Art Review: Whitney Museum’s Lessons, Good & Bad

I had a good visit to the Whitney last week. It’s a fantastic place. In my opinion, one of the happiest art stories in the past 20 or so years is the Whitney’s now-six-year-old building and the museum’s move from the Upper East Side to what formerly was, in my memory, a dodgy, scuzzy waterfront and, before that, the home of the city’s meatpacking industry. No esplanades of hyacinths and gloved doormen there.

Walking through the Julie Mehretu show, occupying the entire fifth floor, and the smaller Dawoud Bey show, I pinch myself. The galleries are elegant and gracious. I love being there. This state of being doesn’t happen by kismet alone.

About the Author

Brian T. Allen

Brian T. Allen is National Review’s art critic.

I had a good visit to the Whitney last week. It’s a fantastic place. In my opinion, one of the happiest art stories in the past 20 or so years is the Whitney’s now-six-year-old building and the museum’s move from the Upper East Side to what formerly was, in my memory, a dodgy, scuzzy waterfront and, before that, the home of the city’s meatpacking industry. No esplanades of hyacinths and gloved doormen there.

Walking through the Julie Mehretu show, occupying the entire fifth floor, and the smaller Dawoud Bey show, I pinch myself. The galleries are elegant and gracious. I love being there. This state of being doesn’t happen by kismet alone.