Call it the Harlem cultural resurgence. On Manhattan's 125th St, where a sculpture of Adam Clayton Powell Jr stride onwards and upwards, the area is filled with bustle and buzz.
A Neighborhood in Renewal
The famous Apollo Theater is undergoing significant upgrades. Another cultural institution is set to relocate into an $80M cultural center covering a entire block. Meanwhile, the National Urban League recently opened a $250M facility containing its headquarters, low-income residences and retail space.
“This structure declares to the globe: Harlem matters; Black art matters; Black institutions matter,” remarked the leader of the governing board. “It will stand as a beacon on this historic street, a place where creativity and community converge.”
Historical Roots
This institution was founded by artists, advocates, donors and local residents to address the widespread omission of African American artists from mainstream institutions. Its debut in a leased space over an off-licence in the late 1960s, a turbulent year of political murders, protests and social change.
“This moment feels what it must have been like when it all started,” reflected a museum leader. “The institution emerged in a world of flux. The country was divided. People were marching. Creators were insisting to be recognized.”
Architectural Vision
The new $160 million facility covers 82,000 square feet across seven floors. Designed by design teams, the museum represents the first purpose-built home for the museum and almost doubles its gallery and activity areas.
The building features galleries, an large entrance hall, flexible programme spaces, a specialized learning studio, a cafe and shop, plus a open-air deck with panoramic city views. A monumental stair, finished with terrazzo, occupies the central vertical gallery.
Collection Highlights
The opening programming reflects the institution's history and aspirations with four major exhibitions. One exhibition features the first institutional career survey of pioneering artist an electronic art pioneer, whose illuminated works appeared in the museum's inaugural 1968 exhibition.
- An artist's late 1960s Trane pays respect to John Coltrane
- Kerry James Marshall's Silence Is Golden addresses invisibility and African American portrayal
- Jean-Michel Basquiat's Bayou features vigorous marks and fragments of collage
- The celebrated artist's first story quilt captures her community in both joyful and elegiac tones
Cultural Significance
The museum's arrival feels especially meaningful during a time when inclusion programs, cultural institutions and the way African American history is told face growing challenges. The city has just chosen a mayor who embodies the city's cultural diversity, and this neighborhood has a particular talent for making cultural revival resemble defiance.
“Harlem has always been evolving,” commented a longtime director. “This is a neighbourhood that has been evolving since it was established. But Harlem has also been a neighbourhood where African American culture has thrived.”
The museum celebrates its significant artist-in-residence programme with an alumni show including prominent figures such as Kehinde Wiley, mixed-media artist and Titus Kaphar. The exhibition mixes new commissions with older artworks spanning multiple decades.
Continuing Mission
Including new commissions are sonic installations and three-dimensional artworks. Seven bronze time capsules created by artist Houston Conwill contain private statements by prominent African American figures, originally buried in the museum's sculpture garden in 1984 and now exhibited with plans to be opened in the year 2034.
Guests can explore an historical display of photographs and ephemera documenting the museum's history through its shows, programs and programmes over nearly six decades. This rich history includes notable occasions ranging from royal visits to local presentations that collectively demonstrate the museum's lasting influence.
