Mondrian Boogie Woogie at MoMA

Mondrian Boogie Woogie is the first major exhibition devoted to the work Piet Mondrian made during the four years he lived in New York, just before his death in 1944. Opening at the Museum of Modern Art on 21 March 2027 and running until 31 July 2027, it brings together 30 works. Its highlight is the reunion, for the first time in 30 years, of his two final canvases: Broadway Boogie Woogie (1942–43), from MoMA's collection, and Victory Boogie Woogie (1942–44), lent by the Kunstmuseum Den Haag.

After New York, the exhibition travels to the Kunstmuseum Den Haag in the Netherlands, from 10 September 2027 to 30 January 2028.

About Mondrian in New York

Piet Mondrian (1872–1944), the Dutch painter behind the grids of black lines and primary colours, moved to New York in 1940 to escape the war in Europe. The city transformed his work. Inspired by its street grid, its traffic lights and the rhythms of boogie-woogie jazz, he broke his black lines into small blocks of colour, creating paintings that seem to pulse with energy. Victory Boogie Woogie, left unfinished at his death, is covered with pieces of coloured tape and paper, showing his process in action.

Exhibition Dates

18–20 March 2027 — Member previews 21 March 2027 — Exhibition opens 31 July 2027 — Exhibition closes 10 September 2027 – 30 January 2028 — Kunstmuseum Den Haag

Why Visit Mondrian Boogie Woogie?

Mondrian is one of the most influential artists for graphic designers: his grids and colour blocks shaped modern typography, layout, branding and architecture. Seeing his New York paintings together shows how a rigorous system can produce rhythm, movement and joy. Designers who work with grids every day will see their foundations in a new light.

Who Should Visit?

• Graphic and digital designers
• Painters interested in abstraction
• Architecture and design students
• Music lovers curious about the link between jazz and painting

Tickets

The exhibition is included with museum admission. Check the MoMA website for prices, timed tickets and free-entry programmes.

Planning Your Visit

MoMA is at 11 West 53rd Street in Midtown Manhattan. Expect crowds around the two Boogie Woogie paintings; book an early slot and visit them first. The museum's permanent collection galleries are full of works by Mondrian's contemporaries.

From Paris Grids to New York Rhythms

Before New York, Mondrian spent years in Paris and London refining his style of black lines and blocks of red, yellow and blue on a white ground. In New York, the black lines disappeared from his last paintings, replaced by lines made of small squares of colour. This change, visible in the works on show, reflects the energy of the city and the music he loved. The exhibition lets you follow that transformation step by step.

Victory Boogie Woogie

Mondrian's last painting, left unfinished when he died in February 1944, is one of the most famous works in the Netherlands. The pieces of coloured tape and paper still attached to the canvas show how he tested compositions by moving shapes around before painting them. Its loan to New York, alongside Broadway Boogie Woogie, is a rare opportunity.

Tips for Visiting

Look at the paintings from different distances. Up close, you see brushwork and texture; from further away, the colours seem to flicker and move. Bring a notebook to sketch the grids, a good exercise for any designer.

Things to Know

• Dates: 21 March – 31 July 2027.
• 30 works, including both Boogie Woogie paintings.
• Then in The Hague from September 2027.

Visit the Exhibition

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Tickets and opening hours are on the official MoMA website.

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Last verified: October 29, 2026