Whitney Biennial 1983
Mar 15–May 29, 1983
The Whitney Biennial 1983 was curated by John G. Hanhardt, Barbara Haskell, Richard Marshall, and Patterson Sims.
View the full exhibition catalogue at the Internet Archive.
Artists
-
Richard Artschwager
46 works in the collection
-
John Baldessari
40 works in the collection
-
Jean-Michel Basquiat
6 works in the collection
-
Ericka Beckman
6 works in the collection
-
James Benning
-
Jonathan Borofsky
12 works in the collection
-
Louise Bourgeois
32 works in the collection
-
Robert Breer
2 works in the collection
-
Ellen Brooks
2 works in the collection
-
Robert Colescott
1 work in the collection
-
Bruce Conner
33 works in the collection
-
John Coplans
30 works in the collection
-
Robert Longo
10 works in the collection
-
Mary Lucier
1 work in the collection
-
Robert Mangold
14 works in the collection
-
Joan Mitchell
11 works in the collection
-
Sandy Moore
-
Nic Nicosia
1 work in the collection
-
Nam June Paik
29 works in the collection
-
Martha Rosler
4 works in the collection
-
Susan Rothenberg
16 works in the collection
-
David Salle
23 works in the collection
-
Italo Scanga
4 works in the collection
-
Cindy Sherman
25 works in the collection
-
Julian Schnabel
6 works in the collection
-
T. L. Solien
6 works in the collection
-
Warren Sonbert
-
Pat Steir
39 works in the collection
-
Frank Stella
84 works in the collection
-
Mark Tansey
5 works in the collection
-
Stan VanDerBeek
15 works in the collection
-
Juan Downey
1 work in the collection
-
R.M. Fischer
3 works in the collection
-
Eric Fischl
18 works in the collection
-
Ernie Gehr
-
Leon Golub
6 works in the collection
-
Shalom Gorewitz
-
Nancy Graves
9 works in the collection
-
Doug Hall
1 work in the collection
-
Keith Haring
6 works in the collection
-
David Haxton
17 works in the collection
-
Gary Hill
6 works in the collection
-
Jenny Holzer
35 works in the collection
-
Jasper Johns
212 works in the collection
-
Ken Kobland
-
Barbara Kruger
6 works in the collection
-
Shigeko Kubota
3 works in the collection
-
Bill Viola
1 work in the collection
-
William T. Wiley
8 works in the collection
-
Jackie Winsor
2 works in the collection
-
Joe Zucker
10 works in the collection
-
Barbara Buckner
-
Bruce Charlesworth
-
Eileen Cowin
-
William Crozier
-
Vivienne Dick
-
Howard Fried
-
Matthew Geller
-
Mike Glier
-
Martha Haslanger
-
James Herbert
-
Oliver Jackson
-
Lance Kiland
-
Bill Lundberg
-
Philip Maberry
-
Melissa Miller
-
Max Neuhaus
-
Judy Rifka
-
George Rodart
-
Stuart Sherman
-
Kenneth Shorr
-
Bob Snyder
-
Edin Vélez
-
Daniel Walworth
-
Ken Feingold
1 work in the collection
-
Barry Gerson
3 works in the collection
Installation Photography

Installation view of the 1983 Biennial Exhibition (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, March 15–May 29, 1983). From left to right: Robert Mangold, + Painting: 3 Panels; Jean-Michel Basquiat, Dutch Settlers; Jackie Winsor, Burnt Paper Piece (1980–82); Robert Mangold (1981). Photograph by Geoffrey Clements


Installation view of the 1983 Biennial Exhibition (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, March 15–May 29, 1983). From left to right: Mark Tansey, A Short History of Modernist Painting (1982); Lance Kiland, Scrambler, Cocoon, Upper Hand (1982); Mark Tansey, Action Painting (1982). Photograph by Geoffrey Clements


Installation view of the 1983 Biennial Exhibition (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, March 15–May 29, 1983). From left to right: Jackie Winsor, Exploded Piece (1980–82); Leon Golub, Interrogation III (1981); Jackie Winsor, Burnt Paper Piece; Leon Golub, Interrogation II (1981). Photograph by Geoffrey Clements


Installation view of the 1983 Biennial Exhibition (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, March 15–May 29, 1983). From left to right: Robert Colescott, A Legend Dimly Told; Robert Colescott, Listening to Amos & Andy; Robert Colescott, Auver sur Oise, Crow in Wheat Field. Photograph by Geoffrey Clements


Installation view of the 1983 Biennial Exhibition (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, March 15–May 29, 1983). From left to right: Eric Fischl, Inside Out (1982); William Crozier, Aching (1980–81); Eric Fischl, The Old Man’s Boat and Old Man’s Dog; William T. Wiley, In the Name of: Not to Worry It’s Juxtaposition; William T. Wiley, Harpoon for a Dreamer (1981). Photograph by Geoffrey Clements


Installation view of the 1983 Biennial Exhibition (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, March 15–May 29, 1983). From left to right: Jasper Johns, Between the Clock and the Bed (1981); Jasper Johns, In the Studio (1982); Philip MaBerry; Ellen Brooks, Guarded Future (1982); Louise Bourgeois, Shredder (1983). Photograph by Geoffrey Clements


Installation view of the 1983 Biennial Exhibition (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, March 15–May 29, 1983). From left to right: George Rodart, Nocturnal Wonder (1981); Mark Tansey, A Short History of Modern Painting (1982); Lance Kiland, Scrambler, Cacoon; The Upper Hand. Photograph by Geoffrey Clements


Installation view of the 1983 Biennial Exhibition (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, March 15–May 29, 1983). From left to right: Melissa Miller, Northern Light (1982); Melissa Miller, Untitled (1982); Cindy Sherman, Untitled (1982); Judy Rifka, Museum Wallpaper (1983). Photograph by Geoffrey Clements

In the News
“Some of the lions were baring their teeth at the Whitney Biennial [. . .] though it must be said that a rigorous course of dentistry would not have been amiss.” —The Burlington Magazine
“There is [. . .] a considerable tautening in the character of the present Biennial. Not too many artists are involved, for one thing. For another, there is a serious attempt to deal both with photography as it overlaps with art and with video.” —The New York Times
“Seen through the lens of the Whitney Museum’s 1983 Biennial Exhibition, today’s photography would seem to be almost totally preoccupied with questions of personal identity and the effects of mass media.” —The New York Times
“. . . no one who watches the right screens in this Biennial can come away with the complaint that video is boring.” —The New York Times
More from this series
Learn more about the Whitney Biennial, the longest-running survey of American art.