Get ready to embark on a journey through the ages as the New Museum reopens in 2025 with an unprecedented group exhibition, ‘New Humans: Memories of the Future’, exploring the ever-changing notion of humanity.
The New Museum Embarks on an Expansive New Chapter
After a highly anticipated expansion by OMA in collaboration with Cooper Robertson, the New Museum will reopen in the fall of 2025 with a landmark group exhibition exploring the future of humanity.
‘New Humans: Memories of the Future’ – A Cross-Disciplinary Exploration
The show, titled ‘New Humans: Memories of the Future,’ will bring together more than 150 artists, writers, scientists, architects, and filmmakers in an ambitious cross-disciplinary, cross-generational exploration of what it means to be human amid ever-shifting technological changes. The exhibition draws parallels between the 20th and 21st centuries, examining how creatives and intellectuals across different eras have responded to, processed, and even anticipated the seismic technological and sociological shifts that have shaped new notions of humanity and its possible futures.
Humanity is on the cusp of a technological revolution, with advancements in artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and space exploration poised to transform society.
According to a report by the World Economic Forum, 52% of companies believe AI will significantly impact their business within the next five years.
Meanwhile, scientists are making strides in genetic engineering and regenerative medicine, promising breakthroughs in human longevity and health.
However, these developments also raise concerns about job displacement, inequality, and the ethics of human enhancement.
A Transhistorical Approach
The show’s transhistorical approach is inspired by Roger Caillois‘s concept of Diagonal Science, a method that merges scientific inquiry with Surrealist impulses. Expanding on this idea, ‘New Humans‘ follows what Massimiliano Gioni, Edlis Neeson Artistic Director of the New Museum, describes as a Diagonal History – a transgenerational and cross-disciplinary approach that juxtaposes artistic, architectural, cinematic, and photographic perspectives from the past century.
Diagonal science refers to a multidisciplinary approach that combines concepts and methods from various fields, often at a 45-degree angle to traditional disciplinary boundaries.
This innovative methodology seeks to break down silos between subjects, fostering collaboration and knowledge-sharing across disciplines.
By integrating insights from mathematics, physics, biology, and social sciences, diagonal science aims to tackle complex problems that require an interdisciplinary perspective.
A Global and Transcultural Perspective
The exhibition will feature both historical and contemporary works by artists such as Francis Bacon, Salvador Dalí, Ibrahim El-Salahi, H.R. Giger, Hannah Höch, Tatsuo Ikeda, Gyula Kosice, El Lissitzky, and Eduardo Paolozzi, alongside recent works by artists who have emerged in recent decades, including Anicka Yi, Lucy Beech, Meriem Bennani, Cyprien Gaillard, Pierre Huyghe, Tau Lewis, Daria Martin, Wangechi Mutu, Precious Okoyomon, Berenice Olmedo, Philippe Parreno, Hito Steyerl, Jamian Juliano-Villani, and Andro Wekua.
A Monumental Effort
The exhibition is the result of a monumental effort by the museum’s entire team. Conceiving such an extensive exhibition while simultaneously preparing for the museum’s grand reopening was no easy feat. The exhibition will be intentionally dense and challenging for visitors – both a gamble and a provocation, as Gioni puts it.
A Future-Facing Museum
The New Museum in New York City has been temporarily closed since March of last year to complete its long-awaited expansion—a project that will double the museum’s exhibition space and introduce new facilities, including artist studios and a dedicated home for NEW INC, the institution’s incubator for art, design, and technology. The new building is designed to enhance the visitor experience, with three new elevators improving vertical circulation between floors, a new atrium allowing for large-scale installations, and breathtaking panoramic views of Manhattan.
The new museum expansion project is a significant undertaking, aiming to triple the current exhibition space.
Scheduled for completion in 2025, the expansion will feature state-of-the-art galleries, interactive exhibits, and improved accessibility features.
The project's budget stands at $150 million, with funding sourced from private donors and government grants.
With over 50% of construction already underway, the museum is on track to meet its ambitious deadline.
A Year of Museum Expansions in New York City
The New Museum‘s expansion is part of a wave of institutional transformations across New York City. The Frick Collection will unveil its newly renovated Fifth Avenue home on April 17 after a multi-year restoration aimed at returning it to its Gilded Age grandeur, while the Studio Museum in Harlem is finally set to reopen in its long-awaited new home at 144 West 125th Street, designed by architect David Adjaye.
