New Museum's 2015 TRIENNIAL: SURROUND AUDIENCE •

The anticipated presentation Surround Audience, the third Triennial for the New Museum is now on display featuring works from 51 young artists emerging from over 25 countries. The artists shared their personal experiences related to the continuing growth of a dehumanized and emotionally disconnected society caused by the constant digital presence of social media and the internet in our lives. The internet and social media platforms play a big part in most of the artists’ daily lives just as it does in many of ours. We communicate via our cherished phones, read our correspondence and even order our foods through an internet-driven system. Subconsciously we are codependents of the internet and wouldn’t be able to live “normal lives” without it.

“Everything we do is going to be captured and archived in an accessible form, whether you want it or not. It’s going to change all of our lives. We are a species that can no longer assume a sense of privacy. It’s not an individual decision, and I feel that’s exciting to explore — or something.” Ryan Trecartin

Juliana a 3-D printed sculpture by Frank Benson sits on the second floor of the museum. It depicts New York resident transgender photographer, painter, poet, and DJ Juliana Huxtable whose work is also featured in the show. Josh Kline’s Freedom was created using face-mapping software that morphed off-duty retired police officers to look like civilians. The officers recited excerpts from social media feeds from the civilians they were made out to look like. These videos are displayed on monitors embedded into the uniforms of mannequins with Teletubbies faces dressed in SWAT team uniforms. A large video projection plays in the same room depicting an actor with a video-mapped face made out to look like President Obama delivering a speech similar to his 2009 inaugural address but rallying against corporate Pleonexia, racism, and the lack of support from the government for its citizens. Interactive Installation by Daniel Steegmann Mangrané transports the viewer to the Mata Atlântica rain forest in Brazil. The Oculus Rift virtual-reality headset allows the user to freely move and look around the virtual world just as you would in real life. Aleksandra Domanović, “SOHO (Substances of Human Origin)” (2015)Sound and light installation by Ashland Mines in the New Museum stairwell, “promise of echo” (2015)

Several works in the exhibition involve recurring performances. All are free with admission. Please refer to the New Museum’s website for schedules and information.