The Whitney Biennial
The Whitney Biennial is the longest-running survey of American art, and has been a hallmark of the Museum since 1932. Initiated by the Museum's founder Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney as an invitational exhibition featuring artwork created in the preceding two years, the biennials were originally organized by medium, with painting alternating with sculpture and works on paper. Starting in 1937, the Museum shifted to yearly exhibitions called Annuals. The current format—a survey show of work in all media occurring every two years—has been in place since 1973. More than 3,600 artists have participated in a biennial or annual.
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1946
1946 Annual Exhibition of Contemporary American Sculpture, Watercolors and Drawings
Feb 5–Mar 13, 1946
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1945
1945 Annual Exhibition of Contemporary American Painting
Nov 27, 1945–Jan 10, 1946
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1945 Annual Exhibition of Contemporary American Sculpture, Watercolors and Drawings
Jan 3–Feb 8, 1945
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1944
1944 Annual Exhibition of Contemporary American Painting
Nov 14–Dec 12, 1944
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1943
1943 Annual Exhibition of Contemporary American Art
Nov 23, 1943–Jan 4, 1944
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1942
1942 Annual Exhibition of Contemporary American Art
Nov 24, 1942–Jan 6, 1943
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1941
1941 Annual Exhibition of Paintings by Artists Under Forty
Nov 12–Dec 30, 1941
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1941 Annual Exhibition of Contemporary American Sculpture, Watercolors, Drawings and Prints
Jan 15–Feb 19, 1941
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1940
1940 Annual Exhibition of Contemporary American Painting
Nov 27, 1940–Jan 8, 1941
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1940 Annual Exhibition of Contemporary American Art
Jan 10–Feb 18, 1940
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1939
1939 Annual Exhibition of Contemporary American Watercolors
Feb 22–Mar 15, 1939
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1939 Annual Exhibition of Contemporary American Sculpture, Drawings and Prints
Jan 24–Feb 17, 1939
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1938
1938 Annual Exhibition of Contemporary American Painting
Nov 2–Dec 11, 1938
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1938 Annual Exhibition of Contemporary American Sculpture, Watercolors, Drawings and Prints
Mar 8–Apr 10, 1938
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1937
1937 Annual Exhibition of Contemporary American Painting
Nov 10–Dec 12, 1937
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1936
Third Biennial Exhibition of Contemporary American Painting
Nov 10–Dec 10, 1936
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Second Biennial Exhibition: Part Two—Watercolors and Pastels
Feb 18–Mar 18, 1936
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Second Biennial Exhibition: Part One—Sculpture, Drawings and Prints
Jan 24–Feb 13, 1936
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1934
Second Biennial Exhibition of Contemporary American Painting
Nov 27, 1934–Jan 10, 1935
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1933
First Biennial Exhibition of Contemporary American Sculpture, Watercolors and Prints
Dec 5, 1933–Jan 11, 1934
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1932
First Biennial Exhibition of Contemporary American Painting
Nov 22, 1932–Jan 5, 1933
Putting Artists on the Map
The history of the Whitney Biennial is everywhere in NYC and the we've mapped a snapshot. View our map to learn more about historical Biennial moments—from real-life locations depicted in Biennial artworks to Biennial artists' studios.
Bucksbaum Award
Established in 2000 by longtime Whitney trustee Melva Bucksbaum and her family, the Bucksbaum Award is given in each Biennial year in recognition of an artist included in the Biennial. The selected artist is considered by the jurors to have the potential to make a lasting impact on the history of American art, based on the excellence of their past work, as well as of their present work in the Whitney Biennial.