Who Gets to Define 'American Art'? Inside the 2026 Whitney Biennial

About this episode

This episode explores the 2026 Whitney Biennial, highlighting the impact of co-curator Marcela Guerrero and the representation of Latino artists.

Inside one of the country’s largest contemporary art exhibitions, the Whitney Biennial, slimy green sculptures stare back at you, the scent of lemongrass fills the air, and the hum of insects surrounds you. This year, for the first time in the museum’s history, the exhibition is co-curated by a Latina. Marcela Guerrero brings a new perspective to the prestigious show. Of the 56 total artists displaying work this year, 16 are Latino, with different things to say. We take you inside the exhibition that is re-shaping the narrative around who and what kind of art gets to be considered “American.” Latino USA is the longest-running news and culture radio program in the U.S., centering Latino stories and hosted by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Maria Hinojosa. Follow the show to get every episode. Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes chisme on Latino USA and all our podcasts. Follow us on  TikTok  and  YouTube . Subscribe to our  newsletter .   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

People in this episode

Host: Maria Hinojosa

Topics covered

• American art
• Whitney Biennial
• Latino artists
• cultural narrative
• contemporary art

Keywords

• Whitney Biennial
• Marcela Guerrero
• Latino art
• American art
• contemporary art
• cultural representation
• exhibition

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Latino USA, Futuro, iHeartPodcasts

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