The latest exhibition at the Michener Art Museum in Doylestown showcases Lewis Tanner Moore’s extensive collection of Black art, writes Peter Crimmins for the WHYY.
Yesterday’s Dreams Are Real: Collecting Black Art and the Legacy of Lewis Tanner Moore will be on view through July 27.
Moore, who died last year aged 70, was a descendent of a major Black artist. Philadelphia painter Henry Ossawa Tanner, who was the first African American artist to achieve international recognition, was his great uncle.
Moore knew how to recognize when a work was done and ready to be enjoyed. During his visit to Barbara Bullock’s studio in 2022, he noticed she was working on an untitled paper collage and told her there was no need to fuss with it anymore.
“She said that he came to her studio and saw it and said, ‘This is perfect. Stop.’ Then acquired the piece,” said Michener curator Laura Igoe. “He knew when it was ready for him.”
The exhibit features around 90 paintings, sculptures, and mixed-media works, from the collection Moore has been building for over half a century. It is mostly comprised of contemporary artists.
Read more about Lewis Tanner Moore’s extensive collection of Black art at Michener Art Museum in the WHYY.
