Whitney Museum of American Art's 2014 Biennial is Now Open

The Whitney Museum of American Art kicked off its 2014 Biennial exhibition yesterday in NYC.

This marks the last year that the Biennial will take place in the 945 Madison Avenue building, as the Whitney will be relocating to downtown Manhattan in spring 2015. This year's exhibition was curated by Stuart Comer of MoMA, Anthony Elms of the Institute of Contemporary Art in Philadelphia, and Michelle Grabner, an artist and professor at the School of the Art Institute in Chicago. It features the talent of 103 artists and spans a whopping three floors, with work spilling out into the museum's lobby, sculpture court, and even the elevator.

Together, these works set out to portray the American identity and what it means to live in United States today. They are an exploration of America's rich diversity--the clashing of various cultures and ideas--its radically shifting economic and political climate, as well as its often conflicting perceptions of notions like gender and sexuality.

This is expressed through a broad range of mediums, from simple oil on canvas to sculpture, video, and sound installations. The result is overwhelming, to say the least.

The overall experience of navigating the exhibition is one of uneasiness; the works tend to be imposing and visitors' senses are assaulted at nearly every opportunity. On the stairwell, one is barraged by a kind of ritualistic chanting emitted from speakers stationed between each floor.

These speakers are part of a sound installation by artist Charlemagne Palestine and create a sense of foreboding and entrapment that sets the tone for the rest of the exhibition.

One never knows what they'll encounter as they round corners and enter doorways.

Perhaps the most affecting of the installations on view is that of Norwegian artist Bjarne Melgaard, which is located in a small room off of the third floor. Melgaard's installation is at once repelling and inviting. Visitors are drawn to the room by the bright light and muffled sounds that escape between the panels in the doorway. The first few steps inside, however, are less than welcoming.

Strands of multicolored hair dangle from the entrance, brushing the shoulders and cheeks of unsuspecting visitors. One feels as if they have walked in on something they shouldn't have; female sex dolls are poised provocatively on the ends of stools and elsewhere throughout the room.

As if that weren't unsettling enough, screens surrounding the room loop clips of pornography and what appears to be home videos of street fights. Visitors shuffle in awkwardly, sidestepping furniture and other guests, both memorized and repulsed.

At the same time that the installation repels the visitors, however, it also encourages their engagement; the layers of rugs and array of cushy, brightly patterned sofas create an inviting and intimate atmosphere. So much so, that one is almost tempted to sit down--that is, until they realize that the pillow closest to them is shaped like a monster with male genitalia for arms.

Confronted with such bold depictions of nudity and sexuality, visitors are forced to question and come to terms with their own discomfort.

This discomfort speaks to the American experience itself, as we are regularly confronted with cultures and ideas alien to our own.

If you have a chance to visit the Whitney, take your time to really explore the different floors. Each has its own intricacies and themes. Duck into one of the alcoves and view one of the video installations or films by the numerous rotating artists.

Andrew Bujalski's film, Computer Chess, which will be screened on the second floor, is quite subtle and funny, if you are willing to sit through the entire 92 minutes. Also try to see Michael Auder's video installation, "Untitled (I was looking back to see if you were looking back at me to see me looking back at you)," which is also on the second floor, and allows you to play the role of voyeur as you look at varying scenes through people's apartment windows (again, with the sense of discomfort).
The Biennial is on view until May 25th and will be supplemented with scheduled talks and performances by different artists.

More information can be found at: http://whitney.org/Exhibitions/2014Biennial.