A close look at the history and evolution of Internet art though the Whitney’s online art platform
In the age of technology, no medium more uniquely reflects our evolving relationship to critical themes of privacy, identity, and self-perception than Internet, or net, art. Over the last twenty-five years, the Whitney Museum of American Art has chronicled the field of net art, setting a precedent for commissioning and exhibiting art through its web-based platform artport. From early experiments in net art to artists’ more recent explorations of virtual worlds and augmented reality, artport offers a sweeping look at the scope and rapid advancement of the art form. By surveying artport’s full collection of works, artport: a history of internet art covers the evolution of the field from 2001 to 2026.
An essay by author Christiane Paul prefaces the three categories of artport and establishes this in-depth publication as a critical snapshot of the field. By closely examining how net art reflects shifting societal concerns, social norms, media environments, and technological possibilities, contributing essayists illuminate how and why net art is a true barometer of its time.
Distributed for the Whitney Museum of American Art
Exhibition Schedule:
Whitney Museum of American Art, New York
(November 21, 2026–March 28, 2027)