Friends of The Galleries at Moore gathered Thursday evening, March 15, 2018, to celebrate its 50-year history. The event also honored Rochelle F. 'Cissie' Levy's devoted commitment to supporting that history. "Since 1968, The Galleries have played a critical role in the education of our students and serving as an innovative leader in Philadelphia's cultural community," said Moore President Cecelia Fitzgibbon. The Goldie Paley Gallery was established in 1983 as an experimental, international exhibition and publications program featuring solo and group exhibitions, in a variety of media, by established and emerging national and international artists. In 1987 the Levy Gallery for the Arts in Philadelphia was created.
Noting March is Women's History Month, Fitzgibbon said the timing is perfect to recognize Cissie Levy as one of the driving forces behind The Galleries. She was instrumental in the development of the Goldie Paley and Levy Galleries. Goldie Paley was Levy's husband Bob's grandmother and an artist as well. Levy also played a key role in acquiring the ASTM building, now known as Wilson Hall.
"Cissie, over the years you have chaired every committee of the Board, served as chair of the Board of Managers from 1980 to 1982 and chair of the Board of Trustees from 1988 to 1998," Fitzgibbon said. "You have had your own shows in The Galleries, and twenty years ago, you received an honorary doctorate in 1998. Truly our histories, yours and Moore’s, are intertwined and inseparable. Therefore, when we celebrate the anniversary of The Galleries, we also celebrate you."
Rochelle F. Levy '79 became a Moore student after her fifth child was old enough to attend school all day.
"I am so lucky that my husband and his family were supportive of my relationship with Moore, first as a board member, then a trustee, graduating in 1979 after 11 years as a continuing education student, mother to five and wife to one," she said.
Levy also saluted The Galleries' current show, Not Ready to Make Nice: Guerrilla Girls in the Art World and Beyond.
Following the celebration, the guests joined a full house in Graham Auditorium for a performance by 'Frida Kahlo,' one of the original founding members of the Guerrilla Girls. The program concluded with a question and answer session facilitated by the curator of the Guerrilla Girls retrospective, Neysa Page-Lieberman.
