“Untitled (America)” at the Whitney Museum (pt. 3)

 

The Whitney Museum’s “Untitled (America)” exhibition is a reinstallation of the museum’s holdings from the 1900s to the early 1980s. Having opened in July 2025, this show presents themes of abstraction, figuration, pop culture, and landscape traditions.

The piece that lends the show its name is a fixture by Félix González-Torres. Suspended near a window, it becomes a threshold between interior and exterior. “America” exists not inside or outside but through the act of looking and reframing. In that sense, the exhibition treats America less as a place and more as a process of becoming.

American art is traditionally framed through icons such as Edward Hopper, Georgia O’Keeffe, or Jasper Johns. “Untitled (America)” features these figures, placing them in dialogue with other artists, such as Alma Thomas, Jacob Lawrence, and Kay WalkingStick. Their work redefined the concept of “America” by resisting the notion of a unified national image and instead presented it as an evolving network of perspectives and contradictions, focusing on race, documentation of migration, and formal experimentation vs. deprivation. In unity, these artworks show "America" as a space built on multiplicity.

Since the show emphasizes the idea of presenting “America” as an evolving concept, it should include more recent artworks that further shape this artistic landscape. The artworks in the show date only until the early 1980s, which fails to present subsequent developments in multiculturalism. The inclusion of recent contemporary artists who play on the critique of race, sexuality, and national mythology would further strengthen the show's argument. Nevertheless, “Untitled (America)” invites the viewers to reconsider what “America” means by challenging its reputation as a single cultural center.

Gabrielle Garland, I'll Get You, My Pretty, and Your Little Dog Too

 

Gabrielle Garland’s first solo exhibition,  I’ll Get You, My Pretty, and Your Little Dog Too, is a collection of wall-mounted paintings depicting a series of architectural portraits that depict the personality of the people who live inside, rather than the actual people. Her impressionistic depiction of neighborhoods and street views of homes is done with affection and distortion, with fragments of details; she aimed to capture the feeling of the moment rather than focusing on details.. Mailboxes, flower boxes, and more stretch, shrink, or lean at angles, capturing the emotional memory that blurs accuracy.

Using paint and glitter on canvas, Garland depicts homes in distorted, illustrative ways that lend liveliness to the homes and the objects that adorn them. Rendered in bright colors and warped perspective, Garland's homes take on their own humanlike expressions, such as worry or joy. She focuses more on the feeling and memory of seeing these spaces on the street rather than how they appear in real life. 

 The installation of the show is open with bright lights from the floor to the ceiling windows, along with the bright overhead LED lights. This lighting feels somewhat sterile, but allows the pieces to keep the spotlight on the plain white walls. The space allows the viewer to slow down and really observe the details that were included in the pieces.

 

Henry Miller is known for breaking conventions and confronting taboos. His writing and painting not only reflect personal experiences but also challenge social norms. His life shows that the growth of an artist requires not only talent and courage but also opportunities and platforms.

In my view, to become an artist, one must have vision, be bold in experimenting and expressing oneself. At the same time, having a mentor or supporter to bring you into the art world and provide a platform is equally important. Ultimately, consistent effort, producing a large body of work, and gaining exposure are the true keys to an artist’s success.