The Studio Museum In Harlem

THE NEXUS FOR ARTISTS OF AFRICAN DESCENT, LOCALLY, NATIONALLY, AND INTERNATIONALLY, AND FOR WORK THAT HAS BEEN INSPIRED AND INFLUENCED BY BLACK CULTURE.

CURATORIAL: THROUGH CURATORIAL PROJECTS IN FY23, THE STUDIO MUSEUM PRESENTED EXHIBITIONS THAT EMBODIED OUR COMMITMENT TO CHAMPIONING ARTISTS OF AFRICAN DESCENT AND OFFERED FRESH PERSPECTIVES ON CONTEMPORARY ART FOR OUR COMMUNITIES. THE MUSEUM REMAINS AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE CONTEMPORARY ART WORLD THROUGH ITS DETERMINATION TO SHARE A DIVERSE ARRAY OF ARTISTS' PERSPECTIVES, MEDIA, AND CONTENT. THE STUDIO MUSEUM'S ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAM RETURNED TO THEIR STUDIOS AT STUDIO MUSEUM 127 WITH THE THREE PARTICIPATING ARTISTS RECEIVING CRITICAL EARLY-CAREER SUPPORT INCLUDING MENTORSHIP FROM MUSEUM STAFF, A STIPEND, AND A CULMINATING EXHIBITION. THROUGH THE EXPANSION OF THE PERMANENT COLLECTION AND ARCHIVAL RESOURCES AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE, CURATORIAL PROJECTS SERVED AS A SPRINGBOARD TO ACTIVATE DIALOGUE BETWEEN CURATORS, ARTISTS, AND LOCAL, NATIONAL, AND INTERNATIONAL AUDIENCES.

EXHIBITIONS: THOMAS J PRICE: WITNESS CLOSED A YEAR-LONG PROJECT IN MARCUS GARVEY PARK IN OCTOBER 2022. THROUGH OUR MULTI-YEAR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MUSEUM OF MODERN ART, WE PRESENTED PROJECTS: MING SMITH, AN EXHIBITION CULLED FROM THE ARTIST'S ARCHIVE, IT FEATURED A CRITICAL REINTRODUCTION TO THIS HARLEM-BASED PHOTOGRAPHER WHO HAS BEEN WORKING SINCE THE 1970S. IT'S TIME FOR ME TO GO: STUDIO MUSEUM ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE 2021-22 FEATURED THE WORK OF THIS COHORT CREATED WHILE IN RESIDENCE AND WAS ON VIEW NOVEMBER 2022-FEBRUARY 2023 AT MOMA PS1. OUR SIGNATURE HARLEM POSTCARDS SERIES CONTINUED IN ITS ONLINE FORMAT, FEATURING TWO SEASONS OF NEW WORK BY CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS. COMMUNICATIONS, RETAIL AND VISITOR SERVICES WORKED CLOSELY WITH OUR CORE PROGRAMS TO EXPAND ENGAGEMENT WITH THE MUSEUM'S ACTIVITIES. THE COMMUNICATIONS TEAM WORKED ON AN INSTITUTIONAL REBRAND AND REDESIGN OF THE WEBSITE IN PREPARATION FOR THE OPENING OF OUR NEW BUILDING. THE RETAIL TEAM WORKED WITH ARTISTS AND DEVELOPED DESIGN PARTNERSHIPS TO CREATE PRODUCT CAPSULES AND PRODUCTS FOR THE ONLINE STORE. THE TEAM IS PREPARING TO OPEN A BRICK-AND-MORTAR STORE THAT WILL RESIDE IN THE NEW BUILDING.

CAPITAL PROJECT: THE STUDIO MUSEUM IS CURRENTLY CONSTRUCTING THE FIRST BUILDING IN ITS HISTORY CREATED EXPRESSLY FOR THE NEEDS OF THE INSTITUTION AND ITS COMMUNITIES. DESIGNED BY ADJAYE ASSOCIATES WITH COOPER ROBERTSON, THE NEW BUILDING OCCUPIES THE SITE ON WEST 125TH STREET ON WHICH THE STUDIO MUSEUM HAD BEEN OPERATING SINCE 1982, IN A CENTURY-OLD COMMERCIAL STRUCTURE ADAPTED BY THE CELEBRATED ARCHITECT J. MAX BOND, JR. UNDERTAKEN AS A PUBLIC-PRIVATE INITIATIVE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF NEW YORK, THE NEW 82,000-SQUARE-FOOT BUILDING WILL ENABLE THE STUDIO MUSEUM TO: EXPAND ITS INTERNATIONALLY RENOWNED EXHIBITIONS AND, FOR THE FIRST TIME, SIMULTANEOUSLY ENABLE IT TO DISPLAY INSTALLATIONS FROM ITS UNPARALLELED PERMANENT COLLECTION; OFFER INCREASED EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND PUBLIC PROGRAMS FOR ITS GROWING AND DIVERSE AUDIENCE; WELCOME VISITORS WITH AN ENHANCED EXPERIENCE; AND ESTABLISH A DISTINGUISHED ARCHITECTURAL PRESENCE ON WEST 125TH STREET, AS A CULTURAL ANCHOR FOR THE HARLEM COMMUNITY. ADDITIONALLY, SPACE FOR EXHIBITIONS AND THE MUSEUM'S SIGNATURE ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAM WILL MORE THAN DOUBLE, AND INDOOR AND OUTDOOR PUBLIC SPACE (INCLUDING SPACE FOR EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES AND OTHER PROGRAMS) WILL INCREASE BY ALMOST SEVENTY PERCENT.

LEARNING & ENGAGEMENT: OUR EDUCATION DEPARTMENT REMAINED DEDICATED TO TRANSFORMING CLASSROOMS AND HOMES INTO EXPLORATIVE LABORATORIES WHERE SCHOOLCHILDREN, FAMILIES, AND YOUTH AUDIENCES CAN EXPERIENCE ART BEYOND MUSEUM WALLS. IN FY23, WE WORKED CLOSELY ALONGSIDE OUR SCHOOL & COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO OFFER SESSIONS WITH ARTIST EDUCATORS THAT FOCUSED ON CARE AND PLAY WHILE OFFERING ALTERNATIVE WAYS OF THINKING ABOUT ART MAKING AND CREATIVITY. THIS WORK WAS COMPLEMENTED BY DOWNLOADABLE LESSON PLANS AND RESOURCES MADE AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE TO PROVIDE A "MUSEUM FROM HOME" EXPERIENCE. STUDIO MUSEUM INSTITUTE PROGRAMS CONTINUED IN A HYBRID FORMAT AND REMAINED A SITE FOR INCUBATION, IDEATION, AND SUPPORT THROUGH FELLOWSHIP, INTERNSHIP, MUSEUM PROFESSIONALS SEMINAR, AND MUSEUM EDUCATION PRACTICUM OPPORTUNITIES. THE INSTITUTE ALSO INTRODUCED A NEW CONVENING, MUSEUMS AS SYSTEMS, THAT OFFERED PANEL DISCUSSIONS ENCOURAGING ATTENDEES TO ENGAGE WITH AND BE MOTIVATED BY THE STUDIO MUSEUM'S MISSION. EXPANDING THE WALLS SUPPORTED 16 LOCAL TEENS IN DEFINING THEIR ARTISTIC PRACTICES DURING THE 8-MONTH COURSE, CULMINATING IN AN EXHIBITION ON THE MUSEUM'S WEBSITE. THE PUBLIC PROGRAMS DEPARTMENT ORGANIZED FREE PUBLIC EVENTS IN CONNECTION WITH OUR EXHIBITION PROGRAMMING FEATURING ARTISTS, CURATORS, AND SCHOLARS.