Centre for Recent Drawing is London’s museum space for drawing. Founded as an artist project in 2004, C4RD has since provided a public exhibition series, residencies, talks, publications and encouraged production towards independent and non-commercial aims; it is a member of the Museum Association of the UK and a UK Charity. C4RD is in the unique position of being able to provide a whole building dedicated to drawing – showing continuous exhibitions of a broad variety of drawing practice – and also be able to house residencies specifically for those for whom drawing is a core part of their practice. This is in addition to the C4RD web presence, the C4RD Community registry, publications (D4RD and Z4RD), Special Projects, and Online Residencies.
Drawing as an approach is regaining the importance it once had as a way of thinking or acting that is fundamental to the human experience. It is being considered less as a particular use of materials or sub-activity of a particular discipline, and more as an approach discrete in itself. Drawing defined as the exercise of the imagination or mind on line reinforces drawing’s capacity as a performed analogy (mentally/manually) of the continuum that is human consciousness; two marks, as in mathematics, necessarily make a line. Drawing is essentially a connective understanding; between the eye, the hand, and the mind.
C4RD’s purpose is to make space for drawing. By maintaining the visibility of a characteristically humanist approach that is drawing – in the encouragement and refinement of the understanding of drawing, the arts and society at large can benefit. C4RD seeks to facilitate access and dialogue for current drawing practice independent of structural forces in commercial and institutional settings.
C4RD welcomes all those with a particular interest in drawing as a core experience from within and outside the arts. It seeks a balanced programme to present a broad variety of expansive possibilities in drawing. More information on our programmes is available on this website. C4RD is staffed and funded by the generosity of individuals and private and corporate donors, and is a UK Registered Charity and member of the Museums Association.
