The Smokehouse Associates: William T. Williams, Melvin Edwards, and Guy Ciarcia with Eric Booker

September 23rd, 2022
To celebrate the publication of Smokehouse Associates, original members of the artist collective join the editor, Studio Museum Assistant Curator & Exhibition Coordinator Eric Booker, for a conversation delving into the group’s participatory, environmental, and abstract outdoor work.
From 1968 to 1970, the Smokehouse Associates transformed Harlem with vibrant, community-oriented, abstract murals and sculptures. Established by William T. Williams with Melvin Edwards, Guy Ciarcia, and Billy Rose, Smokehouse grew to encompass a range of creative practitioners united around the revolutionary potential of public art. Though relatively unknown today, Smokehouse was ambitious in its scale, community engagement, and interaction with the built environment. Smokehouse Associates provides the first critical examination of the group’s work, expanding the narrative of public art and social practice in the United States to include the contributions of artists of African descent.
For more information on the program and to order the book, please visit: studiomuseum.o...
ASL was provided by ProBono ASL and Closed Captioning was provided by Stenocaptions.
Support for inHarlem public programming provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The Studio Museum in Harlem’s digital programs are supported by the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation’s Frankenthaler Digital Initiative. Additional support has been provided by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. The Smokehouse Associates publication was made possible thanks to funding from the Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts and Terra Foundation for American Art.