The Drawing Center — Attraction in New York

The Drawing Center was on my hit list for this trip to New York. Founded in 1977 by Martha Beck, @drawingcenter is an exhibition space in downtown Manhattan’s SoHo neighbourhood. The Center explores various drawing mediums both past and present. The current exhibition is free to visit. Two artists were featured on my visit: Frank Walter: To Capture a Soul and Josh Smith: Life Drawing . Frank Walter is an Antiguan artist (1926-2009) and a prolific producer of art, music, diaries, family trees (he was obsessed with his connection to British royalty. Known as a polymath, he had an amazing thirst for knowledge and self improvement. Smart, savvy and able to work across a variety of mediums, his body of work is exceptional and I found it breathtaking to absorb everything that was exhibited. “During his lifetime Walter produced over 5,000 paintings, 1,000 drawings, 600 sculptures, 2,000 photographs, 468 hours of recordings, and a 50,000-page archive.” (The Drawing Center website). Josh Smith, also a feature of this exhibition, shows his alignment with Frank Walter’s style. It’s Smith’s first exhibition of drawings. Spent over an hour exploring the entire collection, soaking up Walter’s work first which set the groundwork for Smith’s work. Admired Walter’s volume of art and diversity of the mediums. His autobiography contained 6824 sheets of typed content. Phew! (See photo) Also appreciated the colour and somewhat abstract paintings of Smith. So much so I was tempted to buy a print from the well stocked merchandise space. If I was staying longer, I’d definitely return for the next exhibition. Thank you to the team who presented all the works with care and compassion.

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In the Medium of Life at The Drawing Center offers a rare, intimate look into Beauford Delaney’s inner world—one shaped by solitude, resilience, and brilliance. Curated by Rebecca DiGiovanna and Laura Hoptman, the exhibition centers on Delaney’s works on paper—sketches, pastels, and notebook drawings—as the essence of his artistic journey.

Spanning from Harlem to Paris, the show traces his evolution from realistic portraits to luminous abstraction. A standout moment is the 1945 pastel of James Baldwin, contextualized with text highlighting their deep, decades-long friendship. Baldwin called Delaney “the first living proof… that a Black man could be an artist,” and this tribute resonates throughout the show.

Delaney’s abstractions shimmer with spiritual intensity, while even the simplest sketch pulses with urgency. Set against radiant yellow walls, the drawings are both sanctuary and revelation.

This is not just a retrospective—it’s a reclamation of a queer Black visionary whose brilliance transcends medium.

#BeaufordDelaney #DrawingCenterNYC #JamesBaldwin #QueerArtHistory #HarlemRenaissance #ParisNoir #TransatlanticModernism...

A fantastic free entry gallery and exhibition space in Soho that exhibits a wide variety of works from artists of all over. The galleries are wide and spacious with a small area in the basement for extra viewing as well as along a hallway that circles back up around towards the entrance.

They also have a cool fancy modern toilet. I thought that was worth showing.

The lobby contains a small stationary and book shop similar to any of your museums.

Highly recommend popping in to see what new exhibits they offer if you’re ever wandering around the area.

*Also be aware the doors are heavy so it may seem as they’re closed but require you to put your...