The Biennial takes place at the museum from March 1st, 2012, through to May 27th, 2012, though some programs continue until June 10th.

This marks the seventy-sixth of an ongoing series of Biennials and Annuals presented by the Whitney Museum since 1932, two years after the Museum was founded.

The Whitney Biennial is an exhibition that is held every two years, when the Museum analyzes the current state and events in contemporary art in America.

Since the exhibition was introduced in 1932, the Whitney Biennial, which is the Museum’s signature exhibition and an extremely highly anticipated event in the art world, has carefully charted new developments and growth found in contemporary art.

It was inaugurated by Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney in 1932, and these biennial exhibitions have demonstrated the museum’s ongoing commitment to supporting the development of 20th- and 21st-century American art.

This year, the Biennial is curated by Elisabeth Sussman, Curator, and Sondra Gilman, Curator of Photography at the Whitney, and Jay Sanders, a freelance curator.

The trio began to work on the planning and research for the show early in December of last year. After a lot of long hours, they narrowed it down to fifty-one artists.

The Biennial is a collaboration of many media of work, including sculpture, painting, photography, and installations, both from established artists and those who are just emerging. There are also filmmakers, choreographers, musicians, and playwrights added to the roster, most of which will be presented in a large, open area in the galleries on the museum’s fourth floor.

The film program for the Biennial will be led by co-founders of the Light Industry, Ed Halter and Thomas Beard. Light Industry is a venue for film and electronic art in Brooklyn. (You can read more about them at their website, lightindustry.org)

The 2012 Biennial will also be presenting two additional special curatorial collaborations with external arts organizations.

One includes Arika, a UK-based group that organizes many festivals of experimental music, along with moving image and sound. This will mark their first North American program as part of the 2012 Biennial. Their presence will include a week of performances, workshops, and conversations on topics in North American listening, including contemporary poetry, noise, and music.

Another includes Artists Space Books and Talks in Tribeca. Curated by Artists Space, this will focus on key concerns from the work of the exhibiting artists, as well as from the Biennial as a whole.

A full list of the Biennial Artists includes:

Working as her own model for more than thirty  years, Sherman has captured herself in a range of guises and personas, using various media, inspirations, themes, and attraction.

Lucky for us, she’ll be featured at the Museum of Modern Art starting in February.

Cindy Sherman (American, b. 1954) is one of the most photographers of the late twentieth century. Although she is largely her own model, these photographs of hers are not self-portraits.  Although, the majority of her photographs are pictures of her, however, these photographs are most definitely not self-portraits.

Instead, Sherman is bringing commentary to the viewer, through the role of the artist, the role of the photographer, the role of the woman, and the role of art.

Sherman has said that, “”It wasn’t until college that I had any concept of what was going on in the art world. My idea of being an artist as a kid was a courtroom artist or one of those boardwalk artists who do caricatures. My parents had a book of, like, the one hundred one beautiful paintings, which included Dali and Picasso among the most recent artists.” These, I can only assume, inspired her greatly.

Her works of art are carefully constructed. Sherman aims to communicate tot he viewer that these are not her; instead, they are portraits of actual people. Not herself. She takes the time to depersonalize them, making them no one and everyone.

We’ve lined up our favorites across the country, ones you’ll definitely have to check out (and love while you’re at it).

Degas’ Dancers at the Barre: Point and Counterpoint

This show features about thirty of Degas’ works covering one of his favourite topics: ballet. It runs from Oct. 1 through Jan. 8 at the Phillips Collection, Washington; (202) 387-2151, phillipscollection. org.

Pacific Standard Time: Crosscurrents in LA Painting and Sculpture, 1950 to 1970

“Pacific Standard Time” describes a definitive survey of postwar Los Angeles art. It runs from Oct. 1 through Feb. 5 at the J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles; (310) 440-7300, getty.edu.

Under the Big Black Sun: California Art 1974 to 1981

A much-loved highlight from  the “Pacific Standard Time” initiative, this 120-artist show celebrates the pluralism of West Coast art during the mid-to-late 1970s. It runs from Oct. 1 through Feb. 13 at the Geffen Contemporary, Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles; (213) 621-2766, moca-la.org.

Harry Callahan at 100

The National Gallery of Art marks the centennial of Harry Callahan, a Detroit-born photographer who died in 1999, with a show of more than 100 images. It runs from Oct. 2 through March 4 at the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.; (202) 737-4215, nga.gov.

Now Dig This! Art and Black Los Angeles 1960-1980

The Hammer Museum’s contribution to “Pacific Standard Time” explores LA’s influential African-American art community. It runs from Oct. 2 through Jan. 8 at the Hammer Museum, Los Angeles; (310) 443-7000, hammer.ucla.edu.

Picasso’s Drawings, 1890 to 1921: Reinventing Tradition

This exhibit closely looks at the development of Picasso’s detailed and intricate draftsmanship, with more than 50 works encompassing classicism and Cubism. It runs from Oct. 4 through Jan. 8 at the Frick Collection, Manhattan; (212) 288-0700, frick.org. It then travels to the National Gallery of Art, Washington, where it runs from Feb. 5 through May 6.

Real/Surreal

The second in a continuing series of collection shows explores the heated dynamic between realism and surrealism in American art of the 1930s and ’40s. It runs from Oct. 6 – Feb. 12 at the Whitney Museum of American Art, Manhattan; (212) 570-3600, whitney.org.

Dance/Draw

About 40 artists are highlighted in an exhibit that explores the relationship between dance and drawing in art since World War II. It runs from Oct. 7 through Jan. 16 at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston; (617) 478-3100, icaboston.org.

Degas and the Nude

Organized with the Musée d’Orsay, this new exhibit features Degas’s appreciation of the female form with about 175 works in all media. It runs from Oct. 9 through Feb. 5 at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; (617) 267-9300, mfa.org.

A Century of Art

The library features a hundred works made since the opening of its landmark building on Fifth Avenue, by artists including Diane Arbus, Yayoi Kusama and Thomas Struth. Oct. 11 through Jan. 15 at the New York Public Library, Manhattan; (212) 930-0800, nypl.org.

Stieglitz and his Artists: Matisse to O’Keefe

The Alfred Stieglitz collection is highlighted in the largest exhibition to date, including about 200 works by the famed photographer-dealer and the European and American modernists in his circle. It runs from Oct. 13 through Jan. 2 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art; (212) 535-7710, metmuseum.org.

Edo Pop: The Graphic Impact of Japanese Prints

This show combines ukiyo-e prints from the 17th through 19th centuries with contemporary works by the likes of Jeff Wall, Matthew Barney and Chiho Aoshima. It runs from Oct. 30 through Jan. 8 at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts; (612) 870-3000, artsmia.org.

Cecil Beaton: The New York Years

This show features a slew of vintage fashion photographs, celebrity portraits, set and costume designs and more by the longtime Vogue contributor. It runs from Oct. 25 through Feb. 20 at the Museum of the City of New York, Manhattan; (212) 534-1672, mcny.org.

Aphrodite and the Gods of Love

Featuring more than 150 works of Greek and Roman art, including loans from Rome and Naples, this exhibit celebrates the ancient goddess of love and beauty. It runs from Oct. 26 through Feb. 20 at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; (617) 267-9300, mfa.org. Then it travels to the J. Paul Getty Museum, Malibu, Calif. from March 28 through July 9; the San Antonio Museum of Art from Sept. 17 through Feb. 15, 2013; and the Philbrook Museum of Art, Tulsa, Okla. from March 3 through May 26, 2013.

Rembrandt in America

Over 30 paintings by Rembrandt are included in this touring show, which traces the history of Rembrandt in United States collections. It runs from Oct. 30 through Jan. 22 at the North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh; (919) 839-6262, ncartmuseum.org. It then travels to the Cleveland Museum of Art from Feb. 19 through May 28, followed by the Minneapolis Institute of Arts from June 24 through Sept. 16.

Xu Beihong

This is the first North American retrospective of this modern Chinese painter, featuring about sixty works from China’s Xu Beihong Memorial Museum. It runs from Oct. 30 through Jan. 29 at the Denver Art Museum; (720) 865-5000, denverartmuseum.org.

During the last couple weeks of a recently closed exhibit at The Mary Brogan Museum of Art and Science, they’ve discovered that this might just be the case.

The museum, located in Tallahassee, Florida, has been ordered not to return one of the fifty pieces that were loaned to it by a Milan museum after a recent exhibit. Authorities contacted the museum after learning that it might have been stolen by the Nazis during World War II.

The 473-year-old painting, Christ Carrying the Cross Dragged by a Rogue, by Renaissance artist Girolamo Romano is the painting in question.

United States authorities are working alongside the Brogan Museum and the Italian government to determine the owners of the painting. They’re also trying to figure out what to do with it.

The painting was one of the many in the exhibit entitled Baroque Painting in Lombardy from Pinacoteca di Brera. The exhibit ran from March 18th earlier this year to just last weekend.

The museum’s CEO, Chucha Barber, was notified by the United States attorney’s office in July that the painting may have been stolen and involved with the Nazis and World War II. The museum has received permission to display the painting for at least two more months, while the United States and Italian governments work to resolve the issue.

The Brogan Museum is in the midst of a crucial fundraising campaign: a five-month, $500,000 capital campaign that was launched to meet day-to-day expenses and payroll. The museum invested heavily to bring the Baroque exhibit to the Brogan, and would like the painting to be a part of it.

“I see this as a teachable moment regarding the value of museums and museum objects,” Barber told the Tallahassee Democrat in a recent interview. “It’s also one family’s incredible story about the atrocities of the Holocaust.”

According to USA Today, “it is believed that the Nazi-sympathetic French Vichy government seized and sold the work in question, when the Gentili family — the Jewish family that owned the masterwork — fled Nazi occupation during the war.”

Though Barber did not know the appraised value for Girolamo Romano’s painting, she said it was insured for 1.5 million Euros, which is about $2.5 million.

The entire exhibit at the musem is valued at more than $30 million. Barber estimated that it cost the museum about $425,000 to bring the exhibition to Tallahassee.

Painting details:

Christ Carrying the Cross Dragged by a Rogue
Girolamo Romano
c. 1538
Oil on canvas
31.9 inches by 28.3 inches

Visit the museum: www.thebrogan.org

The exhibit highlighted the achievements of a generation that brought New York City up tot the epicenter in the art world following World War II. The 1950s were home to the New York Avant-Garde, a time that left a legacy of the twentieth century’s greatest masterpieces.

Billowing with paintings, sculptures, prints, drawings, photographs, films, and archival materials, a full floor of the MoMA was devoted to this single theme. This, in fact, was the first time this was ever done.

But it didn’t end there. The exhibition flowed on to the floors below, featuring all of the diverse mediums, as well as adding to a historical overview of the era and giving a sense of its great depth and complexity.

The highlights of the exhibition and the related publication now are available for your iPad. Even better, the newest MoMA App is free, and loaded with amazing images and details surrounding the exhibition (which is now on tour).

Clear and detailed high-resolution images of selected Abstract Expressionist works are found throughout, while downloaders can learn more about the artists and NYC history with a multimedia map of studios, galleries, bars, and other points of interest.

It also includes in-depth videos on key works of art, a glossary of art terms, specifics surrounding the exhibition and exhibition catalogue, among other things.

Browse

Under the Browse heading, users can explore the artists’ works by image. Clicking on one of the high resolution images tells you the artists name, the title of the artwork, the date, and includes an info button to read more. This provides the artists dates and birthplace, and the statistics of the painting. To keep going, you can read more information about the artwork, or click on Audio Guide, and listen to details about the artwork. Here you can bookmark the painting, or share it on Twitter.

Map

Clicking on the map symbol doesn’t give you a map of the museum. It actually gives you an interactive map of where the artists lived, worked and gathered in the 1930s to the 1970s. For example, clicking on 24 University Place brings us to the Cedar Street Tavern, where the Abstract Expressionist artists frequented from the late 1940s to 1963. The site was a legendary location for artists, gallery openings, and long lasting friendships.

Videos

A section with videos features over 20 clips, including a message from the curator, details about the artists, painting techniques, art terms in action, and more. Click on palette knife to see how they are used, who used them, and why.

Art Terms

A full-fledged glossary clearing up any confusing you might have, read about terms, locations and art words surrounding the exhibit. Here you can explore the term paint, emulsion, or even The Irascibles, the label given to a group of Abstract Expressionist artists who wrote an open letter to the president of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, protesting the museum’s exhibition American Painting Today 1950, which included no trace of Abstract Expressionism. The group believed that the curators of the show promoted only conservative art.

Snag the app here from the App Store.

The post-World War II artist was best known for his large scale works, often featuring his signature graffiti-like engravings on large solid canvases of grey, white, brown, and other neutrals.

He was 83.

The cause of his death is not specifically yet known, although Twombly did suffer from cancer.

A mix of Pop Art, Abstract Expressionism, Conceptualism, and Minimalism, Twombly’s work was a distinct convergence from other artists at the same time. He was influential among many artists, in spite of being shadowed under the names of forerunners who led each movement on their own.

Twombly was born Edwin Parker Twombly Jr. in Lexington, Virginia, in 1928. Taking his father’s nickname, Cy, he was a student of a number of US art colleges, then he travelled throughout Europe and was later influenced by his service as a cryptologist in the US military.

He permanently moved to southern Italy in the late 50s. He wasn’t keen on living a life in the public eye, and ignored his critics, who tried to drive him toward the front of 20th century abstract work. He was inspired by a life-long association with Europe’s history and culture, and later regarded as a key figure among artists who wanted to evolve beyond abstract expressionism.

Twombly’s paintings are complex, minute details, with scratches, markings , drips, sketches, and fragments of random words (both Italian and classical), and images (both crude and clean).

He started to drift away from expressionism in the mid-60s, after his work was shown at the Leo Castelli Gallery in New York in 1964. Perhaps a low-point, artist and writer Donald Judd, known to lack acceptance of painting in general, called the show a fiasco.

Twombly soon started working on abstract sculptures that most knew him best for.

“I had my freedom and that was nice,” he said in a rare interview with Tate director Nicholas Serota in 2008, during an important exhibition of his work in decades.

Fiasco no more, younger artists soon found Twombly’s work inspiring, bringing forth new attention and positive reviews. Museums and collectors began to come forward, and in 1989, the Philadelphia Museum of Art opened permanent rooms dedicated to his monumental 10-painting cycle, “Fifty Days at Iliam,” based on Alexander Pope’s translation of the “Iliad.”  That same year, Twombly’s work passed the million-dollar mark at auction, and in 1995 the Menil Collection in Houston opened a new gallery dedicated to his art.

Cy Twombly, who had been living in Italy, was hospitalized in Rome last week.

Whether you’re an art lover or going along with a friend, chances are, you’ll find something awesome about each one of them. And don’t worry–they’re all at mainstream locales.

Not sure where to begin? First read our tips on how to explore an art museum.

Body and Spirit: Tibetan Medical Paintings

at the American Museum of Natural History (amnh.org)

January 25, 2011 – July 17, 2011

This exhibition consists  of 64 Tibetan medical paintings (also known as tangkas). On view for the first time in a museum exhibition, these hand-painted reproductions of traditional scroll paintings provide a unique and rich illustrated history of early medical knowledge and procedures in Tibet, and are believed to be among only a handful of such sets in existence.

Each of the 64 medical paintings was painstakingly reproduced by hand in the late 1990s by Romio Shrestha, a Nepalese artist, and his students, who followed the Tibetan tradition of copying older paintings. They based their work on two published sets of medical tangkas likely painted in the early 1900s that were copies of the original set.

An interesting source of original medicine, they are also aesthetically pleasing and different than what you’ve probably encountered before.

See the details here.

Francis Alÿs: A Story of Deception

at the Museum of Modern Art (amnh.org)

May 8–August 1, 2011

This exhibition draws on the Museum’s unique and important collection of Francis Alÿs’s work, highlighting three recent major acquisitions—Re-enactments (2001), When Faith Moves Mountains (2002), and Rehearsal I (Ensayo I) (1999–2001)—which include video installations, paintings, drawings, collages, photographs, and newspaper clippings.

These works explore social action that address the politics of public space to large-scale communal participation where the culmination of many small acts achieves mythic proportions. It also includes works about art and everyday life.

See the details here.

Guitar Heroes: Legendary Craftsmen from Italy to New York

at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (metmuseum.org)

February 9, 2011 to July 4, 2011

Within New York City and nearby New Jersey, Long Island, and Westchester County, the tradition of lutherie (stringed-instrument making) has thrived. And so, Italian American craftsmen have created many stringed instruments, from violins to mandolins to guitars. In the last century, the craftsmen have been famous for their archtop guitars.

This exhibition examines the work of John D’Angelico, James D’Aquisto, and John Monteleone and their place in the extended context of Italian and Italian American instrument making, and the inspiration of the sights and sounds of New York City.

See the details here. (And check out Picasso’s Guitars, too).

A Year Without Children 2011

at the Guggenheim (guggenheim.org)

May 13, 2011 to June 15, 2011

This exhibition showcases art by students participating in Learning Through Art (LTA), an educational program of the Guggenheim Museum. LTA places professional teaching artists in public elementary schools in New York, where they collaborate with teachers to develop art projects that teach students art skills and techniques while exploring themes related to the school curriculum. The program encourages curiosity, critical thinking, and ongoing collaborative investigation.

See the details here.

While you’re at it, take some time to explore around our favourite NYC buildings.

Even better, there are a few tips that every Broadway lover should know, whether your a seasoned theatre goer or it’s your first time.

Before You Go

Sit down at the computer and check out some websites featuring Discount Broadway Tickets, such as Theatermania.com. This reliable site, among others, features discounted tickets and up-to-date theater information.

Tickets can generally be purchased up to about three weeks in advance, often for at 50 perfect off.

Getting There

If you already have your tickets, before sure that you get there on time. Sounds like common sense, perhaps, but planning to arrive at least 30 minutes early is key.

If you’re picking up tickets at the will call window, aim for at least 45 minutes earlier, and check the entrance: often it will be a different one.

To get to Times Square, your best bet is from the subway. From the East Side, head to Grand Central and take the S or the 7 to 42nd Street/Times Square for the easiest access. From the West Side, take the 1, 2, 3. If you’re not keen on the subway, take a cab. Parking isn’t cheap, so try to avoid taking the car.

The Day Of

If you don’t score tickets beforehand, check out the goods on the day of the performance. Lining up for same-day tickets will give you a discount of 25 to 50 perfect. There are two TKTS kiosks in Manhattan (tdf.org); one is located in Times Square at 47th Street and Broadway, and the other is in the Financial District at Front and John Streets.

Wait time is generally about an hour or two, and more popular shows often aren’t available. But there are loads of great Broadway plays available, and chances are, you’ll love them all. Tickets are released randomly throughout the day, and often people line up hours before they open. The kiosk is open from 3pm to 8pm during the week and 10am on matinee days (Saturday and Wednesday). It opens at 11am on Sundays. The Times Square location is open from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays, and starting at 10 a.m. on Saturdays and Wednesdays, and 11 a.m. on Sundays (hours are slightly different downtown). Just don’t bring your credit card: cash only. You can also sign up for the lottery right at the theatre, and hope to score tickets 2.5 hours before curtain time.

Right Before

So it’s a last minute decision: you just went out for a great dinner and now you’re keen on a show, too. Head to the theatre’s box office at about 30 minutes before showtime, and ask about Standing Room Only tickets. If all tickets are sold out, these tickets will be available for about $25 each.

Once You’re In

Take a moment to ask which staircase to head up to, and wait for the usher to seat you. Take off your coat, turn off your phone, and relax. Rustling and bustling about during the play or musical disturbs those around you, as well as the actors.

After the Show

Relax. It’s busy. It might take a moment to get out of the theatre. Wait until the actors make their curtain calls, then take your time to exit. If you are interested in autographs, some of the actors will come sign the Playbills at the stage door, so head over that way.

Loads of paintings live on the walls, from the thick, impasto expressionists to the wisps of light colour from the impressionists. Sculptures stand free in each room, and jewelry, photography, and media round out what’s left to see.

Before You Go

Before you head to the art gallery, visit their website. For example, you can find all of the information about Park West Galleries easily with just a few clicks. You’ll be a lot more familiar with what you’re about to see and become clearer with the collections that you’d like to check out.

The Permanent Collection

The permanent collection is the art that the museum owns. They’ve acquired it either through donation or direct purchase. This art can vary in what can be found. Generally, it ranges from ancient to modern, but some specialty museums may be different. Contemporary art museums, for example, may only house art from the twentieth-century forward.

Special Collections/Exhibits

These collections are events that take place for a limited time. They generally feature works by a specific artist or movement. Most gallery websites will offer information of when you can view it at the museum, along with other supplementary information.

While You’re There

Self-Guided Touring

Using information from the Website, a phone call, and word of mouth, you can create your own plan for the museum. Be sure to pick up a map once you enter the museum, which will help you locate what you’re keen on seeing.

Docent Touring

Docents are specially trained volunteers who provide visitors with museum and exhibit information. Often, these tours are free.

Audio Touring

Headphones will guide you through a tour of the museum’s permanent collection. These are often available for special exhibits, too. These tours have a fee.

Events/Lectures

Museums often house lectures, concerts and other events to accompany what is going on in the museum. Art historians, artists, musicians, and other experts complement the current exhibitions.

Education

Educational events and programming is available for children, families, and adults at most museums. These include activities, art classes, certificates, and libraries.

Exploring the Art Work

Each piece of art work contains two things: an identification card and curatorial comments. The identification card contains the artist’s name, nationality, date of birth and death, along with the title of the artwork, date, medium, dimensions, name of the collection it belongs to, and the acquisition details. The curatorial comments are prepared by the curators with an explanation about the artwork and/or artist.

What to Remember

While at the museum, there are a few things to keep in mind.

1. Stay about a foot away from the works of art. Do not touch them. Really.

2. Don’t cause a ruckus; it is a library-like atmosphere.

3. Feel free to ask questions to the museum staff. They are there to help and, chances are, love to discuss the artwork.

4. Often, there is no flash photograph. Ask the staff for the rules.

5. Don’t bring in food or beverages.

Art galleries can be an enlightening, peaceful experience. Whether you’re an art connoisseur, or exploring for the first time, there is something for everyone.

Pablo Picasso’s cardboard and sheet metal Guitar sculptures combine the structural, spatial, and material experimentation in his long career.

In 1912, Picasso made a guitar with  cardboard, paper, string, and wire—materials he cut, folded, threaded, and glued. This  instrument resembled no artwork ever seen before–his and otherwise.

Two years later, Picasso started this sculpture again, using sheet metal. Both guitars (one cardboard, one in metal) are the beginning and end of his experimentation that embraced ready-made materials, hand-made techniques, and common still life subjects.

The exhibit, Picasso: Guitars 1912–1914, explores his breakthrough in Cubism and modern art. Made up of about sixty-five closely related collages, constructions, drawings, paintings, and photographs it outlines his time between studios in Paris and the South of France in the years immediately prior to World War I.

At the onset of his exploration, Picasso told his friend Georges Braque, “I am using your latest papery and powdery procedures. I am in the process of imagining a guitar and I am using a bit of dust against our horrible canvas.”

Picasso: Guitars 1912–1914

February 13–June 6, 2011

Museum of Modern Art

From the exhibit site: Picasso: Guitars 1912–1914 explores this breakthrough moment in 20th-century art, and the Guitars’ place within it. Bringing together some 70 closely connected collages, constructions, drawings, mixed-media paintings, and photographs assembled from over 30 public and private collections worldwide, this exhibition offers fresh insight into Picasso’s cross-disciplinary process in the years immediately preceding World War I.