Whitney Oldenburg

Overview

Photo by Elisabeth Bernstein

Whitney Oldenburg (b. Jacksonville, FL) lives and works in New York.

Oldenburg’s work explores the complex relationship between humans and objects in contemporary culture. Her sculptures incorporate personal belongings and examine the emotional and psychological responses tied to material possessions. Oldenburg challenges viewers to question our attachments to objects and consider the ways they shape our lives and relationships. Through her sculptures, she invites reflection on the complex interplay between material possessions, social dynamics, and our shared humanity.

Oldenburg obtained her bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and graduated with her MFA from Rhode Island School of Design. She is the first recipient of the Artists Now Award from the Eden Arts Foundation (2025). Her work is the subject of a mid-career survey at the Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville (November 20, 2025 – April 19, 2026). Oldenburg is also the recipient of Cornell University’s Charles Baskerville Scholarship, the Virginia Commonwealth University Fountainhead Fellowship, the Toby Devan Lewis Award, and the Maharam Steam Fellowship. Oldenburg has also attended the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture and the Atlantic Center for the Arts with Michelle Grabner, and she is currently part of The Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts Studio Program. Her work has been written about in Hyperallergic, The Wall Street Journal, and New American Paintings.

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