About
Coumba Samba's first solo museum show turns part of the Whitney into an installation on nuclear power and African resource extraction.
Coumba Samba takes clean, minimalist forms from the built environment and exposes the politics hiding inside them, and her first solo museum show opened in September at the Whitney. Stars and Stripes, named for the flag's nickname, looks at nuclear power and the African mining that fed it. If you like to catch an artist at the start of their museum career, this is a quick, sharp stop on the way to the upper floors.
What to expect
The work is a single immersive installation in the lobby gallery rather than a multi-room show, so it takes minutes, not hours. Expect geometric, abstract forms that nod to modernism and minimalism, with source imagery drawn from aerospace and military histories.
Good to know
- A compact show that fits easily before or after the larger exhibitions upstairs
- The lobby gallery is a compact space — pair it with the upper-floor exhibitions
- Organized by guest curator Rujeko Hockley
- Nearest subway is the A/C/E or L at 14th Street–Eighth Avenue
Common questions
How long is Stars and Stripes on view?
The exhibition runs from Saturday, September 19, 2026, through Monday, January 18, 2027.
Where is the exhibition inside the Whitney?
Stars and Stripes is installed on Floor 1 of the museum.
What will I see in the installation?
The installation includes sculptures modeled after depleted uranium shells and painted with colors from the flags of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Namibia, Niger, and the United States.
What subject does Coumba Samba explore here?
Samba connects uranium extraction, colonial power, environmental harm, and the development of nuclear weapons through modernist geometric forms and national symbols.
Who organized the exhibition?
Guest Curator Rujeko Hockley organized the exhibition with Curatorial Assistant Antonia Pocock.