New World School of the Arts visual arts 2006 alumnus, Leonardo Castañeda, has been selected to participate in the 2026 Whitney Biennial. This prestigious event, now in its 82nd iteration, is recognized as the longest-running survey of American art. This year’s theme explores various forms of relationships, encompassing familial bonds, our interactions with technology, connections between species, and geopolitical dynamics, among other topics.
“Selection for the Whitney Biennial represents one of the highest distinctions in contemporary American art. Leo Castañeda’s inclusion in the 2026 Biennial is a powerful affirmation of the excellence, innovation, and critical engagement that define his artistic practice,” said NWSA dean of visual arts, O. Gustavo Plascencia. “As a graduate of New World School of the Arts high school, Leo’s achievement underscores the vital role of rigorous arts education in cultivating visionary artists whose work resonates on a national and international stage. This milestone reflects both Leo’s exceptional career trajectory and the enduring impact of NWSA’s commitment to nurturing emerging creative voices.”
The Whitney Biennial 2026 will feature 56 artists, duos, and collectives from around the nation and internationally. “After more than 300 visits, we found that many of the artists we gravitated toward were exploring various forms of relationality with a particular emphasis on infrastructures,” noted Drew Sawyer, staffer at the Museum of American Art. “In addition to artists from across 25 states, we also invited artists from Afghanistan, Chile, Iraq, Okinawa, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Vietnam and elsewhere – places marked by the reach of US power. Together, these artists’ work make space for forms of relation that are intimate, improvised and contested.”
The Whitney Biennial, established in 1932, was founded by Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney. The event began as an invitational exhibition showcasing works created in the previous two years, initially organized by medium with alternating focuses on painting, sculpture, and works on paper. In 1937, the Museum transitioned to annual exhibitions known as Annuals. Since 1973, the format has evolved into a biennial survey that encompasses all media, allowing for a comprehensive exploration of contemporary art. Over the years, more than 3,600 artists have contributed to this prestigious survey, including New World School of the Arts visual arts alumni Hernan Bas in 2004, Bert Rodriguez in 2008, and Adler Guerrier in 2008.
The upcoming exhibition is set to open on March 8, 2026, taking up a significant portion of the Whitney’s facility in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District. The exhibition will feature a comprehensive schedule of performances, public events, and online programming.
Leonardo Castañeda, born in Colombia 1988, graduated from the New World School of the Arts visual arts high school program. He is an artist working in the intersection of virtual reality, gaming, painting, performance and interactive sculpture. Castañeda’s work deploys and deconstructs the socio-economic, racial, mythological and post-human anatomies embedded in the structure of video games. Castañeda received his BFA from Cooper Union in 2010, and in 2014 received his MFA at Hunter College. Residencies include SOMA Summer in Mexico City attended through the Cisneros Foundation (2014), “Of Games III” at Khoj International Artists Association, New Delhi India (2015), and the Bronx Museum AIM program (2017). He was a Visiting Instructor at Florida International University from 2017-2019 teaching 3D Animation, Drawing, and Visual Thinking. Leo also taught 3D animation to New World School of the Arts high school and college students from 2021-2023.
At New World School of the Arts, visual arts students explore and develop their personal artistic and aesthetic vision while being guided by a dynamic and distinguished faculty who are all practicing artists. Through disciplined training in traditional and new media, students also develop new skills and refine others while gaining invaluable understanding of the roles of art and design in society. Areas of concentration in visual arts include Art & Technology, Drawing, Graphic Design, Painting, Photography, Printmaking, and Sculpture. Information about the NWSA visual arts program is available at 305-237-3620.
A Florida center of excellence in the visual and performing arts, New World School of the Arts is an educational partnership of Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Miami Dade College, and University of Florida. NWSA provides a comprehensive program of artistic, creative, and academic development through a curriculum that reflects our community and the rich multicultural state of Florida. Through our partners NWSA confers the high school diploma, Associate of Arts degree, and Bachelor of Fine Arts and Bachelor of Music degrees in programs accredited by the National Association of Schools of Dance, Music, Theater and Art & Design. NWSA’s rigorous eight-year curriculum and conservatory-style teaching has empowered students in our community and our nation to become leaders in the arts for more three decades. Information about New World School of the Arts at 305-237-3135 or nwsa.mdc.edu.