From unusual-but-mesmerising contemporary works to Renaissance masterpieces, the best art exhibitions in New York in 2020 will appeal to all art tastes. New exhibitions are opening throughout the year, but we’ve also thrown in a couple of permanent art exhibitions in the city that you simply have to see.
Get ready to explore this cultural city and take in some world-class artwork along the way…
Best Art Exhibitions In New York 2020
1. Donald Judd Retrospective – MoMA
Visiting the Museum of Modern Art in New York City is practically a rite of passage for any art lover travelling through the States. And, in 2020, you’ll get the chance to explore the evolution of American artist Donald Judd.
The exhibition will explore the remarkable vision of an artist who revolutionised the history of sculpture, highlighting the full scope of Judd’s career through some 60 works in sculpture, painting, and drawing.
2020 Dates: March 1st to July 11th
2. Power Mode: The Force of Fashion – Museum at The Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT)
Power and fashion go together in many different ways, from the “pussy hats” of the 2017 Women’s March to the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Thom Browne suits in the 2018 playoffs and beyond. This exhibit explores the role of fashion in society’s power dynamics through five themes: military, suits, status, rebellion and sex.
It’s a must-see.
2020 Dates: December 12th 2019 – May 9th 2020
3. Studio 54: Night Magic – The Brooklyn Museum
Studio 54 has been the subject of many exhibitions, books and films since its 1970s heyday of late nights of dancing and parties. The Brooklyn Museum puts the nightclub’s influence into a broader context of NYC history in this amazing New York exhibition in 2020.
It will include photography, film, fashion, drawings and never-before-seen illustrations, proposals and designs.
2020 Dates: March 13th – July 5th
4. Guggenheim Collection: Brancusi
One of NYC’s top museums, the Guggenheim has been collecting the work of Constantin Brancusi since the 1950s. It’s a real highlight of the museum and is a must-see for any art lover.
This exhibit focuses on the sculptor’s work in the early decades of the 20th century. This is when he lived and worked in Paris alongside artists including Marcel Duchamp, Fernand Léger, Amedeo Modigliani, and Henri Rousseau.
2020 Dates: Ongoing
5. Vida Americana: Mexican Muralists Remake American Art, 1925–1945 – Whitney Museum of American Art
At the end of the Mexican Revolution in 1920, there was a surge in art that about social justice and national life. This was an inspiration to artists in the US and was helped by the time Mexican muralists, including Diego Rivera, spent in the United States.
This exhibit of 200 works by more than sixty Mexican and American artists, showcases the new kinds of arts created by artists in both countries during this period.
2020 Dates: February 17th – May 17th
6. Willi Smith: Street Couture – Cooper Hewitt
This is the first-ever museum exhibition dedicated to groundbreaking American designer Willi Smith. He was easily one of the most successful African-American designers in history. The exhibition will showcase how the streetwear icon and founder of Williwear broke down social, cultural and economic barriers, paving the way for other people of colour to do the same.
There will be more than 200 items on display.
2020 Dates: March 13th – Ongoing
7. Scenes From The Collection: The Jewish Museum
This exciting show brings together more than 650 works from the museum’s permanent collection—many of which will be on display for the first time—in an entirely new way. It will be divided into eight themed sections. Each of which will feature a different aspect of the museum’s archive, which spans more than 4,000 years of history.
2020 Dates: Ongoing
