One of the first things I did when I went to NYC last summer was head to West 125th Street to the Studio Museum in Harlem.
The museum is a contemporary art gallery focusing on African-American works. It offers an artist-in-residence program too, so it not only reflects and showcases art in the community (and for the community) but it gives artists a space to practice their craft.
In addition to an impressive permanent collection, there is a constant rotation of exhibits. Here’s what I saw.
Robert Pruitt’s exhibit Women featured a collection of large-scale conté-on-butcher-paper drawings of women. There are pop culture and political themes in the work, which feature models of women in Pruitt’s life. They’re embellished with gold leaf.
I saw a high school photography exhibit featuring wonderful snippets of student life, from family and home scenarios to perspectives on high fashion. Here are just a couple of the 30 or so images from the collection.
I enjoyed Jennifer Packer’s work, which was varied in theme but related in its textures and painterly-ness.
Cullen Washington Jr.’s Untitled (Mondrian #6) echoes the geometric aspects of Piet Mondrian, only Washington’s are created entirely with found materials.
Another geometric piece was nearby, this one by Steffani Jemison.
Shooting without a flash indoors is limiting, but I did capture a few other pieces, including these from the Body Language exhibit.
The Studio Museum is a gem and I highly recommend visiting if you’re ever uptown.
jeanofalltrades 