Tyler School of Art and Architecture at Temple University opened an archive exhibition at the Tyler Contemporary Art Gallery on September 5, reimagining the historic Pyramid Club, a cultural hub for Black professionals in North Philadelphia from 1937 to 1963. Curated by Matthew Jordan-Miller Kenyatta, the show features 34 paintings and 35 photographs by John Mosely, alongside works by contemporary artists like Shawn Theodore, and draws from archives by William Dodd, Leslie Willis-Lowry, and the Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection. The exhibition runs through its final month, with events drawing over 200 attendees.
The exhibition matters because it revives the legacy of a vital but lesser-known Black cultural institution, connecting its history to current artistic practice and community engagement. By asking "What if the club hadn't closed?" the show bridges past and present, sparking new academic interest—faculty have integrated the Pyramid Club into lessons on archival practices and Black art history. The project also lays groundwork for a forthcoming book, "Art for Race: The Pyramid Club," ensuring broader documentation of this influential space.