One of the Metropolitan Museum’s most iconic spaces, the vast main hall known as the Great Hall, will get a makeover this fall thanks to a new multimedia commission from new media and performance artist Jacolby satterwhite.
For his intervention in hovering space (October 2 to November 26), which will also include audio and performance elements, the artist will incorporate 3D scans of around one hundred objects from the museum’s collection. This will be the second contemporary art commission in the Great Hall, following the unveiling in 2019 of two large-scale narrative paintings by the Cree artist Kent Monkman.
Along with the first details of Satterwhite’s commission, the museum announced on April 10 that the Iranian-born, Berlin-based sculptor Nairy Baghramian is the next artist in charge of creating pieces for the four empty plinths of the museum facade (September 7, 2023-May 19, 2024). His sculptures for the order will be composed of abstract and polychrome elements installed in recesses as if they were rubbish rejected against the building.
Artists Nairy Baghramian (left) and Jacolby Satterwhite (right) Baghram photo: Abigail Enzaldo. Courtesy of the artist, Marian Goodman Gallery and Kurimanzutto. Photo Satterwhite: Xavier Scott Marshall. Courtesy of the artist and Mitchell-Innes & Nash, New York.
Baghramian’s commission is the fourth in the Met’s series of facades, following past interventions by Wangechi Mutu and Carol Bove, and the current installation of golden vases by Hey Locke (until May 30).
News of the major fall interventions at the Met comes as the museum prepares to unveil its flagship spring contemporary art project, a rooftop installation by Los Angeles-based artist Lauren Halsey. Initially scheduled for 2022its installation the east side of south central los angeles hieroglyph prototype architecture (I) (2023) will now be unveiled on April 18 (until October 22).
Site-specific commissions are among the most significant contemporary art projects at the Met, which is still years away from having a long-planned and repeatedly delayed wing for contemporary art. This $500 million project, being designed by architect Frida Escobedois currently scheduled to be completed in 2029.
