Imagine you’re an artist residing in the United States, harboring aspirations of being featured in the prestigious Whitney Biennial, a hallmark of both market and institutional acclaim. If your strategy involves merely hard work coupled with networking, you might need to rethink your approach. Enter art coach Paddy Johnson, who provides insights in this month’s Art Problems column. She engaged with two past Whitney Biennial curators and two artists from the current year’s exhibition to uncover what it truly takes to join the ranks and the hurdles you might face along the way. Best of luck on your journey! —Hakim Bishara, editor-in-chief
Paddy Johnson remarks: “Many believe that being selected is a testament to the quality of one’s work, potentially propelling an artist’s career forward. However, your creations must resonate with the biennial curators and align with contemporary cultural themes. Often, the chosen pieces have an organic buzz that cannot be artificially created.”
