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LIFESTYLE

Dr. Harmon and Harriet Kelley

A quarter-century of collecting African-American art

By Mauri Elbel

When Dr. Harmon and Harriet Kelley
bought their first painting, they never an- “At first, it wasn't our
ticipated they would be among the top col- intention to establish a
lectors of African-American art just a collection. We were just
quarter-century later. looking for pretty paintings
Today, the San Antonio-based couple is representative of our culture
known for one of the largest and most to hang on our walls,” Harriet
comprehensive collections of works by said. “Originally we saw an
African-American artists –– some of the opportunity to fill our walls
paintings they own are displayed perma-
with this beautiful art. It
nently in museums, while others tour na-
brought a lot of pride to us
tionally and abroad.
knowing there were African-
But their impressive collection had small
American artists that were
beginnings, an interest-turned-passion that
producing this fine art. But
started when the couple attended an exhi-
because of segregation and
bition of works by black artists titled “Hid-
being denied from museums,
den Heritage” at the San Antonio Museum
of Art in December 1987. it was largely unknown.”
“Harriet and I were invited to go to the
exhibition, and we went having never seen The Kelleys didn’t begin purchasing and sculptures from African-American
any paintings like this that had been done works with the intention of acquiring masters of the late 19th and 20th cen-
by African-Americans –– at least not of the one of the largest collections of African- turies, most of which is now owned by the
degree that we saw at ‘Hidden Heritage,’ ” American art. Originally, they bought Harriet and Harmon Kelley Foundation
said Dr. Harmon Kelley, who is a full-time paintings as a way to fill the walls of their for the Arts. Many original works by black
practicing obstetrician-gynecologist and home with meaningful art and to educate artists they have collected are now dis-
BCMS member. “We were completely their two young daughters –– now both played nationally and abroad.
overwhelmed. We went back multiple grown and working, one as an OB/GYN Their traveling exhibition, the Harmon
times and were quite impressed. At that who shares a practice with Harmon and and Harriet Kelley Collection of African-
first exhibition, we saw things that spoke the other a social worker in San Antonio American Art: Works on Paper, is an exten-
to us; things we had experienced.” –– about their heritage. sive assortment of works by various 19th
But seeing African-American art in Over the years, their interests and in- and 20th century African-American artists
that magnitude for the first time came volvement in African-American art has that has toured the United States and Eng-
with mixed emotions for the couple. On grown extensively. Today the Kelleys share land, spanning museums from the Smith-
one hand, they identified with the art, a similar status with some of best-known sonian Institute to the London-Haywood
but on the other, they felt an overwhelm- collectors of African-American art, such as Gallery in recent years. The exhibition is
ing sense of cultural isolation having comedian Bill Cosby. In 25 years, they composed of 69 works on paper –– repre-
never heard of or seen works by most of have amassed a collection that includes senting a small fraction of what is contained
the artists before. more than 300 paintings, works on paper in their overall collection –– including
28 San Antonio Medicine • February 2014