My Night at The Studio Museum Gala 2025
Last week I stepped into a space where history met possibility the Studio Museum in Harlem Gala 2025 was more than an event. It was a celebration of legacy, art, community, and what’s next for Black creativity.
The Setting
Held at the riverside Glasshouse in Manhattan, the evening gathered more than 750 artists, patrons, and cultural leaders to celebrate the museum’s continuing mission and to anticipate the grand reopening of its new building. As Thelma Golden, the museum’s director and one of the most influential voices in contemporary art, said: “This is a threshold moment.”
The Crowd & Conversations
Walking in, I found myself surrounded by icons. Conversations with Usher and Spike Lee floated through the room, while artists like Mickalene Thomas, Derrick Adams, and others reminded everyone why Black art is not just surviving it’s leading.
I had a chance to talk about my own paintings, and it felt like the kind of full-circle moment I used to dream about. Being there as an artist, not just an observer, was a powerful reminder of why I do what I do.
The Energy
The air was alive with creativity and joy. Between heartfelt speeches and spontaneous laughter, the gala moved effortlessly from elegance to celebration. The music pulsed beneath the skyline, and before long, the dance floor turned into a sea of movement and connection. It was a space where stories, rhythm, and legacy intertwined a night that reminded me that art isn’t just what we create, it’s how we gather.
Spotlight on Kenturah Davis
Among the evening’s many highlights, Kenturah Davis stood out as a living example of the museum’s mission in action. Her work known for its intricate blend of portraiture, language, and philosophy explores how words shape identity. Through layered text and striking visual form, she captures the beauty and complexity of Black thought and being.
Seeing Davis’s presence celebrated at the gala felt deeply meaningful. Her art, often centered on the visibility of Black faces and the texture of our inner worlds, embodies the very dialogue the Studio Museum has championed for decades. It was a reminder that artists like her and all of us following in her footsteps are carrying forward a legacy built on vision, depth, and truth.
Reflections
Leaving the gala, I felt full inspired by the brilliance in that room, and grateful to be part of a creative lineage that’s still unfolding. The Studio Museum in Harlem continues to show us that Black art isn’t just part of the cultural conversation it is the conversation.
With gratitude,
April Cooper
