Ile Ife, and the thrilling manner in which visual artists
that will sustain our associated lectures, dance and
Barbara Bullock, Charles Searles, and Twins Seven-
music events, fashion festival, children’s programs,
Seven contributed to its affirmative vision. The
and more. With your twin projects of the Bethany
exhibition’s exuberance in form, color, and line is an
Mission Gallery and the Performance Garage, you
expression of the beauty of that vision. Thank you,
inspire us to excellence. Thank you also for the loans
Susanna and Karen, for contributing to Woodmere’s
of many works from your collection.
overall project to “tell the stories of Philadelphia’s art and artists,” illuminating an important chapter with your research, scholarship, and shared knowledge.
Many lenders stepped forward with generous loans, including our friends Judy Heggestad and Lewis Tanner Moore, whose collection of works
That Woodmere is able to build a picture of these
by Philadelphia’s African American artists is
three artists’ work is due to the relationship we have
incomparable. We extend our thanks as well to Jim
enjoyed for many years with one them: Barbara
Alterman of Jim’s of Lambertville, who represents
Bullock. We are indebted to you, Barbara, for sharing
the Searles estate, as well as, Elaine Finkelstein,
your art so generously and for your patience with
Esther and Stephen Hrabrick, Osagie and Losenge
our curiosity about your career and your friendships
Imasogie, and the William C. Robinson Legacy
with so many individuals who figure large in the
Collection. Our institutional lenders include the
exhibition. Kathleen Spicer, widow of Charles Searles,
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and the La
and George Jevremović, of Material Culture, are
Salle University Art Museum.
also long-standing friends to the Museum who have generously risen to the demands of this exhibition; you trusted our efforts and it made all the difference to our sense of purpose. The impetus behind the exhibition came from the relationship with Woodmere’s great friends, Robert and Frances Kohler, whose generosity is evident in the many credit lines on our labels for important gifts of art by Twin Seven-Seven. Your legacy in helping this museum build its collection has no parallel, and we are deeply grateful that you made it possible for us to include Twins SevenSeven in the honor roll of Woodmere’s collection in a manner that reflects his importance.
We cannot undertake any exhibition or project at the museum in the absence of financial support; we thank Material Culture, the Finkelstein Family, and an anonymous donor, in addition to those funders noted above. Woodmere is blessed with talented, dedicated, and creative staff who perform every activity with care and flair. For their contributions to Africa in the Arts of Philadelphia, I am grateful to Laura Heemer, registrar; Rachel Hruszkewycz, assistant curator; Rick Ortwein, deputy director for exhibitions; and Hildy Tow, The Robert L. McNeil Jr. Curator of Education. Thank you all.
Our equally heartfelt gratitude goes to Victor F. Keen and Jeanne Rudy, who not only helped us develop an understanding of the interdisciplinary nature of the cultural moment we are attempting to capture, but also supported the exhibition with a spectacular gift 4
WOODMERE ART MUSEUM
WILLIAM R. VALERIO, PHD
The Patricia Van Burgh Allison Director and Chief Executive Officer.