The Gilcrease Museum opened a new exhibition of African-American art collected by two ordinary people who created an extraordinary collection of artwork. Kerry Davis was a postman, and his wife, Betty, was a local television producer, but the two collected close to 300 works by black artists ranging from local artists in their hometown of Atlanta, Georgia, to internationally known artists, like Jacob Lawrence, Romare Bearden, Sam Gilliam, Elizabeth Catlett, Alma Thomas, and Norman Lewis. Sixty-two selected works are on display at the Gilcrease that encompass representational and abstract painting, sculpture, prints, photographs, folk art, and mixed media. Senior curator of art Laura Fry and local guest curator Quraysh Ali Lansana discuss the artwork and themes in the exhibition, “Memories and Inspiration: The Kerry & C. Betty Davis Collection of African-American Art,” on display through July 26th.

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