School Notes: School of Art
January/February 2008

Ten alumni chosen for 2008 Whitney Biennial

Of the 81 artists chosen to show their work in the prestigious 2008 biennial contemporary art exhibit at New York's Whitney Museum of American Art, ten are graduates of the Yale School of Art. Included are Walead Beshty ’02MFA, Shannon Ebner ’00MFA, and Michael Smith ’81MFA (photography); William Cordova ’04MFA and Lisa Sigal ’89MFA (painting); David Reinfurt ’99MFA (graphic design); and Rashawn Griffin ’05MFA, Leslie Hewitt ’04MFA, Charles Long ’88MFA, and Adam Putnam ’00MFA (sculpture).

Since its founding in 1932, the Whitney Biennial has evolved into the Whitney's signature exhibition, as well as the most important survey of the state of contemporary art in the United States today. The Whitney Biennial is on view from March 6 through June 1.

Sculpture retrospective at MoMA

The Museum of Modern Art in New York City mounted a major retrospective of the work of American sculptor Martin Puryear ’71MFA, featuring approximately 45 sculptures and following the development of Puryear's artistic career over the last 30 years. Puryear's sculptures, which are mostly made of wood, are rich with psychological and intellectual references, and raise issues of identity, culture, and history. The exhibition opened in November and closes on January 14.