Drawing as Practice

Drawing as Practice is the inaugural exhibition at the National Academy of Design’s new location in the Chelsea arts district. Curated in response to its collection of more than 8,000 works of art and architecture, this exhibition illustrates drawing as a through-line connecting diverse contemporary practices of the nearly 450 National Academicians. Themes range from academic drawings that were the result of instructional sessions, to non-traditional drawing practices, structures and architecture, abstraction, motion studies, and social commentary. 

Drawing as Practice raises questions about the role drawing plays across mediums, from public sculpture to performance, and everything in between. Abstraction and social commentary became prevalent in the National Academy’s program and collection in the latter part of the twentieth century, with works by Sonia Gechtoff, The Furies (2000), Judy Pfaff’s Del Lumi e Obra (1992), and Charles Gaines’ Librettos: Manuel De Falla/Stokely Carmichael, Set Extension A (2016). A number of works in the exhibition straddle art and architecture: Jackie Ferrara’s 331 Beacon Tower (2005), Xenobia Bailey’s Funktional Vibrations (2015), Mary Mattingly’s Ebb of a spring tide study (2023), and Mel Chin’s Convo Pool Mood Board (2017–2023). Diploma works related to architecture from the collection include Rafael Viñoly’s Tokyo International Forum (1993), Charles Gwathmey’s Guggenheim Facade Study (1982), and Billie Tsien’s Facade Study Model (2008). 

Drawing as Practice connects developments in drawing from within the community of National Academicians and to broader fields of art and architecture. Accordingly, the exhibition includes work by practitioners outside the Academy’s membership, stretching well-worn definitions of drawing and its inherent qualities. For example, Hock A Eye VI Edgar Heap of Birds Red Skin Bounty (2000–2022) is a monoprint with handwritten poetic text, and Nora Maité Nieves’s drawings of interior elements employ frottage methods, integrating materials to sculptural effect. Performance artist Clifford Owens’ drawings Skully (2023) and Bamboo Cane (2021) are the residue of performative gestures. Katy Schimert’s drawings and sculptures echo the historical casts used in the Academy’s early classes.

Artists and architects
Stan Allen NA / Grace Albee NA (1890–1985) / Richard Artschwager NA (1923–2013) / Dotty Attie NA / Xenobia Bailey / Jennifer Bartlett NA (1941–2022) / Hugo Bastidas NA / James Carroll Beckwith NA (1852–1917) / Judith Bernstein NA / Robert Blackburn NA (1920–2003) / Andrea Blum / Ferdinand Thomas Lee Boyle NA (1820- 1906) / Paul Broches NA / Cecily Brown NA / Paul Cadmus NA (1904–1999) / Charles Shepard Chapman NA (1879–1962) / Asa Cheffetz NA (1896–1965) / Mel Chin NA / James Cutler NA / Moseley Isaac Danforth NA (1800–1862) / Stephen Dean / Anne Deleporte / Mark di Suvero NA / Jim Dine NA / Jackie Ferrara NA / Avram Finkelstein / Charles Gaines NA / Sonia Gechtoff NA (1926 - 2018) / Frank Gehry NA / Emilie Louise Gossiaux / Michael Graves NA (1934 - 2015) / Joanne Greenbaum NA / Charles Gwathmey NA (1938–2009) / Richard John Haas NA / Hock E Aye VI Edgar Heap of Birds / Samuel Isham NA (1855–1914) / Jasper Johns NA / Alex Katz NA / Stephen Kieran NA / Christine Sun Kim / Sol LeWitt (1928–2007) / Mateo López / LOT-EK / Ana Mendieta (1948–1985) / Robert Mangold NA / Mary Mattingly / John Moore NA / Robert Motherwell NA (1915–1991) / John Newman NA / Nora Maité Nieves / Claes Oldenburg NA (1929 - 2022) / Clifford Owens / Renzo Piano NA / Cesar Pelli NA (1926–2019) / Judy Pfaff NA / Howardena Pindell NA / Jenny Polak and Dread Scott NA / Liliana Porter / Robert Riggs NA (1896–1970) / LJ Roberts / Shellyne Rodriguez / Adam Liam Rose / Zilia Sánchez / Katy Schimert / Catalina Schliebener Muñoz / Joel Shapiro NA / Arlene Shechet NA / Lorraine Shemesh NA / Walter Shirlaw NA (1838–1909) / Elena Sisto NA / Kiki Smith NA / Prentiss Taylor NA (1907–1991) / James Timberlake NA / Billie Tsien NA / Johanna Unzueta / Rafael Viñoly NA (1944–2023) / Claire Weisz NA / Charles Wilbert White NA (1918–1979) / Tod Williams NA / James Wines NA

Drawing as Practice is organized by Sara Reisman, Chief Curator and Director of National Academician Affairs, and Natalia Viera Salgado, Associate Curator, with research and scholarship by Diana Thompson, Director of Collections.