An Incomplete History of Protest: Selections from the Whitney’s Collection, 1940–2017

Aug 18, 2017–Aug 27, 2018

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Strike, Boycott, Advocate: The Whitney Archives

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Material gathered from the Whitney Archives from 1960 to 1971 examines moments of collective, artist-led engagement with the Museum, as well as frequent opposition to it. During the war in Vietnam and the fight for civil and women’s rights, museums increasingly became sites of political action and protest. No longer seen as immune to the social struggles of the day, they were viewed by artists as symptoms of the larger culture’s ills or, at the very least, mirrors of its values. From disputes over the curatorial direction of the Museum to demands that it be more inclusive and accessible, artists have shaped the course of the Whitney and continue to do so today.

"Hate is a sin" text written in white on a blue cross, with a red background.
Black and white screenprint of a woman and child covered with a red X.
Blue-hued painting of figures draped in flags.
Installation view of An Incomplete History of Protest: Selections from the Whitney’s Collection, 1940–2017
Installation view of An Incomplete History of Protest: Selections from the Whitney’s Collection, 1940–2017

Artists

Explore works from this exhibition
in the Whitney's collection

View 213 works

On the Hour

A 30-second online art project:
Maya Man, A Realistic Day In My Life Living In New York City

Learn more about this project

Learn more at whitney.org/artport

On the Hour projects can contain motion and sound. To respect your accessibility settings autoplay is disabled.