COLLECTION
David C. Driskell (1931–2020) was not only a distinguished artist and scholar but also a friend and mentor to others. Together with his wife, Thelma G. Driskell, he developed a personal collection over decades—through strong relationships with artists, scholars, and fellow collectors. His collection reflects a broad lineage, spanning from 19th-century landscape painter Edward Mitchell Bannister to late-20th-century icons such as Romare Bearden, Elizabeth Catlett, and Alma Thomas.
As several works from the Driskell Collection have now entered the PMA’s permanent collection, David C. Driskell: Collector marks a transformational moment in the museum’s history. The exhibition will explore themes of collecting, art stewardship, and the personal networks that shaped Driskell’s acquisitions. His own works will be presented in dialogue with the artworks he collected, emphasizing how his artistic and curatorial practices were deeply intertwined.
Building on themes from previous exhibitions at the PMA including David Driskell: Icons of Nature and History (2021) and Evolution: Five Decades of Printmaking by David C. Driskell (2009), this presentation will champion the work of leading artists from the 19th and 20th centuries that honor Driskell’s vision, influence, and legacy. As a leading force in the Maine arts community, Driskell’s contributions to the museum and the field at large continue to guide and inspire. With the addition of these remarkable works, his legacy will remain a cornerstone of the PMA’s collection, furthering the museum’s commitment to expanding artistic narratives.
Shalini Le Gall is Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs at the Portland Museum of Art in Maine. At the PMA, Le Gall initiated the reinstallation of the American art galleries in Passages in American Art (2023—ongoing) and co-organized the exhibition Elizabeth Colomba: Mythologies (2023). She is currently planning the exhibition Painting Energy: The Alex Katz Foundation Collection at the Portland Museum of Art (2025). In her previous role at the Colby College Museum of Art, she co-curated Inside Out: The Prints of Mary Cassatt (2020) and River Works: Whistler and the Industrial Thames (2019).
LEGACY
As an artist, curator, and teacher, David C. Driskell profoundly shaped the way we understand American art. He first came to Maine in 1953 on a scholarship to study at the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, a formative experience that connected him to the region for the rest of his life. Throughout his career, he mentored generations of students at institutions including Talladega College, Fisk University, and the University of Maryland.
Driskell’s groundbreaking 1976 exhibition, Two Centuries of Black American Art, organized at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, transformed the narratives of American art history. Presenting more than 200 works by 63 Black artists, the exhibition brought long-overlooked artists into national recognition during the country’s bicentennial and became the most-attended American art exhibition in LACMA’s history at the time.
Foundation Support:
The Lunder Foundation—The Peter and Paula Lunder Family
Corporate Support:
