If I had to choose a favorite art gallery in the city it would have to be the Whitney Museum of American Art. The Whitney is the only gallery that I’ve gone to socially and with my parents. The first time I went was with my sister, who was in Macaulay at the time, to see the Biennial. It was amazing. There was tons of work by up-and-coming artists with commentary by students.
The next Biennial is slated for 2012 and there’s a lot of buzz surrounding it. On one hand there’s the new plans to open up a space downtown in the trendy meatpacking district. The anticipation for the new move was celebrated at the Whitney Museum’s annual gala. Chuck Close and Jeff Koons both attended the event. Back in the day, Close’s art hung as part of the Biennial.
The Biennial has a tradition of being a haven for emerging artists. While the next one will be taking place in 2012, the buzz has already begun. The New York Times recently published an article about the newly announced curators. I personally can’t wait to use my cultural passport to see the next Biennial, even if it won’t be for another 2 years.
The Whitney is a wonderful museum, but I don’t think I would rank it as the top NY museum. Your preference, no doubt, is influenced by your own familiarity with it, as well as the pleasant associations of past visits with family. That is fine, (and the Biennial is also a very good reason to visit), but I would suggest you develop additional “relationships” with other museums. With so many wonderful places to visit, there is no reason to be exclusive!