Award-winning multi-media journalist Bobbi I. Booker publishes a deeply sensitive tribute to the late artist, poet, and philanthropist Danny Simmons Jr. in Philadelphia Magazine.
The Philadelphia-based writer recalls her early skepticism of Danny's relocation to her city in 2016, stating she was "accustomed to seeing newcomers attempt to claim the city while merely pushing their own agendas." However, Danny and his Rush Arts Philadelphia organization, which he launched as a gallery space and art education program for youth in underserved and underrepresented communities, surpassed her expectations. "Danny did not pass through. What he did instead was set the New York sensibilities aside and dig into the infrastructure of Philadelphia’s creative community with genuine curiosity and, most importantly, heartfelt thoughtfulness. He became an advocate for minority artists of every kind, having a place in the conversation not as a talking point but as an operating principle."
Accompanied by an audio article edition featuring recordings of Danny's own voice, Booker's journalism speaks to the core of who Danny was under the many accolades, titles, and accomplishments he has earned. She writes, "Thirty years of watching him work, and what I keep coming back to is not any single gallery opening, television credit, or poetry stage. It is the image of an artist who understood that the greatest use of whatever platform you’ve been given is to widen the door behind you. And in his own way, he belonged to everyone."
Danny's artworks is currently on view at The Butler Institute of American Art in a solo exhibition entitled, Danny Simmons: Visual Expressions.
Westwood Gallery NYC will also present another solo exhibition of Danny's work this September 2026, curated by James Cavello. The exhibition will align with the unveiling of a monumental public art project three years in the making, in Danny's hometown, New York City.
