Florcy Morisset
Florcy Morisset is the owner and curator of Vivant Art Collection and a Philly 360° Creative Ambassador. Florcy is a relentless advocate for the arts scene and the Philadelphia community. Florcy’s personality and professional philosophy emphasizes the importance of arts and culture as the vital heartbeat of Philadelphia.
How would you describe Vivant Art Collection?
Vivant is a cultural art gallery. The gallery exhibits art from Africa, the Caribbean and Latin America. It’s all cultural art that tells a story of particular people, their land [and history]. I wanted showcase cultural and indigenous art that is very different from the art that you traditionally see.
Vivant means vibrant, lively, exuberant, and full of color. It's really reflective of the art that you see here today.
When I select art for Vivant Art Collection, the first thing that I think about is the history and culture of the country I want to highlight. It’s about how the artwork tells a story during a specific moment of time. Every country has its own story and culture; and is special for that reason.
Why did you choose Tribal Home as one of your favorite places in Philadelphia?
Tribal Home specializes in antique African artifacts. They specialize in cultural art just like I do, but their pieces are antiques. It's original, and the pieces are dated back to hundreds and hundreds of years ago. A lot of the masks and statues were actually used in traditional rituals and ceremonies.
What are some other favorite places in Philadelphia?
The African American Museum in Philadelphia is one of my favorite spots. It is a historical art museum that focuses on Philadelphian African American [figures and] historians that contributed to the cultural fabric of Philadelphia. What I love about the African American Museum is that they always bring really wonderful exhibits from all around the world that I myself could find a connection with. They have things that are fun as film festivals, music festivals, art exhibits, cocktail receptions, and you can even [host] your own event there. They allow you to make it your own space.
Any other favorite places?
Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church is very special to me for so many different reasons. One, it's a beautiful sanctuary, [where I attend church]. It is one of the oldest A.M.E. churches. Reverend Tyler who is the pastor there is phenomenal. The first time I actually visited there was on a tour with the African American Museum in Philadelphia. They had all this beautiful stained glass and the Pastor talked about the history of the church. It really moved me. This church is on the oldest parcel of land that's [still] owned by African Americans.
Later, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) was having a think tank for the upcoming Henry Ossowa Tanner [exhibition], who is the son of Richard Allen. Richard Allen was actually the founder of the church and the A.M.E. religion. I had the opportunity to come visit the church and ever since then, I was captivated by the history and felt a real spiritual presence.
There's also the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, one of my favorite spots in Philadelphia. When you think about arts and culture, you think of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, The Rodin, and The Barnes Foundation, which have the best art collection in the world. This street [20th] is my favorite street on Benjamin Franklin Parkway because we have Haitian flag in the background. It’s [Benjamin Franklin Parkway] very representative of the food, arts and culture. It’s also diverse. All the [various] communities include the Russians, the Asians, and Haitians community. It’s just so much history and a lot of culture here in Philadelphia.
