About a year and a half ago, with America’s semiquincentennial quickly approaching, Megan Monaghan began thinking about Philadelphia’s history. As the director of arts at Springside Chestnut Hill Academy (SCH), Monaghan wanted to create an exhibition at the school’s Barbara Crawford Gallery to honor the birthplace of American democracy.

One theme that stuck out to Monaghan was the role of Black artistic excellence in the city. The lives of countless Black artists, educators, mentors, and activists have intersected with Philadelphia’s institutions, classrooms, sidewalks, living rooms, churches, and community centers.

“Whether they were born here, drawn here to study or teach, or inspired by the city itself, these artists are woven into the fabric of Philadelphia’s cultural identity,” Monaghan told the Local.

Monaghan then reached out to Claudia Volpe, director and curator of the Petrucci Family Foundation Collection (PFFC) of African American Art, who agreed to loan artwork and curate the show. Through this collaboration, “Echoes of Our Future: 250 Years of Black Artistic Legacy in Philadelphia” was created. The exhibition runs from Jan. 15 to March 12.

Themes of the exhibition

Once the general framework of the show was established, Monaghan and Volpe selected more than 30 pieces that would fit within three distinct themes.

“If you walk into the gallery, you’ll see that there’s three clear divisions, one being faces and community, or artists depicting families, friends, and the identity of being an artist in Philadelphia or a Black individual in Philadelphia,” Volpe explained. “There’s a wall dedicated to music, movement, and sound, and then another vignette dedicated to environment — a changing environment, environmental concerns, et cetera.”

There are 27 artists included in “Echoes of Our Future,” including names such as Barbara Bullock, Eustace Mamba, Tim McFarlane, Dox Thrash, and Henry Ossawa Tanner. According to Volpe, many of these artists form a “natural web of connections.”

“You start to see the friendships and networks between these artists and how their works are influenced, both aesthetically and thematically, based on who they’re exposed to and who’s in their friend group,” Volpe said. “It was a real natural development.”

Curricular connections

In addition to creating “Echoes of Our Future,” Monaghan also established The Next 250, which she described as “a living educational project that connects the exhibition to student learning through workshops, mentorship, and visual storytelling.”

As with other shows at the Barbara Crawford Gallery, this exhibition will include plenty of curricular connections for SCH students.

“Students visit the gallery one class at a time, which allows for a more intimate and focused experience with the work,” Monaghan said. “Each visit can take a different shape — sometimes guided discussions around a single piece, other times a full walk-through connecting the exhibition to their coursework, or moments spent sketching directly from a work that sparks their imagination.”

As part of The Next 250, the Barbara Crawford Gallery is hosting a food drive and gallery talks for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, on Jan. 19 from 10 a.m. to noon.

Volpe will be giving 30-minute presentations about how Dr. King’s legacy inspires art and action within the collection and the PFFC’s mission. Community members can also bring non-perishable food to the gallery during the event. These donations will support the Germantown Avenue Crisis Ministry, which assists those facing food insecurity in the Philadelphia area.

According to Volpe, this exhibit will offer people an opportunity to learn the names and expand their knowledge of Black artists. She hopes it will also inspire students to consider pursuing their own artistic ventures.

“Often you ask people who inspires them and what artistic voices they’re drawn to, and they’ll rattle off a couple of familiar names…Western white male voices,” Volpe said. “We want to inspire awe and interest and generate more curiosity about the people who are exhibiting the work here.”

“Echoes of Our Future: 250 Years of Black Artistic Legacy in Philadelphia,” Barbara Crawford Gallery, 500 W. Willow Grove Ave. To see a list of times the public can visit the gallery, register for an MLK Day gallery talk, or see a list of requested donations for the food drive, visit sch.org.

Maggie Dougherty can be reached at Margaret@chestnuthilllocal.com.