Photo by Dy’Min Cannon
Dr. Celeste Hart has practiced endocrinology in the building where her father, Dr. Alexander D. Brickler, joined her grandfather, Dr. Russell L. Anderson, in a primary care practice in 1957. The Anderson Brickler Gallery is named after those two renowned physicians. The gallery is located on the first floor of the South Adams Street building.
Hart, the gallery’s founder and executive director, is interested in fine art editions, post-war and contemporary artists with a focus on African artists. The gallery serves as a second job and labor of love for Hart, who began collecting art in college when she won an online auction of a painting by Romare Bearden.
The first work she purchased as an art collector was by Bearden, a 20th-century African-American artist who is well known for his many types of media including cartoons, oils and collages. Hart’s poster was from Bearden’s jazz series at the Smithsonian, titled “Bopping at Birdland.”
“The gallery is an educational experience where you can learn about the artist and their place in history and an excellent resource for research. We are very interested in collaborating with students and educational enrichment through the arts. We have partnered with the FAMU Write On program where university students came and did exploratory writing. We’ve worked with students at FSU, who had their graduating show of fine arts,” said Kabuya Pamela Bowens-Saffo, the Anderson Brickler Gallery’s chief associate.
Michael Hunnewell, the featured artist currently on display, explained his exhibition “Rhythm Interpretations.”
“This exhibition, in particular, represents the culture of African drumming and rhythm. I designed these pieces so when viewers observe the art pieces they can imagine and hear the rhythm of drums,” he said.
This year the Anderson Brickler Gallery’s focus is art and multidisciplinary collaborations. The gallery will share collective highlights in art, music, dance, film-video, theater and important literary references involving local community artists and university studies in these creative areas. In the past, the gallery created art and science initiatives and K-12 schools had an exhibit at the gallery with themes on sustainability.
Hart hopes that the gallery will expand more in the Tallahassee community.
“The invitation is open to all colleges, community members and local artists. I want it to be a place where people feel comfortable coming to look at things that we hope will be evocative and inspiring, ” she said.
Admission is free for the general public. The gallery is open every Wednesday and Saturday located at 1747 South Adams St.