Digital Whitney Guide
A Windows Phone app created exclusively for the 2014 Whitney Biennial guides visitors through the exhibition and encourages a deeper dive into its eclectic selection of works.
In a city rich with celebrated cultural institutions, New York’s Whitney Museum of American Art shines as the preeminent destination for the art of the United States. The museum’s 2014 Biennial exhibition offered the points of view of three curators, each overseeing one floor of the Museum. They brought together more than one hundred diverse participants to provide an expansive perspective on art in the U.S. in 2014. This Biennial had the distinct honor of being the last of its kind in the museum’s Marcel Breuer building.
Second Story collaborated with the museum and with Microsoft on the digital Whitney Guide, a Windows Phone application created just for the 2014 Whitney Biennial. Users could browse the exhibition by floor, explore on their own, take a guided tour, or search for more information about a particular artwork or artist. Audio and video interviews with the artists gave their work greater context, encouraging visitors to better know the pieces and their creators. The app also enabled users to delve into the Whitney’s impressive permanent collection, access information about upcoming events, and learn more about the museum’s 2015 move into its new space, a building designed by influential architect Renzo Piano. A custom content management system allows the Whitney to update the guide’s content to accommodate changing exhibitry.
Second Story also designed and implemented a custom case solution for the Nokia devices running the mobile app. Made from laser-cut anodized aluminum, the cases helped ensure the phones’ longevity by protecting them during heavy use.