Clockwise
above: Red
Rooster; the
restaurant’s
logo; and
chef-owner,
Marcus
Samuelsson.
Museum. The museum opened in
1968 in a rented loft, but today it’s
a cornerstone of contemporary art
in the United States and a leading
voice for African-American artists.
The museum’s permanent collection reaches back into the neighborhood’s history with works by Jacob
Lawrence and Romare Bearden,
while current exhibitions by emerging and established artists such as
Glenn Ligon and Kara Walker keep
it modern.
“Sunday is one of my favorite
days in Harlem,” says Thelma
Golden, the museum’s director and
chief curator. “Residents are out and
about, and friends, family, neighbors
and tourists alike are drawn uptown
to visit, dine, shop, sightsee and
worship. It’s also one of our busiest
days at the Studio Museum, with free
admission.”
Until mid-March, much of the
museum will be taken over by the
Bearden Project, an exhibit inspired
by the 100th anniversary of the birth
of the iconic artist Romare Bearden.
Golden says, “It so perfectly sums
up the museum’s commitment to
both contemporary culture and the
rich history of African-American art.
With 45 artists bringing their unique
perspective to the celebration of
Bearden, there’s definitely some-
thing for everyone. Like so much of
Harlem today, it looks to the vibrant
future while drawing inspiration
from the storied past.”
Harlem is a place where ideas
and people collide as a matter of
fact rather than of serendipity. To
illustrate: The last time I visited the
Studio Museum on a Sunday, I left
with Golden and, along with my
family, went back down 125th and
down Lenox to get flowers at Katrina
Parris and chat over cupcakes at Il
Ca;e Latte. It took us a while, as we
were stopped by more than one of
Golden’s neighbors who had some-
thing to share about what she was
doing at the museum or what was
happening on the block. When I
