Whitney Biennial 1997

Mar 20–June 1, 1997

Cover for 1997 Biennial catalogue

The Whitney Biennial 1997 was curated by Lisa Phillips and Louise Neri.




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In the News

“. . . too much of what’s here, even by artists who have looked strong elsewhere, seems tepid or tired or out of context. Unfamiliar artists mostly turn out to be unremarkable. The mix of fashionable and unfamiliar names seems calculated to appease insider tastes, which may partly account for why, despite its occasional inspired moments, the show also feels clinical rather than serendipitous.” —The New York Times

“The raucous, fun-house atmosphere of past biennials has evaporated like overboiled formula [. . .]. This year’s event looked sleek and sedate enough to serve as a spread in a shelter magazine.” —The New York Times

“. . . the show is chic and brash. But it isn’t Jeff Koons cynical, or in-your-face political, or wanly theoretical. What’s notable in the ’97 Biennial is the poignancy of its art.” —The Washington Post

“There is a lot to admire in the show which, as a whole, is intelligent and challenging.” —The Burlington Magazine


More from this series

Learn more about the Whitney Biennial, the longest-running survey of American art.