Dorothy and Roy Lichtenstein
Lichtenstein's studio is at 741/745 Washington Street, not far from the Meatpacking District building where the Whitney Museum of American Art has been housed since 2015. Since his death in 1997, Lichtenstein's studio has served as the headquarters for his foundation, which has been responsible for compiling a catalogue raisonné and overseeing his archives. The 9,000-square-foot structure will house Whitney's renowned Independent Study Program, which has hosted a number of well-known artists, critics, and historians, many of whom are still in the early phases of their careers. Starting in 2023, the museum will begin enabling the program, which has previously been housed in Lichtenstein's former studio in Lower Manhattan. The Whitney has recruited the firm Johnston Marklee to modify the studio to its own needs. Johnston Marklee's previous projects include the Menil Drawing Institute, which opened in 2018 at the Menil Collection in Houston, Texas.
"This is a magnificent act of generosity on the part of Dorothy Lichtenstein and the Lichtenstein Estate, and it is all the more meaningful because of Roy's history with the Whitney and the many times in recent years they have extended their hand to our museum," said Adam Weinberg, Whitney's director. We're honored to be entrusted with such an important piece of New York's cultural heritage, and we're looking forward to continuing Roy's legacy through our Independent Study Program, which supports the next generation of artists, curators, and academics."
Jean Dubreil