How to Get Into the Whitney Biennial
Queens Museum leader quits, Gabrielle Goliath sues, vintage gay porn as political art, and more.
Let's say you're a US-based artist and you're dreaming of one day being included in the Whitney Biennial, the pinnacle of market and institutional recognition. If you think the way to get there is simply a combination of hard work and schmoozing, then you're wrong, my friend.
That's where art coach Paddy Johnson enters the picture. For this month's Art Problems column, she interviewed two former Whitney Biennial curators and two artists participating in this year's edition about how to make it to the big leagues and what obstacles will await you. Good luck out there!
—Hakim Bishara, editor-in-chief
Art Problems: How Do I Get Into the Whitney Biennial?
Paddy says: "Many assume inclusion is an endorsement of the work’s quality, which can further an artist’s career. But your art needs to speak to the biennial curators and align with cultural interests. Often, the work selected has a kind of buzz around it that is impossible to engineer."
New York Academy of Art Presents “Chubb Fellows & Friends”
Featuring past fellows alongside a broader circle of artists linked to the Academy, the show brings together work by Danica Lundy, Dana Schutz, Tschabalala Self, Amy Sherald, and more.
News
- After a seven-year tenure, Sally Tallant will step down as president and executive director of the Queens Museum this summer. She leaves behind a mixed legacy, Staff writer Rhea Nayyar reports.
- Artist Gabrielle Goliath is reportedly planning to take legal action against South Africa’s right-wing arts and culture minister after he dropped her Venice Biennale commission, which included references to Israel's genocide in Gaza.
Giving and Receiving: Memoirs of an Immigrant Curator and Philanthropist
Marica Vilcek shares her story in a new memoir, from her early life and escape from Czechoslovakia to her 30-year career at The Met, and the decision to create the Vilcek Foundation to champion immigrants in the arts.
From Our Critics
Edward Zutrau Was a Chromatic Rebel
He combined the reductive strain of Abstract Expressionism with the principles and style of Japanese ink painting, for something uniquely his own. | John Yau
Fra Angelico Etched the Divine in Stone
The veiled symbolism of the artist's marble and stones has largely flown under the radar, but these mystical depths are too profound to miss out on. | Daniel Larkin
Ovissi Foundation – 2026 Awards for Artists of Iranian Heritage
Individuals and nonprofit organizations can apply for several grants that provide financial support: the Ovissi Artist Award, the Modern Craft - Ceramic Award, and the MFA Award. Open to Iranian heritage artists who are US citizens.
Deadline: March 1, 2026 | galleryovissi.com/awards
See more in this month’s list of opportunities for artists, writers, and art workers!
Comics
Falling in Love With Vintage Gay Films
Solomon Brager's comic is a semi-personal exploration of "rediscovering" vintage gay adult films from the 1970s and '80s in a moment of rampant state repression, and its revolutionary potential. If you liked Heated Rivalry, you'll love this.
Member Comment
Jozanne Rabyor on Hakim Bishara's "An Ode to Lois Dodd":
Commenting privileges are reserved for paid members. Join us today!
In Memoriam
Remembering Harvey Pratt, Roger Allers, and Robert Burleigh
The designer of the Native American Veterans Memorial, a Disney animator, a picture book illustrator, and a Los Angeles painter who opened a storefront museum of his work are among the artists we honor this week.
ICYMI
These Are the Artists in the 2026 Whitney Biennial
Three Palestinian visual artists, plus one born in Baghdad, are listed among the 56 participants. | Isa Farfan
.jpg?ref=hyperallergic.com){kind=link}