New York museum championing Black artists gets fresh look

"The Studio Museum in Harlem reopens after seven years on 15 November. Its new home was created from the ground up on the museum's former footprint at 144 West 125th Street. The first purpose-built space in its 57-year history, the 82,000-sq.-ft building was designed by Adjaye Associates with Cooper Robertson as executive architect-the two teams also collaborated on the recently opened new Princeton University Art Museum. The Studio Museum's $300m price tag-fully fundraised, almost a quarter from public sources-includes construction, operating costs during closure and a $50m endowment (the institution's first)."

"The architect David Adjaye, the founder of his namesake firm, was accused of sexual assault in 2023 (he denies the allegations). "In July 2023, the board of trustees of the Studio Museum in Harlem and David Adjaye agreed that David Adjaye would step away from the museum's building project," the Studio Museum said in a statement to The Art Newspaper. "At that time, the design vision was nearly complete and the building was well into construction.""

"A muscular and syncopated stack of dark-grey precast-concrete volumes, of varying heights and framing expansive windows, rises six storeys and cuts a dramatic profile on the busy commercial street. The building aims to project the power and voice of Black artists in the art world today, in no small part due to the Studio Museum's sustained efforts over the decades to support, exhibit, collect and amplify long-marginalised works."

The Studio Museum in Harlem reopens on 15 November after a seven-year closure in a newly built 82,000-sq.-ft facility occupying its former footprint at 144 West 125th Street. The building is the museum's first purpose-built home, designed by Adjaye Associates with Cooper Robertson as executive architect, and cost $300m, fully fundraised including a $50m endowment and public support. David Adjaye stepped away from the project in July 2023 amid sexual-assault accusations he denies, after the design vision was nearly complete. The six-storey dark-grey precast-concrete building features expansive windows, a wide stoop, and aims to amplify Black artists' power and voice.

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