justified, is not a crime…”, 1970; Don Peterson, Untitled (Toronto), 1968; Student Mobilization Committee to End the War in Vietnam, “We are 1,366 active-duty servicemen. We are opposed to the American involvement in the war in Vietnam…”, 1969; Unidentified artist, Save Lives, Not Face, 1967; Unidentified artist, Cry Freedom, 1967; Women Strike for Peace, End the Draft!, c.1967–70; Sigmund Abeles, Vietnam Summer 1967, 1967; Vietnam Day Committee, University of California, Berkeley, Rock & Roll Benefit Dance…The Jefferson Airplane, 1966; William Weege, Napalm, 1967; Greg Daily, Peace Victory, 1971; Mierle Laderman Ukeles, I Make Maintenance Art One Hour Every Day, September 16–October 20, 1976. Photograph by Ron Amstutz


Installation view of An Incomplete History of Protest: Selections from the Whitney’s Collection, 1940–2017 (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, August 18, 2017–). From left to right, top to bottom: Mierle Laderman Ukeles, I Make Maintenance Art One Hour Every Day, September 16–October 20, 1976; Martha Rosler, Semiotics of the Kitchen, 1975; Guerrilla Girls, Bus Companies Are More Enlightened than NYC Art Galleries., 1989; Guerrilla Girls, Guerrilla Girls’ Pop Quiz., 1990; Guerrilla Girls, Missing in Action, 1991; Guerrilla Girls, How Many Women Had One-Person Exhibitions at NYC Museums Last Year?, 1985; Guerrilla Girls, If You’re Raped, You Might as Well “Relax and Enjoy It,” Because No One Will Believe You!, 1992; Guerrilla Girls, You’re Seeing Less than Half the Picture, 1989; Guerrilla Girls, Women in America Earn Only 2/3 of What Men Do, 1985; Guerrilla Girls, These Galleries Show No More than 10% Women Artists or None at All, 1985; Guerrilla Girls, At Last! Museums Will No Longer Discriminate against Women and Minority Artists, 1988; Guerrilla Girls, Guerrilla Girls Identities Exposed!, 1990; Guerrilla Girls, Top Ten Ways to Tell if You’re an Art World Token, 1995; Guerrilla Girls, The Advantages of Being a Woman Artist, 1988; Guerrilla Girls, We Sell White Bread, 1987; Guerrilla Girls, Traditional Values and Quality Return to the Whitney Museum, 1995; Guerrilla Girls, Guerrilla Girls Hits List, 1986; Guerrilla Girls, Supreme Court Justice Supports Right to Privacy for Gays and Lesbians., 1992; Suzanne Lacy, Learn Where the Meat Comes From, 1976. Photograph by Ron Amstutz


Mierle Laderman Ukeles (b. 1939), detail of I Make Maintenance Art One Hour Every Day, September 16–October 20, 1976 (installation view, Whitney Museum of American Art). Performance with three hundred maintenance employees, day and night shifts, over five weeks, 720 collaged dye diffusion transfer prints with self-adhesive labels, graphite pencil, collaged acrylic on board, and self-adhesive vinyl on paper. Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; purchase with funds from the Photography Committee and The Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation T.2017.2. Photograph by Ron Amstutz


Installation view of An Incomplete History of Protest: Selections from the Whitney’s Collection, 1940–2017 (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, August 18, 2017–). From left to right, top to bottom: General Idea, AIDS, 1988; Hermine Freed, Art Herstory, 1974; Fred Lonidier, The Health and Safety Game: (Title panel), 1976/1978; Fred Lonidier, The Health and Safety Game: Cove Oven Worker’s Lung, This Lung Stays Home, 1976/1978; Fred Lonidier, The Health and Safety Game: Ex-Marine and Truck Driver’s Feet, 1976/1978; Fred Lonidier, The Health and Safety Game: Insulator and Brick Mason’s Skin, 1976/1978; Fred Lonidier, The Health and Safety Game: Dental Technician’s Legs, 1976/1978; Fred Lonidier, The Health and Safety Game: Lead Worker’s Blood, 1976/1978; Fred Lonidier, The Health and Safety Game: Manufacturing Engineer’s Heart, 1976/1978; Fred Lonidier, The Health and Safety Game: Office Worker’s Nerve, 1976/1978. Photograph by Ron Amstutz


Installation view of An Incomplete History of Protest: Selections from the Whitney’s Collection, 1940–2017 (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, August 18, 2017–). From left to right: Suzanne Lacy, Learn Where the Meat Comes From, 1976; Guerrilla Girls, Guerrilla Girls Review the Whitney, 1987; Felix Gonzalez-Torres, “Untitled”, 1989; AA Bronson, Felix Partz, June 5, 1994, 1994/1999. Photograph by Ron Amstutz


Installation view of An Incomplete History of Protest: Selections from the Whitney’s Collection, 1940–2017 (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, August 18, 2017–). From left to right: Suzanne Lacy, Learn Where the Meat Comes From, 1976; Felix Gonzalez-Torres, “Untitled”, 1989; Keith Haring, Ignorance = Fear / Silence = Death, 1989. Photograph by Ron Amstutz


Installation view of An Incomplete History of Protest: Selections from the Whitney’s Collection, 1940–2017 (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, August 18, 2017–). From left to right: Tim Rollins and K.O.S., The Whiteness of the Whale II (after Herman Melville), 1991; Carl Pope, Some of the Greatest Hits of the New York City Police Department: A Celebration of Meritorious Achievement in Community Service, 1994; Hock E Aye VI Edgar Heap of Birds, Relocate Destroy, In Memory of Native Americans, In Memory of Jews, 1987. Photograph by Ron Amstutz


Installation view of An Incomplete History of Protest: Selections from the Whitney’s Collection, 1940–2017 (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, August 18, 2017–). From left to right: Gary Simmons, Green Chalkboard (Triple X), 1993; Daniel Joseph Martinez, Divine Violence, 2007. Photograph by Ron Amstutz


Installation view of An Incomplete History of Protest: Selections from the Whitney’s Collection, 1940–2017 (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, August 18, 2017–). From left to right: Annette Lemieux, Black Mass, 1991; Emma Amos, Coloring Lesson, 1995; Gary Simmons, Green Chalkboard (Triple X), 1993. Photograph by Ron Amstutz


Installation view of An Incomplete History of Protest: Selections from the Whitney’s Collection, 1940–2017 (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, August 18, 2017–). From left to right: Kara Walker, Confederate Prisoners Being Conducted from Jonesborough to Atlanta, 2005; Kara Walker, Alabama Loyalists Greeting the Federal Gun-Boats, 2005; Kara Walker, Exodus of Confederates from Atlanta, 2005; Jeffrey Gibson, I Know You Have A Lot of Strength Left, 2017; Andrea Bowers, Wall of Letters: Necessary Reminders from the Past for a Future of Choice #5, 2006. Photograph by Ron Amstutz


Installation view of An Incomplete History of Protest: Selections from the Whitney’s Collection, 1940–2017 (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, August 18, 2017–). From left to right: Annette Lemieux, Black Mass, 1991; Julie Mehretu, Epigraph, Damascus, 2016; Andrea Bowers, San Luis Obispo County Telegraph-Tribune, September 14, 1981, 2004; Andrea Bowers, Non-violent Protest Training, Abalone Alliance Camp, Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant, 1981, 2004; Glenn Ligon, Untitled (Speech/Crowd) #2, 2000. Photograph by Ron Amstutz


Installation view of An Incomplete History of Protest: Selections from the Whitney’s Collection, 1940–2017 (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, August 18, 2017–). From left to right: Ja’Tovia Gary, An Ecstatic Experience, 2015; Mark Bradford, Constitution III, 2013; Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, Celebrate 40,000 Years of American Art, 1995. Photograph by Ron Amstutz


Installation view of An Incomplete History of Protest: Selections from the Whitney’s Collection, 1940–2017 (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, August 18, 2017–). From left to right: Badlands Unlimited and Paul Chan, New No’s, 2016; Ja’Tovia Gary, An Ecstatic Experience, 2015. Photograph by Ron Amstutz

In the News
"An Incomplete History of Protest examines how artists have become activists in order to help create a better future.”
—The Guardian
“Get To Know An Incomplete History Of Protest at the Whitney”
—NYLON
“The Whitney Museum’s latest exhibition takes a creative approach to political and social activism, and how the past can inform the present.”
—WWD
“At the root of the exhibition is the belief that artists play a profound role in transforming their time and shaping the future.”
—blouinartinfo