Whether in the spirit of celebration or critique, the boldly vibrant works of New York–based contemporary artist Nina Chanel Abney synthesize diverse aspects of contemporary culture. For this new MoMA commission, LOVE NYC (2025), she employed her signature paper cut-out technique to create individual elements that she then arranged into a dynamic, site-specific composition. Cobblestones, street names, and subway lines nod to the history and energy of the surrounding Soho neighborhood. These are interspersed with references to works from the Museum’s collection: Salvador Dalí’s melting clock draped over a tree, an Andy Warhol–inspired soup can, and Marcel Duchamp’s readymade bicycle wheel. In filtering such New York City and modern art icons through her own distinctive visual language, Abney reimagines a set of familiar symbols.
Organized by Samantha Friedman, Curator, Drawings and Prints, MoMA.
