NYC Mayor Spends 35th Birthday at Studio Museum, Praises Simmons Painting
New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani spent his 35th birthday at the Studio Museum in Harlem in New York.
He shared the visit on Instagram, where he posts under the name Zohran Kwame Mamdani. The post tagged the museum's account, @studiomuseum, and said the day had left a lingering impression.
One painting stayed with him in particular, reported by ARTnews. That was The Hypnotist (2026) by Taylor Simmons. Mamdani described it as "just incredible."
Simmons is an Atlanta native born in 1990. He lives and works in New York City, according to the Studio Museum in Harlem. His practice moves across painting, collage, printmaking, drawing and sculpture.
Simmons is one of the museum's 2026 artists-in-residence. An artist residency is a fixed-term post that typically offers studio space, a stipend and support to make new work. He holds it alongside Simonette Quamina and Derriann Pharr.
The three are the first cohort to work and exhibit in the museum's new building. It is a milestone for the institution, which is known for supporting artists of African descent. The residency has long been a launchpad for early-career artists.
Visitors can see Simmons's work in "A sustained becoming: Studio Museum Artists in Residence 2026". The group show is organised around the current residents. It runs through 3 January.
Mamdani is no first-time visitor. In a separate post last year, he said he had spent Thanksgiving weekend at the new Studio Museum in Harlem. That earlier visit came shortly after the building reopened.
What makes this stand out is the simplicity of the choice. No gala dinner. No rally. Just a birthday walk through the galleries. For fans, this means an easy itinerary to follow. Head to Harlem, find the residency show, and start with The Hypnotist.
