Artists Jennie C. Jones and Jeffrey Gibson have been selected for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s 2025 roof garden and Fifth Avenue façade commissions, respectively. The museum announced both projects on Tuesday, February 27, ahead of the debut of the 2024 commissions by Petrit Halilaj and Lee Bul later this spring.
“Though stylistically different, both Jones and Gibson see the potential for beauty and form to carry the potency of individual and cultural histories,” Met Museum Director and CEO Max Hollein said in a statement.
Jones, who was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, and works in Hudson, New York, will create a multi-work installation that explores both the sonic and physical qualities of stringed instruments — particularly examining the linear form of the string itself as a stand-in for art history. The artist is known for her multidisciplinary practice that entwines minimalist and abstract visual elements with aural experiences, focusing especially on highlighting Black history and culture. Her installation will be on view at The Met’s roof garden from April 15 through October 19, 2025.
Gibson, an interdisciplinary artist who is a member of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians and of Cherokee descent, intends to present four new mixed-media sculptures that he calls “ancestral spirit figures.” Gibson incorporates Native craft traditions — especially beading, leatherwork, and quilting — into his practice, often referencing Indigenous music and poetry as well as queer narratives to underscore the nuances of Native cultures and identities. He will also be representing the United States at the 60th Venice Biennale later this year, making him the first Native artist with a solo exhibition at the pavilion.
Gibson’s four sculptures will adorn the museum’s façade from September 2025 to May 2026.
In the meantime, this year’s roof garden commission by Kosovar visual artist Petrit Halilaj is set to open on April 30, marking his first major project in the US, while Korean artist Lee Bul will debut her sculptures at the façade this coming September.
