Dear Peggy

Dear Peggy,

On the occasion of the exhibition Dreams of This Future: The Collection of Peggy Cooper Cafritz at the Studio Museum in Harlem, we would like to expound on your dreams for the community of artists and arts workers that you so generously and fervently supported. I feel incredibly honored to have worked on bringing your collection to the Studio Museum after your passing in 2018. My colleagues and I spent several weeks in your home, surrounded by the artwork you choseto live with every day. There, I truly understood what it meant to be in community with artists, to believe so passionately in their artistic practices, and to support them from the earliest stages of their careers. This letter offers a glimpse into the dreams that you helped realize for so many artists, seen through the recollections of several of them.
Warmly,

Connie

Dear Peggy,

We talked a lot about the role you played in the art world. You said you were an encourager. You also modeled for me the varied roles I would need to play as my career grew. And we actually talked about it—the responsibilities I would have. You said that you sometimes asked yourself in the mornings—“What role am I playing today?” You prepared me in a way no one else did. I’m so grateful for your advice, your humor, and our beautiful friendship. Miss you every day.

Simone

Dear Peggy,

Thank you so much for all the years of your shameless love, your unabashed and unapologetic openness, and your care for the art, artists, and young people looking to find the talismans that would inspire them to grow this kind of love.

You helped to support so many artists throughout their careers, when the lights were on brightest and when no one was there. You even spelled their names correctly. You were always all-in, no breaks, with a dedication that has shaped generations and generations to come.

Big Hugs,
Kambui

Dear Peggy,

You were one of the most interesting people I have ever met. I remember you visiting my studio in 2015 at the Yale School of Art. You sat casually and confidently on the sofa and spent the whole day with me, discussing art and life. When I had my first ever institutional show that you supported, you flew to London and picked me up in a Hackney carriage on your first day in the city. You had booked the driver for the entire day, which was very chic. You were full of life, class, and sincerity. I miss you dearly, and I am very thankful to have known you and to be able to call you a friend.

Tschabalala Self

Dear Peggy,

You wanted to know who my family was, who I was dating, and what my goals were. On your walls, you found a history lesson on Black artists alongside work by high school students. I always think about how silent and powerful that was.

Best,
Will Villalongo

Dear Peggy,

I literally don’t know where we would be without you. There are very few issues in arts, politics, and education that you did not touch and enhance in your lifetime. Thank you so much for cofounding Duke Ellington School of the Arts, where I was part of the twentieth graduating class. At Duke, I learned about hard work, community, ethics, collaboration, critical thinking, and the importance of civic engagement. I am glad to say that I am in daily contact with fellow alumni who share the joy and gratitude of being in your wake. Thank you for being a champion of so many who didn’t even know they deserved one. I remember when you called me twenty years ago upon discovering that I was an Ellington alum after collecting a few of my works. You told me how important it was to you that works from your collection would be going to the Studio Museum in Harlem upon your passing. It seems like you bought another work every year after. I beamed with joy knowing that the work would eventually be placed in such an important historical and cultural context. You are deeply missed, but your fierce, indomitable spirit remains. I still see the twinkle in your eye and feel the impression of your hands on my head, as you often placed a big, proud, loving kiss on my cheek. I am doing my best to shine my light and pass on the boundless love.

Hanky