NEW YORK, NY.- The Whitney Museum of American Art and Little Island will debut Marina, a new performance by Julio Torres and Martine Gutierrez, commissioned for Whitney Biennial 2026. In this original story by Julio Torres and Martine Gutierrez, audiences are invited under the sea. Directed and written by Emmy® nominated, award-winner Julio Torres, Martine stars as Marina, a New York City seawench on a journey of romance and self-discovery. The story opens with a construction worker on a dock arguing over the phone. As his conversation abruptly ends, he flings the phone into the water, sending it sinking to the bottom of the sea. Under the water, Marina awakens and is greeted with gifts from her sea creature friends, then suddenly she discovers something new on the floor—the phone. When she begins scrolling, she connects with someone online and becomes entangled with the world above. Along with scenic design by Griffin Stoddard, score by Lia Ouyand Rusli, and choreography by Ryan McNamara, Julio and Martine’s comic collaboration blends their surreal humor and sublime artistry into something altogether unique. Marina performances will take place at Little Island on August 27, 28, and 30 at 8:30 pm, and on August 29 at 9:30 pm.

“We are thrilled to highlight the artistic friendship and comedic brilliance of Martine Gutierrez and Julio Torres—both Biennial artists—in the premiere of Marina, made possible through this major partnership with Little Island. Bringing the Biennial beyond the walls of the Museum and into the surrounding neighborhood through this significant collaboration marks a watershed moment in the history of this long-running exhibition.” said Whitney Biennial co-curators Marcela Guerrero and Drew Sawyer.

“The work of Martine Gutierrez and Julio Torres knows no boundaries, and so it seemed perfectly obvious that their raucous new commission from the Whitney Biennial should happen at Little Island, where there are no walls to contain them. It is our sincere honor to work alongside the Whitney Museum of American Art and get to be a small part of the tremendous legacy of the Biennial,” said Zack Winokur, Producing Artistic Director at Little Island.





Julio Torres is an award-winning Brooklyn-based writer, director, and comedian from El Salvador. His work on Saturday Night Live earned four Emmy® nominations and received wide acclaim. His first solo hour, My Favorite Shapes by Julio Torres, received rave reviews and was released as an HBO comedy special in 2019. Torres has received two Peabody Awards, for HBO’s Los Espookys, which he co-created and starred, and HBO’s Fantasmas, which he wrote, directed, and starred. Most recently, his one-man show, Color Theories, was filmed during its sold-out Off-Broadway run last fall and released as an HBO comedy special that is now streaming. Torres made his feature directorial debut with A24’s Problemista, which he wrote and starred in alongside Tilda Swinton. His first book, I Want to Be a Vase, was published by Simon & Schuster in 2023, and his upcoming coffee-table book, The Perfect Gift, will be released on November 3rd.

Martine Gutierrez (b. 1989) is an artist and muse.