# Whitney Museum Appoints Meg Onli and Zack Winokur for 2028 Biennial The 83rd edition of the historic exhibition will be co-curated by Onli and Winokur. - **Source:** [ARTnews](https://www.artnews.com) - **Published:** 2026-11-06 - **Topic:** [culture](https://brifing.si/c/culture) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/bc4cfeb2-ac98-4369-b85d-06692ff498c1 ## Curatorial Leadership Announcement The Whitney Museum of American Art officially announced Meg Onli and Zack Winokur as the co-curators for the 2028 Whitney Biennial. This 83rd edition of the long-running survey is scheduled to open in March 2028. The appointment marks a significant shift, pairing a museum curator with a performing arts director. ## Meg Onli's Institutional Path Meg Onli joined the Whitney as curator-at-large in 2023 and currently serves as the Nancy and Fred Poses Curator. She previously co-curated the 2024 Biennial, titled Even Better Than the Real Thing, alongside Chrissie Iles. Her background includes leadership roles at the Underground Museum and the Institute of Contemporary Art, Philadelphia. ## Zack Winokur's Interdisciplinary Background Zack Winokur is a performing arts director and co-founder of the American Modern Opera Company. He previously served as the artistic director for Little Island, which functioned as an off-site venue for the 2026 Whitney Biennial. His work frequently bridges opera, theater, dance, and visual arts, signaling a multidisciplinary approach. ## Institutional Vision and Collaboration Whitney director Scott Rothkopf described the duo as possessing a distinct curatorial alchemy. He highlighted Onli’s ability to champion artists and Winokur’s inventive programming skills. The pair aims to foster experimentation and explore new possibilities across disciplines, promising a radical new vision for the upcoming 2028 exhibition cycle. ## Context of Recent Museum Labor The announcement follows a period of labor tension at the Whitney. Unionized staff, represented by United Auto Workers 2110, recently ratified a second contract just hours before a planned strike. The agreement secured a new wage floor, improved parental leave, and safety provisions, stabilizing the museum environment before this appointment. ## Historical Significance of Biennial Dating back to 1932, the Whitney Biennial remains the longest-running survey of American art. Over 3,600 artists have participated in the exhibition throughout its history. The 2026 edition, which closed recently, attracted over 550,000 visitors and featured performances at Little Island, setting a high benchmark for the upcoming 2028 iteration. ## Current Museum Programming Influence Onli is currently co-curating the Roy Lichtenstein retrospective, Like New, with artist Alex Da Corte. This collaboration is viewed as a potential indicator of the working dynamic visitors might expect in 2028. The show examines how Lichtenstein anticipated a picture-obsessed culture, reflecting Onli's focus on contemporary artistic practice and history. ## Future Expectations for 2028 As the museum prepares for the 2028 opening, the focus remains on the intersection of objects and people. Both curators expressed excitement about their collaborative dialogue and commitment to serving artists. The Biennial continues its tradition of reinvention, aiming to challenge perceptions of American art through this new leadership. ## Sources covering this story - [ARTnews — Meg Onli and Zack Winokur Named 2028 Whitney Biennial Curators](https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/2028-whitney-biennial-meg-onli-zack-winokur-curators-1234804890/) - [Hyperallergic — Meg Onli and Zack Winokur Named 2028 Whitney Biennial Curators](https://hyperallergic.com/meg-onli-and-zack-winokur-to-curate-2028-whitney-biennial/) - [Artnet News — Whitney Museum Appoints Choreographer for Upcoming Biennial Exhibition](https://news.artnet.com/art-world/whitney-biennial-2028-curators-2833057) --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._