ABOUT ROOM 3

ROOM 3 is an Art Studio producing books and cultural objects.

Founded in Toronto by artist, writer and director Shem Robinson, the studio began as an independent publishing practice and has evolved into a multidisciplinary platform for authorship. Rooted in Black queer perspective, the work treats identity not as subject matter but as a source of knowledge, style, and cultural power.

Our practice explores how identity, design, and narrative shape the movement of culture. Through publishing, printed matter, object-making, and live cultural programming, ROOM 3 builds an evolving archive grounded in presence and lived experience.

“I built ROOM 3 to claim authorship over my own narrative. It has since become a structure that holds more than just my voice. Our goal is not visibility for its own sake, but evidence. Evidence that Black and queer creators can define culture on our own terms, with intention and honesty.”
— Shem Robinson, Founder & Creative Director

Operating as both studio and record, ROOM 3 functions as a site of production and reflection within contemporary art and design. It is a space where design becomes language, where fashion holds memory, and where art creates room for confrontation and communion. The work is intentional, visually precise, and emotionally direct, less concerned with aesthetic for its own sake than with the truths aesthetic can carry.

ROOM 3 exists for those who believe art should not only stop traffic, but sustain conversation.