It’s safe to say that, for the art-obsessed, New York has no shortage of offerings. The recently re-opened Studio Museum in Harlem, however, now offers something none of its metropolitan counterparts can claim – a sprawling, seven-floor building specifically dedicated to showcasing Black art.

Self-described as the “nexus for art by artists of African descent nationally and internationally”, Studio Museum first opened its doors in 1968, when it was founded by a group of artists, activists and philanthropists. That year was a tumultuous one for Black American history; Martin Luther King Jr was assassinated, the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (also known as the Fair Housing Act) was passed, and the country, just a few years out of the Jim Crow era, found itself in a period of change. Harlem, of course, was always a part of that change, acting as a hub for protests, organising and Black cultural expression. Studio Museum created a space to uplift the Black artistic canon during a crucial moment. 

While the museum has undergone expansions and renovations over its decades-long existence, this recent facelift marks a pivotal moment for its history, and for New York’s art landscape. A far cry from the single-floor loft it once occupied, the museum’s new building, which opened on November 15 after a seven-year closure, is well worth the wait. The towering, geometric edifice, designed by architectural firm Adjaye Associates, is a sleek feast for the eyes. Taken at face value, the new digs seem to say, “We’re here, we’re back, and we’re better than ever”. 

To celebrate its comeback, the museum opened with a range of exhibitions emblematic of its collection of more than 8,000 pieces. Here, we share some of our favourite pieces on display.

KWAME BRATHWAITE, UNTITLED (GARVEE DAY, DEEDEE IN CAR) (1965)

Photojournalist Kwame Brathwaite’s Untitled (Garvee Day, Deedee in Car) depicts a 1965 celebration of the birthday of Marcus Garvey, the Jamaican activist best known for founding the Back-to-Africa movement. Garvey was also known for popularising “Black is Beautiful,” the mantra and movement that guided much of Brathwaite’s photography. During his time, Brathwaite photographed everyone from activists to musicians to models, creating a diverse body of work that was distinctly concerned with highlighting the beauty of Black aesthetics.

DAWOUD BEY, CHARITA (2001)

Charita (2001), a photograph of a teenager in Chicago’s south side, was taken by photographer Dawoud Bey, whose career itself originated in resistance. A New York City native, Bey was inspired to take up documentary photography after he visited Harlem on My Mind, a 1969 exhibition that, despite spotlighting Harlem, did not feature any work by Black artists. Since then, Bey’s photography, which began with his early street portraits in Harlem, has consistently centred Black life, and often contends with themes of race, community and belonging. While the MacArthur “Genius Grant” winner has had no shortage of career highlights, his most impressive attribute, perhaps, is his longstanding commitment to deeply engaging with the subjects he shoots, not only using portraiture as an art form, but as a means of connection.

DEANA LAWSON, ROXIE AND RAQUEL (2019)

In Deana Lawson’s Roxie and Raquel, two identical twin girls pose back-to-back on a barely-made bed. Despite the familiarity and closeness of the image, Lawson, an identical twin herself, had met the girls that same night in a New Orleans restaurant. The image is a study in symmetry and contrast; besides the twins, white curtains, lamps and bedside tables also appear as doubles. The attention to detail and vulnerability are elements present in all of Dawon’s work, which is often set in domestic spaces. The photographer casts, directs and dresses her subjects, whom she typically meets just before shooting them herself, resulting in stirring, tender portraits that portray the grace and intimacy of Black relationships.

JORDAN CASTEEL, KEVIN THE KITEMAN (2016)

While attending Studio Museum’s artist-in-residence programme, Jordan Casteel would, from her vantage point in the studios, often spot a man in the courtyard flying kites. After meeting, it became clear that they had a shared desire to bring people together; Casteel was working on a project focused on capturing the surrounding community, while the man across the way desired to bring that same community together by sharing the joy of kite-flying. That interaction provided the inspiration for Kevin the Kiteman, a kaleidoscopic oil painting bursting with saturation. Following her time as a resident, Casteel continued to expand what Black portraiture could look like, experimenting with palettes and ignoring any rules about what colour represents Blackness.

ROSANA PAULINO, GÊMEAS (2023)

When examining the ethereal figures in Rosana Paulino’s Gêmeas, it’s not surprising to learn that mythology is a driving inspiration behind the famed Brazilian artist’s practice. Chronicling the relationship between humans and nature, Paulino’s work draws on history, the environment and spirituality to explore the role of Black women in society. Though they appear otherworldly, there’s a quiet, recognisable power in Paulino’s renderings of Black femininity, which have made her one of Brazil’s most influential artists.

KARON DAVIS, FIX ME (2023)

In Karon Davis’s Fix Me, the multimedia artist immortalises a piece of Black history. The sculpture is a reference to a scene in Alvin Ailey’s 1960 “Revelations”, an iconic ballet that paid homage to African American heritage. As a former dancer, Davis has always infused a sense of physicality in her figures, which somehow appear both frozen in time and brimming with life. Whether she’s animating ballerinas or characters from history, Davis presents both the brilliance and the tragedy of the human form in her work.

LAUREN HALSEY, YES WE’RE OPEN & YES WE’RE BLACK-OWNED (2023) 

Like her other installations, Lauren Halsey’s Yes We’re Open & Yes We’re Black-Owned references signage seen in Los Angeles’s South Central neighbourhood, where Halsey is based. While studying architecture in school, Halsey became interested in who gets to decide what becomes of their neighbourhood. This preoccupation with territory is present in Halsey’s other works, which borrow from the visual language of her surroundings in order to critique gentrification and displacement. 

Studio Museum is open now. Visit their site for more information.