Asmaa Walton started Black Art Library with seven books in 2020 and it now runs past 800, built specifically so Black art history is something people can hold rather than search for. The Drawing Center has given a slice of it a reading room in SoHo, with loaned Carl Hansen furniture, so you can actually sit and read rather than browse spines. It costs nothing and this is the last weekend.
What to expect
A reading room folded into the museum's bookstore, with a curated selection of the library's monographs, catalogues, memoirs and ephemera available to pull off the shelf and read on site. It is quiet and unhurried, and pairs naturally with whatever is on in The Drawing Center's main galleries. Books are for reference, not for borrowing.
Good to know
- Access to the reading room is free, and the books are for on-site reference rather than lending.
- Black Art Library was founded in Detroit by educator Asmaa Walton and has grown past 800 volumes.
- The installation sits inside The Drawing Center's bookstore, so it is combined with a retail space.
- The Drawing Center is closed early in the week - check the opening days before making the trip.
- The museum is at 35 Wooster Street in SoHo, near Canal Street on the A, C, E, 1, N, Q, R and 6.
- The presentation was made possible by the Teiger Foundation, with furniture loaned by Carl Hansen and Son.
Planning Sep 25–27, 2026 in NYC?
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Common questions
Can I borrow the books?
No. The selection is available for reference in The Drawing Center's bookstore reading room rather than for lending.
Is it free?
Yes. The Drawing Center lists free admission for the Black Art Library presentation.
When does it close?
September 27, 2026 - this is the final weekend of the installation.
