For Jacolby Satterwhite, this will be the second in the series of commissions for the Met’s Great Hall. The first was in 2019, with works by Kent Monkman. Satterwhite will create a large-scale work, comprised of video, sound, music, and performative interventions. According to the Met’s release, Satterwhite’s installation will incorporate over one hundred objects from the museum’s collection in animation, alongside imagery of New York City and its diverse communities. The goal is to celebrate the vital role of the Museum within the city, and beyond. This is not by any means a departure from his practice. Satterwhite is known for his dreamlike performances and videos that incorporate vogueing, illustrations, music, and 3-D animation to explore notions of queerness, bodies, media culture, and identity.
All of these projects are meant to celebrate the Met’s devotion to contemporary art and emerging artists. On this announcement, Max Hollein, the director of the Met said that these commissions “will challenge and expand our dialogue withe the museum as a site of artistic discourse and community experience. We are proud to support these visionary artists and provide a platform for their work in such prominent and accessible spaces at the Met.”