The Whitney Museum of American Art is preparing to open its new Meatpacking District building, designed by Renzo Piano, on May 1. The museum's exhibition space will nearly double, with two floors dedicated to its collection, and it expects to attract visitors from the nearby High Line. Despite potential criticism, insiders like former MoMA curator Robert Storr and former Whitney director David Ross express strong support for the move, contrasting it with expansions at MoMA and the Guggenheim. The article also traces the museum's origins from Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney's rejected gift to the Met, its early days under director Juliana Force, and its previous homes, including the Marcel Breuer-designed Upper East Side building.
This matters because the Whitney's move represents a major shift in New York's museum landscape, signaling a new era for the institution and potentially reshaping the cultural geography of the city. The endorsement from prominent figures who are critical of other museum expansions underscores the significance of the Whitney's strategic gamble. The article also provides historical context, highlighting the museum's evolution from a collection of Ashcan School works to a major institution with 22,000 objects, and its ongoing role in defining American art.