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Gateways: African American Art from the Key Collection

From May 23, 2026 to August 17, 2026

Location: Spotlight Gallery (Floor 1M)

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Gateways: African American Art from the Key Collection offers a sweeping look at 150 years of creativity, resilience, and expression. Assembled by museum leader and educator Eric Key, this extraordinary collection features more than 80 works by 76 artists, spanning painting, sculpture, photography, and works on paper.

From Henry Ossawa Tanner’s luminous depictions of North Africa to Elizabeth Catlett’s striking modernist sculpture and Richard Mayhew’s bold explorations of color, the exhibition highlights some of the most significant voices in American art. Portraits by Delita Martin and Al Burts explore the joys and complexities of life in America, celebrating humanity in all its forms.

Al Burts (b. 1967), Cinderella Man, 2011, Oil on canvas, 60” x 48”, Courtesy of the Eric Key Collection, © Al Burts.

Elizabeth Catlett (1915 - 2012), Family, 2002, Bronze, 15” x 5½” x 5”, Courtesy of the Eric Key Collection, © Elizabeth Catlett.

Reginald Gammon (1921 - 2005), St. Louis Blues, n.d., Oil on canvas with gold leaf, 28” x 22”, Courtesy of the Eric Key Collection, © Reginald Gammon.

Delita Martin (b. 1974), Let Me Breathe, 2020, Relief Print, 36” x 24”, Courtesy of the Eric Key Collection, © Delita Martin.

Richmond Barthé (1901 - 1989), Feral Benga, 1986, Bronze, 19” x 4½” x 4½”, Courtesy of the Eric Key Collection, © Richmond Barthé.

Floyd Coleman (1939 - 2018), Colonial Wars and Things, 1970-71, Acrylic on canvas, 61” x 61”, Courtesy of the Eric Key Collection, © Floyd Coleman.

Faheem Majeed (b. 1976), Grandma Chair, 2009, Paint, metal, and wood, 76” x 28” x 19½”, Courtesy of the Eric Key Collection, © Faheem Majeed.

Nelson Stevens (1938 - 2022), Untitled (nude female), 1980, Oil on canvas, 42" x 42"x 2", Courtesy of the Eric Key Collection, © Nelson Stevens.

Gordon Parks (1912 - 2006), Grandchildren of Ella Watson, A Government Chairwoman, 1942, photograph, 22” x 25” x 2”, Courtesy of the Eric Key Collection, © Gordon Parks.

 

Visitors will explore themes of life, music, representation, religion, and politics through the perspective of many of the most prominent Black artists in American art from the 1880s to today. This landmark exhibition underscores the vital role of collectors, like Eric Key, in shaping the art historical canon while celebrating the many ways African American artists have defined, challenged, and expanded the story of America itself.

As an important exhibition in The Rockwell Museum’s 50th anniversary celebration, “Rockwell Reframed,” Gateways reflects the Museum’s ongoing commitment to framing the American story through art that elevates underrepresented voices and perspectives.

Gateways: African American Art from the Key Collection is organized and toured by International Arts & Artists.

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About The Collector

Born in 1957 in Smithfield, Virginia, Eric Key is an arts administrator, investor, and collector who—by his own admission—”can’t draw a straight line.” Currently director of the Arts Program at University of Maryland Global Campus, he has also served as the executive director of the Kansas African American Museum (Wichita); director of programs for the Black Academy of Arts and Letters; curator for the African American Museum Dallas; and assistant curator of African American history at Old City Park, all in Dallas, Texas.

Over the course of his career, he has curated more than 200 culturally diverse exhibitions, working closely with countless artists, curators, art activists, and directors. For decades, he has expanded and sharpened his knowledge of the art field, particularly the pivotal contributions of African American artists. Desiring to support African American artists and to help preserve the Black experience in the Americas in art, Key began collecting African American art in the early ‘90s, simultaneously acquiring great and innovative artworks while supporting friends and the many communities of which he has been a part.

Thank You

This exhibition is made possible with generous support by Mary Spurrier.