“SELF PORTRAIT”: Works by Walé Oyéjidé’ are featured in “Flight of the Dreamer,” on view at the Michener Art Museum in Doylestown, Pa., through April 23, 2023. The exhibit offers a social-justice-centered vision in response to the Michener’s history as a former prison.

The James A. Michener Art Museum in Doylestown, Pa., presents “Walé Oyéjidé: Flight of the Dreamer,” on view through April 23, 2023.

Pairing original writings published by previous Bucks County prison inmates with selections from renowned Nigerian American artist Walé Oyéjidé’s existing body of work, “Flight of the Dreamer” offers a social-justice-centered vision in response to the Michener’s history as a former prison.

The massive stone walls and warden’s house that make up the core of the Museum today began as the Bucks County prison in 1884. After a century of use, the prison was closed due to overcrowding and inhumane conditions. The buildings were renovated and repurposed for their current use as an art institution, opening to the public in 1988.

“Flight of the Dreamer” features lush garments and regal portraits of inspiring individuals to transform the gallery space into an empowering, imagined escape from the difficulties of imprisonment. Oyéjidé explains, “Each of us is a prisoner of some kind. Most of us are in prisons of our own making. Each of us is a dreamer. Each of us pines for flight.”

“The beauty of Walé’s work draws you into the gallery, where the poetry makes you think about the people who suffered in the exact spot where you stand, and the imagery reminds you that there are people in Philadelphia and across the world grappling with their own hardships,” said the exhibition curator and Michener’s Assistant Curator Tara Kaufman. “Essentially, it’s about resilience and empowerment.”

Oyéjidé is a designer, writer, filmmaker, photographer, musician, and lawyer, combatting bias with creative storytelling. As the founder of Ikiré Jones, he employs fashion design as a vehicle to celebrate the perspectives of marginalized populations. His apparel design can be seen in the films Black Panther and Coming 2 America.

The Michener Art Museum is at 38 South Pine Street in Doylestown, Pa. For more information, call (215) 340-9800 or visit michenerartmuseum.org.