Everything had to be reinvented for the 2017 Whitney Biennial — the first to take place in the new riverside home of the Whitney Museum. But then, this leading showcase of contemporary American art feels refreshed in other ways, too.

In a generational shift, the Whitney has chosen two young curators for this always anticipated exhibition: Christopher Y. Lew, 36, and Mia Locks, 34. It’s also the first time that the biennial’s curators are both people of color. After months on the road, they have boiled down the art of the last few years into a survey that, for all its energy, doesn’t overwhelm the museum.

The biennial will always be a show people like to fight about. But before the arguments and debates begin, let me tell you about a walk I took with the pair through the in-progress installation. What follows is a user’s guide to the 78th Whitney Biennial, which opens to the public on March 17. (My colleague Roberta Smith will publish her review on that date.)