This year’s Whitney Biennial was underwhelming for me, despite being an economist. I struggled to distinguish between what was considered art and what seemed more like a mundane HR training video. However, I must acknowledge that the exhibition did succeed in one of the fundamental roles of art: reflecting our society and economy back at us.
The theme of this year’s biennial was centered around artificial intelligence and discussions on gender and authenticity. The goal was to explore the fluidity of identity, the relationship between mind and body, and the evolving complexities of our natural and artificial environments. While some aspects of this theme were captivating, there were moments where the content felt predictable and lacking in risk-taking.
I wasn’t alone in feeling disappointed by this year’s Whitney Biennial. Several critics also echoed my sentiments, noting that much of the exhibition played it safe and stuck to familiar territory. Despite its flaws, however, the biennial did succeed in encouraging critical discussions around societal systems and the impact of elite institutions on creativity and innovation.