The MWC is a privately owned, publicly shared collection of art from the second half of the 20th century. The majority of the works are by African American artists supplemented by works from artists of the African diaspora and those who reflect on it. They include both two and three dimensional works, sculpture, photographs, videos and mixed media.
The collection was initiated in reaction to the loss of arts in the schools and the limitations common in many mainstream arts institutions (whether by capacity, interest or ability) to collect and present art by and about African Americans and to reach out beyond their physical walls to new audiences. These circumstances served to underline the urgency of finding new ways to bring art to citizens of all ages first in Flint, Michigan but also beyond it.
Mission
The Mott-Warsh Collection's mission is to present contemporary fine art to public audiences in non-traditional venues as well as educational and cultural institutions. The goal for the collection is to engage viewers in meaningful and impactful ways through a variety of presentation approaches, by intention and design, and make the artwork relevant to contemporary life.
Vision
We envision sharing the MWC with underserved communities, which do not have many opportunities to view museum-quality American artwork. The presentation priorities are:
-Within the Flint, Michigan community, exhibitions held in publicly accessible, secure non-traditional venues.
-Outside of Flint, Michigan, selected collection items are loaned through well-curated exhibitions in museums and/or non-traditional community settings. Priority will be given to underserved locations, which would not otherwise be able to assemble and present works of the MWCs quality.
The collection is meant to serve as a springboard for greater learning and art appreciation and to:
-Highlight the history and relevance of visual art. Educational programming will be created by MWC and venue staff to
expand one's personal engagement with and knowledge of American art
-Reach as broad a public audience as possible through the collection website and other online services.
