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
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Common questions
Is this a large exhibition?
No. It is a single installation in the Whitney's lobby gallery.
Who is Coumba Samba?
A Senegalese American artist based in New York known for site-specific installations drawing on modernist abstraction and minimalism.
