Member Excursion to Philadelphia

AFL Members were joined by students from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton Art Club for a special day of programming in Philadelphia that featured a panel discussion at Wharton and tours of The Barnes Foundation and the newly opened Calder Gardens.

The day began with a thought-provoking conversation on the role of art in shaping identity and the opportunities and challenges of international philanthropy today. Panelists included Christopher Forbes, Founding Chairman of American Friends of the Louvre; Vladimir Galiothe, Managing Director at Citi, Treasurer of AFL’s Board of Directors, and Wharton alumnus; and Thomas E. Moore III, Executive Director of American Friends of the Louvre and a collector. The discussion was moderated by Terrell Estime, current Wharton graduate student, Co-President of the Wharton Art Club, and a collector.

Following the panel, members and students gathered at the Barnes Foundation, home to one of the world’s most extraordinary collections of Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, and early Modern paintings. Founded by Dr. Albert C. Barnes, the museum is especially renowned for its unrivaled holdings of Renoir (179 paintings) and Cézanne (69 paintings)—the largest single collections in the world for each artist—alongside other masterpieces that illuminate the rich artistic exchanges between France and the United States.

To conclude the afternoon, the group visited the newly opened Calder Gardens, designed by Herzog & de Meuron with landscaping by Piet Oudolf, who also led the design of New York’s High Line. Celebrated for its serene, contemplative atmosphere, the Gardens offer a dedicated space to experience the work of Alexander Calder, one of the most influential sculptors of the 20th century. His deep ties to Philadelphia stem from a remarkable artistic lineage: his father, Alexander Stirling Calder, created the Swann Memorial Fountain, and his grandfather, Alexander Milne Calder, sculpted the statue of William Penn atop City Hall. Calder’s own work is prominently featured at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, including his iconic mobile The Ghost in the Great Stair Hall. Calder Gardens are situated within walking distance of all three Calder landmarks along the Parkway.

It was a day filled with discovery in the City of Brotherly Love—where Philadelphia’s historic grandeur meets a vibrant contemporary and public-art culture.