2012 Whitney Biennial Highlights Performance

An intimate setting and unusual mediums are emphasized at this year's biennial at the Whitney Museum of American Art. Of the 51 artists featured, a large portion create works centered around performance, dance, music and theater.

When asked about the shift, Jay Sanders, curator of the Whitney Biennial told Reuters, "We felt like all of these artists say something important and kind of poignant right now."

Alongside galleries filled with paintings and sculptures, a significant effort has been made to accommodate the new variety of works. The entire fourth floor of the museum has been transformed into a 6,000 square-foot dance floor and one unemployed artist with a lot of time on her hands is trying a different approach to performance.

Dawn Kasper forged a studio out of the space the Whitney provided her and decided she might as well bring her bed, too. Kasper lives in the museum during open hours in order to provoke an unconventional artist-viewer interaction from visitors. Feel free to stop by and have a chat with Kasper and the many other artists on-hand when the Biennial officially opens on March 1st.