PRESENTATION: Greater New York 2026

The sixth edition of the signature survey “Greater New York 2026” at MoMA PS1 presents a vital snapshot of artistic practice in one of the world’s most dynamic urban centers. Featuring 53 artists and collectives, the exhibition coincides with the museum’s 50th anniversary and, for the first time, is curated by the entire MoMA PS1 curatorial team, marking a departure from tradition. The result is a sprawling, site-specific intervention that takes over the entirety of the museum’s historic building, transforming classrooms and hallways into a fragmented, exploratory experience.

By Dimitris Lempesis
Photo: MoMA Archive

The thematic core of “Greater New York 2026” is a deep engagement with the forces shaping daily life in the contemporary city. The infrastructures that govern and pressurize life in the region. The exhibition is defined by its deep local roots, particularly in the borough of Queens. It includes artists born in the borough, such as Dean Majd, Piero Penizzotto, Kenneth Tam, Candace Hill-Montgomery and Devlin Claro.

Dean Majd, is a lens-based artist born to Palestinian immigrants, explores themes of empathy, masculinity, and trauma. Piero Penizzotto is a Peruvian-American artist, creates life-sized papier-mâché sculptures that reflect on intimacy and familial presence. Kenneth Tam is a Queens-born interdisciplinary artist, is known for video works that examine the performance of masculinity and group intimacy. Candace Hill-Montgomery is a pioneering cross-disciplinary artist working since the 1970s, interrogates social inequities such as racism and gentrification through a variety of media. Devlin Claro, a 2026 Cooper Union alum, rounds out this group of borough natives.

Other artists are deeply embedded in local communities, most notably the Cevallos Brothers whose decades-long practice of creating hand-painted commercial signage for businesses in Jackson Heights is featured. The Flushing-based collective Red Canary Song has a dedicated presentation in the museum’s Homeroom gallery.

The exhibition is a milestone in MoMA PS1’s history. Founded by curator Alanna Heiss in 1971 as the Institute for Art and Urban Resources, the museum began by transforming underutilized spaces into studios and galleries. It officially opened in 1976 in its current location, a decommissioned 19th-century public school building. The first “Greater New York” exhibition was launched in 2000, following MoMA PS1’s affiliation with the Museum of Modern Art. This 2026 edition, coinciding with the museum’s 50th anniversary, reaffirms its commitment to its core mission of championing the voices of artists in the New York area.

“Greater New York 2026” is more than an art exhibition; it is a cultural barometer, capturing the tensions, hopes, and creative spirit of a city at a critical juncture. By foregrounding the perspectives of early and mid-career artists and celebrating its own rich history, MoMA PS1 solidifies its role as a cornerstone of New York’s cultural identity. For those seeking to understand the present and future of New York’s art scene, this is an unmissable event.

PERFORMANCE PROGRAM

May 2, 2026
Sophie Becker, “Ronnie’s World” (2026)
Symara Sarai, “The LOVE piece” (EXCERPT)” (2025–ongoing)
Rezarta Sefari, “e pluribus ur mom” (2026)

May 30, 2026
Chang Yuchen and Kameelah Janan Rasheed, “Call Me by Your Practice” 20260
Kite, “Four Handdreamers”, 2026
Tom Thayer, “The Story of a Sudden Butterfly” (2026)

June 27, 2026
Georgica Pettus, “Truck” (2026)

Participating Artists: Marie Angeletti, Sophie Becker, Jay Carrier, Cevallos Brothers, Chang Yuchen, Mary Helena Clark, Devlin Claro, Taína Cruz, Janiva Ellis, Sophie Friedman, -Pappas, Covey Gong, Rachel Handlin, Mekko Harjo, fields harrington, Hardy Hill, Candace Hill-Montgomery, Arlan Huang, Akira Ikezoe, Esteban Jefferson, Kite, Coco Klockner, Marc Kokopeli, André Magaña, Dean Majd Vijay Masharani, Taro Masushio, Win McCarthy, Metoac Indigenous Collective, Dean Millien, Ian Miyamura, Kameron Neal, Louis Osmosis, Piero Penizzotto, Georgica Pettus, María-Elena Pombo, Nickola Pottinger, Farah Al Qasimi, Kameelah Janan Rasheed , Red Canary Song, G. Rosa-Rey, Coumba Samba, Cinthya Santos-Briones, Symara Sarai, Rezarta Seferi, Tiffany Sia, Sofía Sinibaldi, Kenneth Tam, Tom Thayer, Julia Wachtel, Kristin Walsh, Poyen Wang , Women’s History Museum,  Cici Wu

Photo: Left: fields harrington. Unfree Free Time (Bike Rental). 2026. E-bike and bike rack. Right: Cevallos Brothers. Greater New York. 2026 Acrylic on wall. Installation view of Greater New York, on view at MoMA PS1 from April 16 through August 17, 2026. Courtesy MoMA PS1. Photo: Kris Graves

Info: Curatorial Team: Sheldon Gooch, Kari Rittenbach, Connie Butler, Jody Graf, Andrea Sánchez, Elena Ketelsen González, and Ruba Katrib, MoMA PS1, 22-25 Jackson Ave, Queens, NY, USA, Duration: 16/4-19/8/2026, Days & Hours: Hours: Mon, Thu-Fri & Sun 12:00-18:00,  Sat 10:00-18:00, www.momaps1.org/en