BADG LAB
The Underground Library in the smithsonian Design Triennal at the co0per Hewitt Museum
An exhibition space in the Smithsonian Design Triennial at the Cooper Hewitt Museum. The Underground Library is a reservoir of narratives and imagery, a refuge for those seeking freedom through the power of artistic literacy and personal expression. Like a modern-day Underground Railroad, it guides readers through layered stories, coded symbols, and visual archives—each holding keys to understanding and self-discovery.
It encourages the building of one’s own library, inspiring each of us to create a sanctuary for those willing to journey beyond the surface, to explore tales woven with complexity and truth. Within its depths, knowledge becomes a quiet rebellion, and art becomes a pathway to liberation.
BADG was invited to create an immersive space for the Smithsonian Design Triennial. The Underground Library inspires everyone to take responsibility to protect Black stories, history, and archives that instill our power - the power to access our legacies. Everyone must become archivists by creating home spaces to display, share, and educate themselves.
"Participating in the Smithsonian Design Triennial is a pivotal moment for the BADG Lab, allowing thousands of visitors to engage with The Underground Library. We hope visitors can feel the layered paths to freedom our ancestors walked, empowering us to preserve and share this legacy through designs like the custom Liberty Line carpet. At BADG, we’re dedicated to creating environments that immerse people in the Black experience, inviting all to become stewards of cultural memory,”
At BADG, we’re dedicated to creating environments that immerse people in the Black experience, inviting all to become stewards of cultural memory,”
Malene Barnett, Founder of BADG
The space featured art and design from over 20 makers from African and its diaspora and books about Black culture through the lense of art and design.
Photography by Kelly Marshall
Meet the Curatorial Team
Nina Cook John, Architect & Artist
Jomo Tariku, Furniture Designer
Malene Barnett, Artist & Founder of BADG
Leyden Lewis, Interior Designer
Penny Francis, Interior Designer