Roy Lichtenstein Studio Project

Updated January 24, 2023

The Whitney Museum of American Art is transforming artist Roy Lichtenstein’s Greenwich Village studio into a permanent home for its renowned Independent Study Program (ISP). The ISP—a core component of the Whitney’s role as a champion of American art and artists since 1968—has instructed more than two generations of artists, curators, art historians, and critics, providing participants with the instruction, space and support needed to pursue their artistic endeavors. Alumni of the program include artists Jennifer Allora, Gregg Bordowitz, Tony Cokes, Danielle Dean, Mark Dion, Andrea Fraser, LaToya Ruby Frazier, Felix Gonzalez-Torres, Renée Green, Jenny Holzer, Emily Jacir, Glenn Ligon, Rirkrit Tiravanija, and Julian Schnabel; critics and art historians Huey Copeland, Miwon Kwon, Pamela M. Lee, and Roberta Smith; and curators Carlos Basualdo, Naomi Beckwith, and Sheena Wagstaff, among many others. 

Despite its prominence and importance, it has never had a permanent home—until now.

The transformational project at 741/745 Washington Street—possible thanks to an extraordinary act of generosity by president of the Roy Lichtenstein Foundation Dorothy Lichtenstein—will preserve the legacy of a remarkable, historic space while adapting it to best serve the needs of artists and scholars now and for generations to come. Just blocks from the Whitney, this future hub of artistic creation, research, programming, and discussion is appropriately located in the heart of the cultural community of Greenwich Village, and will be an incredible resource for ISP participants and, by extension, the art community in New York City and beyond.

The design for the studio adaptation—thoughtfully crafted by architecture firm Johnston Marklee—adds space and makes respectful changes to the studio that Roy Lichtenstein used from 1988–1997. Construction began in January 2023 following scaffolding and other preparatory work in December 2022. The project is expected to be completed in fall 2023 to allow the 2023–2024 ISP class to utilize the transformed space.

For more information on the project and construction, please reach out to StudioProject@whitney.org.

This project is made possible through the generosity of donors including Museum trustees David Cancel, Laurie Tisch, Katja Goldman and Michael Sonnenfeldt, Nancy and Fred Poses, Pamella and Daniel DeVos, Jen Rubio and Stewart Butterfield, Fern and Lenard Tessler, and close friends of the Whitney, The Robert W. Wilson Charitable Trust, The Marlene Nathan Meyerson Family Foundation, and Gloria H. Spivak.