The Drawing Center

The Drawing Center is the only fine arts institution in the U.S. to focus solely on the exhibition of drawings, both historical and contemporary. It was established in 1977 by curator Martha Beck (1938-2014) to provide opportunities for emerging and under-recognized artists; to demonstrate the significance and diversity of drawings throughout history; and to stimulate public dialogue on issues of art and culture. Located in SoHo, The Drawing Center’s galleries provide an intimate and human scale viewing experience. It has been called "one of the city's most highly respected small art museums" by The New York Times. Attracting more than 55,000 visitors annually from the local area, across the country, and around the world, The Drawing Center has presented more than 230 exhibitions, published over 85 catalogs, and has been recognized through prestigious awards such as the International Art Critics Association/USA award for Best Show by a Non-Profit Gallery or Space for the 2010 exhibition Leon Golub: Live & Die Like a Lion?, the 2009 exhibitions Ree Morton: At the Still Point of the Turning World and Unica Zürn: Dark Spring and the 2008 exhibition, Frederick Kiesler: Co-Realities. Exhibitions have toured to prestigious museums around the world, including: Tate Britain, London, and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney, Australia (The Stage of Drawing); the Museum of Contemporary Art, Barcelona, Spain (The Prinzhorn Collection); the Santa Monica Museum of Art (3 x Abstraction); Canadian Centre for Architecture, Montreal (Iannis Xenakis: Architect, Composer, Visionary); The Museum Het Domein, Sittard, Netherlands, and the Mary and Leigh Block Museum of Art, Northwestern University, Chicago (Leon Golub: Live + Die Like a Lion?).