Art enthusiasts rejoice! Reading Public Museum (RPM) is celebrating one of the largest gifts the museum has ever received, both in terms of number and value of works bequeathed. “The impact is BIG,” exclaims RPM Art Curator Scott Schweigert. “This takes us from zero to 60 overnight, which is pretty extraordinary. Once this gift happened, it absolutely changed our 20th-Century collection of American art.” A reflection of esteemed and beloved friend of the museum Dr. Luther W. Brady, the bequest more than doubles his previous gifts to the museum, bringing the total to 228 works.
President and founder of the American College of Radiation Oncology, Brady was a revered pioneer and leading expert in the field of radiation oncology. A pinnacle of incomparable expertise, his ceaseless compassion for patients earned him an honorable legacy while the warmth and genuine care with which he treated students mentees, peers and friends granted him designation as a “guiding light.” Moreover, Brady’s philanthropic and humanitarian imprints are sure to continue their prolific influence for many years to come. In addition to the extraordinary host of honors bestowed for his invaluable contributions to global medicine, he was a passionate champion of the arts, serving prominently on a myriad of art, opera and music committees, from Philadelphia to New Mexico.
“There are certainly billionaire collectors and hedge fund managers,” confides Schweigert, “but they’re collecting mostly as an investment; he truly never did that. It was all about that personal connection.” It’s no coincidence then that, as you immerse yourself in the current 65-piece exhibition, you essentially find yourself navigating a most colorful and intimate biographical journey. Poring over this collection feels akin to a personal journal of sorts, chronicling nearly seven decades of life while collecting art.
This Tremendous Gift
Stepping into the exhibit’s first gallery, you’re greeted by a spectral feast of 20th-and-21st-century works by a veritable Who’s Who of abstract impressionists. Welcoming you with William A. Smith’s famed authenticity is Portrait of Dr. Luther Brady and a smaller study by Patricia Moss-Vreeland. Multidimensional sculptures dot the periphery of cerebral landscapes as color field paintings are greeted by the whoosh of Hans Hofmann and Thomas Chimes’ sweeping impasto.
Edna Andrade’s hypnotizing Eclipse beckons to Ben Kamihira’s exquisite chiaroscuro lighting as lyrical abstraction dances through works by 1950s studio mates Friedel Dzubas and Helen Frankenthaler. Woody Gwyn’s liberating open roads to New Mexico prompt your gaze toward Paul Pletka’s Potawatomi, swathed by rough hues and a delicate hand immortalizing its stalwart warrior in Native headdress. Indigenous Crow artist Kevin Red Star’s dreamy impressionist-realist blend plays a radical neighbor to Fritz Scholder’s intrepid, galloping marvels.
Legendary Generosity
Whether in paint or prose, Brady exemplified legendary generosity and uncompromising stewardship. Surpassing typical patron-artist associations, Brady’s decades-long friendship with RPM makes the realization of this tremendous gift bitter-sweet. “I think he knew what an impact even a portion of his collection would make here,” attests Schweigert. “He had that vision, and it finally became realized.”
Fun Facts
Baby, It’s Cold Outside.
Escape winter chills by stoking the fires of your imagination— inside! Treat yourself to The Art of Collecting (through Jan. 7, 2024).
Party Time!
Think museums are too “stuffy”? No way! RPM hosts fun for all ages, including Kids’ Night Out events and themed birthday parties.
