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The Studio Museum in Harlem first opened in an era of sociopolitical upheaval in 1968 following civil rights demonstrations, anti-war protests and the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy. Now, more than 50 years later, the museum dedicated to Black art reopens once again in another era marked with political turmoil. Through the decades, the museum has stayed dedicated to exploring art by artists of African descent in a way that’s both “hyper local and super global,” as Thelma Golden, the museum’s chief curator explained during a press preview this morning.
Closed for construction since 2018, the building is set to reopen on Saturday, November 15, with a seven-floor, 82,000-square-foot footprint that doubles the space for groundbreaking exhibitions. “This building says to the world: Harlem matters. Black art matters. Black institutions matter,” the museum’s board chairman Raymond J. McGuire told reporters today.
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This is the first time the Studio Museum has a purpose-built home. When it debuted in 1968, it popped up in a second-floor loft just north of 125th Street. Eventually, it moved to a commercial building at 144 West 125th Street, adapting the space into a museum. Over the years, the building expanded, but it wasn’t until this renovation that the museum secured a space expressly designed for art and community thanks to a $300 million fundraising campaign, along with designs by Adjaye Associates and architecture firm Cooper Robertson. The museum today stands in the same historic footprint on 125th Street.
The abstract, towering building is centered around a sleek stone staircase, which stretches throughout the floors like a spine. At the bottom, there’s a community hangout area called the stoop. At the top, a lush garden with skyline views will no doubt become a popular space in warmer weather. Throughout, exhibitions fill each floor, drawing from the museum’s collection of 9,000 pieces and highlighting works by artists-in-residence over the years.
Harlem matters. Black art matters. Black institutions matter.
“It will stand as a lighthouse on 125th Street, a space where creativity and community meet, where young people can see themselves reflected, and where artists of African descent can continue to shape our history,” McGuire said. “And make no mistake, this new chapter was not inevitable. It was earned.”
As for exhibitions, the Studio Museum is presenting the dazzlingly retro illuminated work of the late sculptor Tom Lloyd. It’s a full-circle moment as his work was part of the institution’s opening back in 1968.
Another exhibition called “From Now: A Collection in Context” highlights pieces from the collection in different themes, such as the body, sound, nature, gold and text. In the gold section, for example, see Barkley L. Hendrick’s iconic Lawdy Mama, a painting of his cousin sporting an Afro crown on a gold background, as well as LaKela Brown’s sculptural reliefs showcasing hoop earrings as an emblem of African American beauty. In the text section, don’t miss the 1984 Jean-Michel Basquiat collage, Bayou. In the color segment, you’ll get to see Louise Nevelson’s stunning, all-black sculpture Homage to Martin Luther King, Jr. Curators will rotate works in “From Now,” “offering new configurations as entry points into the social, political and environmental concerns of the Black diaspora,” chief program officer Natasha Logan explained.
Yet another exhibition, titled “To Be a Place,” dives into the museum’s history with archival documents and moments that shaped the institution over the years.
Where artists of African descent can continue to shape our history.
Visitors are invited to see these exhibits and more as of Saturday, November 15. Admission will be free for everyone that day and include art-making workshops, performances, games, giveaways and DJ sets. Celebrations will continue on Sunday, November 16, when the museum will begin its weekly day of free programming for all ages, Studio Sundays, which feature art-making workshops, guided family tours, gallery talks and storytime sessions.
Location, hours and pricing
The Studio Museum in Harlem is located at 144 West 125th Street, between Malcolm X Boulevard (Lenox Avenue) and Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard (Seventh Avenue).
It will be open Wednesday through Sunday, from 11am to 6pm, with extended hours on Friday and Saturday, from 11am to 9pm.
Admission rates are offered as a suggestion, with Sundays free for everyone. Suggested rates are $16 for adults and $9 for seniors aged 65+, students, and visitors with disabilities (care partners are free). Admission is free for children 16 and under. Tickets can purchased online at studiomuseum.org/visit or at the museum.