Every two years the hipster art world munches on sour grapes and whines about the Whitney Biennial, which has been criticized in the past for being too cliquey, too scattershot, too short on women, not enough minorities, and criminally ignoring artists (like the ones doing the griping). Now it seems the Biennial has a new hater: Occupy Wall Street, which is most likely behind a parody Whitney Biennial website "announcing" that the institution had "broken" with two of its corporate sponsors, Sotheby's and Deutsche Bank, and returned their filthy money. Ha. Ha ha. Hahahahaha! From the fake website: more ›

About this time last year, the Whitney Museum announced their plans to open a downtown space in the Meatpacking District, and earlier this week, they held a high-flying groundbreaking ceremony for the new building, located at the foot of the High Line. And if you missed it, that's okay, it's really just a pile of dirt right now and you can go to the real museum tomorrow for free. more ›

After nearly two years of haggling, the board of directors at the Whitney Museum have approved plans to begin construction on a new building in the meatpacking district in Manhattan, to be completed by 2015. “Downtown is a new city, a new nation. Why shouldn’t the Whitney be the museum of record there?” said Leonard Lauder, the Whitney’s chairman emeritus and largest benefactor. more ›

Expectations were high in the fall that a second downtown branch of the Whitney Museum would finally come to fruition after a few years of limbo, amidst reports that the museum was forging ahead with plans to construct a Renzo Piano-designed building at the entrance of the High Line. Today, news comes out that it might have been presumptuous expecting a resolution had come. more ›

MUSIC: Come enjoy the Whitney after dark tonight as the museum's live showcase series invites Dan Deacon (pictured) to the stage. If you haven't seen Deacon before, get ready for some Casio keyboard electro-rock compositions and an art dance party. more ›

We would like to take a moment to thank this week's advertisers on Gothamist. more ›

We would like to take a moment to thank this week's advertisers on Gothamist. more ›

We would like to take a moment to thank this week's advertisers on Gothamist. more ›

We would like to take a moment to thank this week's advertisers on Gothamist. more ›

We would like to take a moment to thank this week's advertisers on Gothamist. more ›

We would like to take a moment to thank this week's advertisers on Gothamist. more ›

We would like to take a moment to thank this week's advertisers on Gothamist. more ›

We would like to take a moment to thank this week's advertisers on Gothamist. more ›

We would like to take a moment to thank this week's advertisers on Gothamist. more ›

HEADS UP!: We love Daniel Kitson, it's been documented, so we wanted to give you a heads up that our favorite British comedian is coming back to the States! He has three shows in December at Union Hall (the 2nd, 3rd and 4th), and tickets are ON SALE NOW for two of those dates. It'll be the best $8+fees that you ever spent. ART: The Brothers Grimm fairytale Hansel and Gretel has taken over the... more ›

We would like to take a moment to thank this week's advertisers on Gothamist. more ›

LISTEN UP: Last month we set up shop at White Rabbit, which was transformed into Gothamist House, with WOXY for 4 days of shows. Now WOXY has put together "Best of" podcasts from each of those days, and the first one is up -- so give a listen! Gothamist House Day 1.mp3 ART: First Friday's are so over, tonight come to Williamsburg for Every 2nd Friday. Pick up a copy of "the only comprehensive guide... more ›

Videographer Kelly Loudenberg headed to the Whitney Museum for its Summer of Love exhibit opening party. She writes:

"Last night I attended the opening party for The Whitney's new exhibition, Summer of Love, Art of the Psychadelic Era. It was like a big reunion for the artists of this time. You could feel the LOVE. The exhibit includes film, photography, design, interactive media, underground magazines and press, and much more."

The Summer of Love is back, and taking over New York for a 40th anniversary celebration spanning museums, theaters and screens. The NY Times takes a look at what to expect during this retrospective celebration: more ›

SALE: Our recent interviewees at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden are having a plant sale today and tomorrow. With .50 cent plants for kids and "new and exclusive varieties [of plants] from Monrovia Growers" for adults. Tomorrow at 10am there's a "Houseplants for Sun or Shade: guided shopping trip," so that may be a good time to go! more ›

THEATER: There’s a growing cultural phenomenon in Japan called hikikomori, in which young people (as many as 1 million) withdraw into their rooms and refuse any contact with the outside world, sometimes for years. (In America, it’s called adolescence.) The Attic, by acclaimed Japanese playwright Yoji Sakate, is about “a mysterious company that sells tiny ‘attics’ over the internet to people who want to withdraw from society. One man embarks on a quest to find the source of these dwellings after his brother commits suicide in one. On the path to discovering the source are several attic dwellers including a teenage girl and a kidnapper, samurai, polar explorers, soldiers fighting a multi-national war, and many other commonplace and fantastical characters.” John Beer at The Village Voice says, “It might come in a coffin-like box, but this witty, bizarre, and intensely moving production is a rare gift.” - John Del Signore more ›

"Good artists copy, great artists steal," quipped Pablo Picasso. Seemingly taking direction from the famous painter, two of the most prestigious art museums in New York have ironically similar exhibits featuring Picasso's works: The Whitney Museum of American Art has Picasso and American Art, while the Guggenheim Museum has Spanish Painting from El Greco to Picasso. Although the focus on place and the consortium of artists are different, both museums are strikingly similar in that they hang Picasso's works side-by-side with other artists' paintings to explore their similarities. more ›

Well, this wasn't a surprise: An Upper East Side community board committee moved to reject plans for a 30 floor apartment tower at 980 Madison Avenue. The design by Lord Norman Foster, ballyhooed for his addition to the Hearst Building and a design for the World Trade Center, is shorter than the Carlyle Hotel nearby, but the Carlyle's height is less obtrusive due to set backs. more ›

In what seems like a familiar refrain, neighbors of the Whitney Museum are upset over its 18-floor addition. And now, a residents and the Carlyle Hotel have filed a lawsuit agains the city claiming, as the NY Sun puts it, that "the Board of Standards and Appeals erred in granting the museum variances to zoning regulations, in order to allow the Whitney to go forward with its expansion." The group is still upset over the planned 178 foot tower and a huge crane that is to be installed (to move art around), plus the fact that the Whitney was granted seven variances to move forward with expansion plans. more ›

Happy Cinco de Mayo...while you're not eating guacamole, sipping on frozen margs and taking a whack at a Sparks filled pinata...you may want to do one of the following this weekend: more ›

In addition to the two great events we mentioned earlier, there are also a number of other worthwhile art happenings going on this week. Plenty in fact to satisfy even the most dedicated fine art junkie. more ›

J, keyboardist of the Fever, is having a different kind of show tonight. One to display his original, oversized and pressed origami. Head over to Red Humor Salon tonight in Brooklyn (details at right) for the opening reception. Enjoy some beer and a not often seen brand of art. more ›