NYC NOW - A Trip to the Whitney Biennial and NY’s Meme-Filled Instagram

Episode Date: March 27, 2026

WNYC arts and culture editor Matthew Schnipper joins us for a trip to the Whitney Biennial, where we hear from co curator Drew Sawyer about this year’s exhibition and the strong New York connections among its artists. Then we look at what’s coming from his desk this week, including a new dating series called “Date My Friend,” a documentary screening, and New York State’s meme filled Instagram. — Got any questions, comments or story ideas? Send us a message at [e-mail]

From WNYC, this is NYC Now. I'm Junae Pierre. The Whitney Biennial, an event series called Date My Friend, and a documentary that captures the divide between New York City Jews. That's all ahead on this edition of the Arts and Culture Check-in. But first, here's what's happening in our region. Mayor Zoraamandani's pledge to freeze the rent for tenants in a million regulated apartments across New York City

may have gotten a boost this week. The city's Rent Guidelines Board met for the first time this year to review the financial health of the city's rent-regulated landlords. A board report shows a 6% increase in what's known as owner's net operating income. It's the third straight spike. Mayor Mumdani has called for a rent freeze. And his supporters say the data bolsters that position because it shows landlords are faring well.

But landlord groups say the overall data covers up serious problems in a subset of buildings facing financial distress, like older Bronx buildings where all apartments are rent-stabilized. The board will hold a series of public hearings before a binding vote in June. New York City's public hospital system is facing a federal lawsuit from a non-binary doctor who alleges discrimination and retaliation at a Manhattan hospital.

Danielle Peterson is a former dermatology resident at Metropolitan Hospital. Their suit says supervisors told Peterson not to disclose, their gender identity and later pushed them out of the program. It also alleges Peterson was forced into a psychiatric evaluation and removed from clinical work after raising concerns. NYC Health and Hospitals did not respond to a request for comment. In New Jersey, a man is facing federal firearms charges after prosecutors say he plotted to assassinate a prominent Palestinian-American activist.

Prosecutors say Alexander Heifler told an undercover officer on a video call that he was interested in Molotov cocktails. Officials say Heifler assembled multiple explosives and planned to throw them at the home of Nardine Kaswani. She's the founder of a pro-Palestinian group called Within Our Lifetime. Caswani says she will continue to speak up. Attorney information for Heifler was not immediately available. The 26th, Whitney Biennial, is now on view

and features 56 artists who explore themes of community and the impact of power in the U.S. This year's exhibition was curated by Marcella Guerrero and Drew Sawyer. For nearly a year, the two curators did over 300 studio visits with artists around the world to select who and what would be featured in this year's biennial. Drew says there are quite a few artists in the exhibition who are either from New York City or based here. Like Samia Halabi, one of the older artists in the exhibition, Drew says she was actually born in Jerusalem. She's represented by a series of kinetic paintings she did on her Amiga computer in the 1980s.

She's amazing. She's going to tell you like it is, which I appreciate. Drew says when selecting individual pieces for the show, he and his co-curator, Marcella, wanted viewers to have a full range of emotions. So in some cases, we wanted people to be a little bit terrified, or we wanted them to laugh, or we wanted them to maybe cry, both the tears of joy. or sadness through certain works. We wanted the range of works that some were a little bit more opaque, and we're going to have to make you work a little bit harder as a viewer to understand them, and then some maybe are more readily knowable within a few seconds of looking at it.

The Biennial also features works by Augusto Machado. Drew says Machado is an icon of queer performance art and activism, who's been around since the early 1960s. He was at the Stonewall riots in 1969. became kind of a caretaker for so many people in the 1980s and 1990s during the first decades of the AIDS pandemic. And in the last, I would say, like, five years, he's been making these really beautiful shrines, altars to some of his friends who have passed away. Drew Sawyer is the co-curator of the 2026 Whitney Biennial. He's also the Sondra Gilman curator of photography at the Whitney Museum as well.

Drew actually showed me around this year's Whitney Biennial, along with WMYC's Arts and Culture Editor Matthew Schnipper. After the break, Matt and I reflect on our favorite moments exploring the Whitney Biennial. We discuss that and more on this edition of the Arts and Culture Check-in. Stick around. Welcome back to this edition of the Arts and Culture Check-in. This is where we discuss a few stories from WMYC's Culture Desk with our editor, Matthew Schnipper. Hey, Matt. Hi, Janay.

Before we get into this week's stories, man, the Whitney Biennial. It was so cool, wasn't it? It was really fun to be able to actually see it. We got to see kind of a solo, quiet preview. With the exception of a wealthy donor got stuck in the elevator. That's right. We got a VIP experience. You can say it.

We got a VIP experience. What were your favorite pieces? I love this piece from Akianda, which was made up of 20 radios. Oh, yeah, that was a cool one. They were kind of all on kind of like a little radio bleachers that they had created. Yeah. And it's a recreation of a piece from an artist. named Jose Maceda, who was Filipino, and he made in 1974 a piece called Ugnayan.

And basically, he recorded 20 different tracks of sound and had different radio stations in the Philippines. Each of them play a different track. So you needed to kind of be in a place where you could have 20 different radios or some amount of the radios playing all these different stations to hear the music in unison. And a radio is not. necessarily an instrument, but he turned it into one. Yeah.

And so to recreate this, the Whitney, and they went actually out on eBay and bought a whole bunch of old analog radios. And they got the tracks that he had used originally and they are broadcasting them. They said, hidden underneath this kind of radio bleacher, I guess I can call it, was a radio transmitter. And each of these radios was picking up a station and broadcasting it. So you can stand in front of that and hear this was an experience these people had on New Year's Day in 1974. In one way, it's kind of a cacophony and another way it's a choir. Yeah. I thought it was really special.

I thought so, too. And I have to tell you, I don't think I've seen that many antennas in one space ever. I was legit in awe when we walked into that gallery that featured Matthew Peacock's sculpture. So cool. All right. So this is an interpretation of a coastal. redwood tree. And he created this sculpture, y'all, out of braids, which he did himself over the course of, I think they said, 10 months. It took, I mean, how he was able to accomplish that much in 10 months is wild.

Amazing. So impressive. Over 3,500 braids. It looks like a tree. You have brown braids, orange braids, green braids. You know, in the scale of this, I had heard about it, same as anybody listening here. Yeah, it's very big, whatever. You know, it's the size of a redwood. It's really. hard to comprehend until you were standing in front of this thing, which is what twice is telling you know, probably 10 feet tall. Yeah, eight feet wide. It has the same kind of sleek and curvy bark that a tree would have. It felt so tactile.

Yeah. Really beautiful piece. Definitely got to make time to get back over there because there was a lot we also didn't see, right? That's right. Yeah. So got to do that. Okay.

You know, Matt, our chat. It's oftentimes lead to some pretty cool access, and we were able to get a peek at the Whitney Biennial outside of business hours. And this week, we were able to view a new documentary called Scenes from the Divide. And that divide is between New York City's Jewish community. Can you talk about that? Yeah, this is a really fascinating, about a 30-minute documentary that has been playing at IFC. And the film follows a young woman, you know, a Gen Z, the first New York City, U.S. born and raised member of her family with two parents who are Ukrainian immigrants. But she is a big mom-dani supporter.

And it follows her. She's canvassing and up to Election Day. And she has parents who are, she's Jewish and her parents are. pretty anti-Mamdani and very anti-socialists and are confused. And so this divide is between the kind of generations and between Jews who are, you know, who are pro-Mam-Dani and anti. And the film shows kind of both sides. And it's an intense gulf.

Yeah, yeah. The end there is a, what, an eighth generation rabbi, the guy is talking, you know, which is, you know, and he even seems to be like, how do that happen? I'm an eighth gender, you know, he's got his bona fides. And he talks himself about how his own views have evolved. But really meaningfully to me, he was talking about when older generations really fail to, I don't even want to say bridge the gap with younger generations, but understand even the source of the gap or try to reflect upon the gap with younger generations that divide. just will continue to crack. What did you think about it?

I thought it was very well put together. And I love how she hopped through communities. Specifically, I'm thinking of the scene when she and another friend were in Brighton Beach. And, you know, they were canvassing in that area and talking to voters. And it was just the back and forth, right? Like, they didn't have to say much.

They held up their flyers. And one lady said that she voted from Mdani. The other guy overheard it. and they began to go back and forth with their discourse, you know. And the documentary, unfortunately, it ends so quickly, as you mentioned, after 32 minutes or so on election night. Yeah. When Mamdani is declared the winner of the mayoral election. But yeah, really nice piece.

Go check that one out for sure. So speaking of Mayor Mamdani, if we can segue a bit, I know that you are keeping up with his cultural references. Do you have anything to add? So I'm excited to tell you. Mom Donnie listed his five favorite rappers. Yeah, I'm ready for this. Can you guess a couple? What do you think?

I remember Mom Donny is, you know, a young millennial, right? Yeah. Okay. Kendrick Lamar? No. Okay. The list doesn't matter. It's like, it's the first time you've been like, he could have said Drake.

You know, it's like even that. I mean, his list was Nas, JZ, Notorious. Notorious B-I-G, Lupe Fiasco, and Common. Okay. This is a solid list. For someone who is 20 years older. Exactly. I'm like, because I was trying to think, like, okay, he's not even mid-30s legit, you know.

But, Naz, first of all, Nas keeps dropping albums like he's in his prime. So I can kind of get it. We may disagree on that, but yes. Okay, okay, okay. But I just was like, this is that. I was very surprised. You know, like, Lou Be Fiasco of like all people, also all men. Like, I mean, he's not going to say Nikki at this point, you know, who has become like, you know, Maga Barbie or whatever.

I think that's what they say? You know, Maga menage, whatever. But like, boy, hey, I was like, this is, he, as someone who strives for him, like, to feel kind of like cutting edge or whatever. Yeah. I feel like if you asked him, like, when he was running, he was. would be like, oh, you know, like, Xavier's so based is the only person I listen to, whatever, you know. And like, now he's like, Lupa Fiasco. Okay, Mary Mum, Donnie.

Give my dad his list back. Right. Yeah, like, yes, that is what I feel like, you know. All right. Let's segue to your desk now. There's a new event series that's coming from one coast and coming here. This one's coming from Los Angeles. It's called Date My Friend.

Date My Friend. Is it exactly what it sounds like? Yes, actually. for all the Yantas out there, myself included. I think this is great. I've been married for years. You're a good wingman. Romance is fun.

It doesn't have to be my own. You know, like, yeah, I think I'm a good wingman. I love to set people up. So this event is exactly what it says. You sign up, you know, you fill out of Google form, and you say, my friend is this cool guy. My friend is this amazing woman. And here's why they're amazing. And, you know, you go up in front of a crowd.

if you get selected, and you sell them, and you sell the audience on them. Wow. People can go out and try to date your friend. Wow. So this has been in L.A. They had a night in New York, which immediately sold out and they added a second. I think what they found was, you know, Tinder hinge, whatever. Yes, it made it easier to meet people, but it did take away some of the kind of

just slower moving kind of elements of romance. It does still make a little bit artificial that idea of maybe you'll go out and meet somebody. No, this is a dating event, you know. Everyone knows what they're there for. This brings that and makes it analog. Yeah, and you had the support of your friend. Yes. Right?

And who knows you best? I thought this was a really lovely event. Matt, when was the last time you hooked up a friend? Literally like two months ago. Oh, come on. Break it down. I have shot other people's shot for them. Recently, actually, I was at a coffee shop and someone had been like, oh, yeah, this guy would be good for that person or whatever.

And I didn't know. And I went up to the guy and I was like, hey, somebody told me about you. Like, can I tell you? I'm mad. I don't know you. But, you know, I think you'd be great for her. Like, can I tell you about my friend? Like, she'd be great.

Here's her Instagram. So cute. You know, like when it's your friend, you have no skin in the game. You want it to work out for them. Yeah. You almost have more courage when it's for somebody else. Yeah. All right.

I tried to be a Yentat on the front end and then let them do what they want after I've made the match. Okay. So before we get out of here, there's one more story that I'd like to discuss because it's certainly something that has come up in my friend group. And we even talk about it in our planning meetings. My team and I, what is going on with New York State's Instagram account? And has it been hacked? Yes. Is it Gen Z?

And the fairy Instagram as well, check those out. They are so weird. And so Hannah Fershberger, we mentioned. Hannah is a, you know, a reporter on my desk. And she at some point, if she brought these to my attention, he said, what is up with these insane Instagrams? How do I describe them? Imagine like a Furby, literally a photo of a Furby run through, you know, a Photoshop filter, you know, so it looked completely fried. And the Furby saying, like, there's a big snowstorm coming in Comic Sans font.

And that's how the official New York State Instagram is communicating to you to, like, observe alternate side parking or whatever, you know. And then the ferry, there was a ferry when they were saying it's cold. There was a brick wearing a North Face jacket and Timms, you know. And I think like a Yankees fitted being like, it's going to be cold on the ferry. And it's just like, I have to say, actually, whoever's doing the photoshopping of the ferry is quite good. That's a good one. The ferry account is good. But the New York's Gov account, like the artwork, I mean, it's pretty bad, like, in an incredible way.

I feel like we're going to see this in the next biennial, perhaps. And they just seem to have embraced this kind of, it's kind of just shit posting, basically. But from these official accounts, giving you official municipal information. Yeah. I wonder, like, are we seeing this in any other states? Some. And some people have kind of taken this approach up and abandoned it. This seems like to have caught on in New York.

It is weird. And we talked to the two people that are running these Instagram accounts. And they said, look, like, this is how people communicate on the internet and official Instagram, personal Instagram, whatever. That's what we want to get our message across. This is what seems to work. Yeah. Message received. And message received.

And like, it is working. We wrote about it. You wouldn't necessarily be writing about the ferry Instagram on Gothamist or talking about it on the radio. Right. You wouldn't be following it if you don't take the ferry. But now I am. Right. You know, yeah.

And part of me was like, I mean, the headline for this was like, has, you know, have they lost their mind? The New York State Instagram lost her mind. And the woman who runs this account wrote back. Absolutely. You know, it's charming. I do think there is an internet literacy. hill to overcome. I think people are going to look at that and do think, yeah, has this been hacked?

Why does it look like this? But I was surprised to see in the comments, I don't remember if it was like Instagram comments or comments on Gothamist, but some people saying like, I'm in my 70s and I love this, you know. So it may be actually that this kind of insane, bugged out way of looking and speaking is becoming a lot more common than I expected. Yeah, I can dig it. You can dig it? Yeah.

Yeah. You know, Matt, I fail to mention that it is officially spring. I know what I'm looking forward to getting rid of my coat. What are you looking forward to? Honestly, I'm looking forward to people putting stuff out on their stoops that I can take for free. Oh, I'm already on it, my friend. What did you get? I got this cute little garden container from my balcony.

That's nice. Yeah. That is the thing I am most looking forward to. I'm looking for people cleaning stuff out and leaving things. things out. I mean, stoop sale, I'll take it. I'll pay money for your old junk. I won't. I want the free stuff. You want the free stuff. I love the free stuff. I want the nice free stuff. You wake up early in the morning, hop in the car, drive around the nice neighborhoods. Yes, I am coming to you, Brooklyn Heights. And, you know, you get what you can.

It's just absolutely my favorite thing. My wife has, she haven't walked along the street with me for long enough where I've just looked through, you know, a box of junk. She just doesn't wait anymore. She's like, all right, just catch up with me. She just, the patience for that is done after 10 years of this, you know? You know what I got once? What's the name of the mayor? The chief, the mayor from the wire. Yeah.

Oh, RIP. Yeah, seriously. I got a bobblehead of him. I think that's my favorite thing I found on the street. What's his name? We got a... It is Isaiah Whitlock. Yeah, Isaiah Whitlock, yeah.

So I got that bobblehead. That was a prize possession. Wow. That's, I think that's the weirdest thing I ever found. That's a good one. I think we should do a future. episode where we just walk around trying to find as much cool stuff as we can. That will require me working on weekends and I don't.

No, we'll just go on the weekday. We'll just, we'll figure this out. Park slope, we're on the way. Let's just go find some stuff. Yeah. You know, I will say all of my balcony furniture and tables and things have come from a curb. I didn't know we really have this in common. I'm excited about this.

Every time we chat. We're more and more alike. Wow. That's my pal. You're like foot taller than me. No, we. Oh, God. Who knew?

Happy spring, Janay. Happy spring to you, too, Matt. That's WNYC's Matthew Schnipper, our Arts and Culture editor. And this has been another edition of the Arts and Culture Check-in. Thanks so much. Hey, Matt, got $12,000 for me? Yeah, sure. I'll take Venmo or pennies, or how do I get on there?

I'll take the pennies. I just need some money for these Jay-Zee. concert tickets. Oh my God. I really want to go. You really want to go? Yeah. Jay-Z's not going to give you a ticket?

No, he didn't answer the phone. What more can I say? What more can I do? Is this better? It doesn't cost $12,000. He'll never let us in now.