In New York, during the 1970s and 1980s, Black artists made themselves a home at the Just Above Midtown (JAM), cultivating a seminal space for their community as the art world centered their exhibitions around presenting and amplifying white artists.
“At the time, to be an artist of color in one of these galleries’ stables was unusual, if not extremely rare,” writes ArtNews.
JAM, founded by filmmaker Linda Goode Bryant in 1974, opened the gallery space on 50 West 57th St., creating a supportive and thriving environment for prolific Black artists such as Senga Nengudi, Howardena Pindell and Lorraine O’Grady. Greg Tate and Vernon Reid spent time there jamming their music and the space welcomed legendary visitors like Stevie Wonder and Miles Davis.
On Oct. 9, the Museum of Modern Art premiered an exhibition honoring the creative power and potency of JAM titled “Just Above Midtown: Changing Spaces.” “The accompanying catalog, co-published with The Studio Museum in Harlem, tells this one-of-a-kind story of an attempt to transform the art world’s infrastructure,” according to a statement from MoMa. The exhibition is a culturally profound celebration of an intimate artistic representation of Black excellence.
“Just Above Midtown: Changing Spaces” offers an opportunity to engage the next generation of Black artists to explore their history and understand the strides that have been made for the Black community.
“JAM was a place as much as a world, a place where people ate together, discussed and argued, drank and smoked together, collaborated on work, slept together, pushed each other to go further, and partied ’til the cows came home,” said Lorraine O’Grady.“Just Above Midtown: Changing Spaces” opened Oct. 9 at MoMa 11 W 53rd St., New York, NY 10019. Visit