🎙 LISTEN — Made in NYC

Inside the Met’s New Exhibit Spotlighting Immigrant Artists’ Untold Stories

The Metropolitan Museum of Art opened a new exhibit in April 2024 highlighting over 80 works by immigrant artists whose contributions have shaped New York City’s art scene.
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  • Exhibit titled “Crossing Borders: Immigrant Artists in New York,” runs through September 2024.
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  • Features artists from over 30 countries, spanning late 19th century to contemporary works.
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  • Includes paintings, sculptures, photographs, and multimedia installations.
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\n\nThe Met’s latest exhibit, “Crossing Borders: Immigrant Artists in New York,” explores the overlooked narratives of artists who immigrated to New York and transformed its cultural fabric. Curated by Dr. Lucia Hernandez, the show presents more than 80 pieces by artists from more than 30 countries, tracing artistic diasporas from the late 1800s through today. The exhibition acknowledges the city’s longstanding identity as a gateway for creative talent seeking new opportunities and expression.\n\nWhy focus on immigrant artists now? The Met’s curatorial team emphasizes that while New York’s immigrant communities have been celebrated for their social and economic impact, their artistic legacies often remain marginal in mainstream narratives. By spotlighting figures such as Jacob Lawrence, Mina Loy, and contemporary voices like Huma Bhabha, the exhibit maps a diverse lineage of innovation fueled by migration and cross-cultural exchange. It underscores how immigrant perspectives have expanded the visual vocabulary of American art.\n\nWhere are these artists rooted in the city’s geography? Many works reflect neighborhoods that have historically been immigrant hubs—Lower East Side, Harlem, Jackson Heights, and Sunset Park among them. The exhibit’s layout intentionally mirrors these locales, inviting visitors to experience the layered realities of immigrant life through art. Through personal stories, archival photographs, and interactive elements, the Met situates the artists within the social and political contexts that shaped their work.\n\nThe exhibition also engages with contemporary questions about identity and belonging in New York. Panel discussions and artist talks scheduled throughout the run emphasize the ongoing contributions of immigrant artists to the city’s creative ecosystem. As New York continues to evolve, “Crossing Borders” serves both as a historical archive and a call to recognize the vibrancy and complexity immigrant art brings to the metropolis.\n\n

Frequently Asked Questions

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When does the “Crossing Borders” exhibit run at the Met?

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The exhibit opened in April 2024 and will be on display through September 2024. Visitors can explore a range of immigrant artists’ works during this period.

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Which immigrant artists are featured in the exhibit?

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The exhibit features more than 80 works from artists including Jacob Lawrence, Mina Loy, and Huma Bhabha, representing over 30 countries and spanning from the late 19th century to contemporary times.

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Are there special events connected to the exhibit?

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The Met is hosting panel discussions, artist talks, and interactive workshops throughout the exhibit’s run, focusing on immigrant contributions to New York’s art scene and current cultural conversations.

Editorial Transparency. A first draft of this story was produced with AI-assisted writing tools, then reviewed for accuracy and tone by the named editor before publication. More on our process: Editorial Policy.

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