Exhibitions 2026-2027

Bill Needs: A Visual Journey Through the History of the Moravian Church

October 23–December 18, 2026
Opening Reception & Artist Talk: November 11, 6–8 p.m.

Payne Gallery, in conjunction with the Institute for Moravian History and World Heritage, presents an exhibition of more than 30 works by Moravian alumnus and artist Bill Needs ’62.

In 2017, at age 70, Needs joined an educational tour through Central and Eastern Europe exploring the historical roots of the Moravian Church. Traveling with a sketchbook, he began imagining and recording the people, places, conflicts, and moments that shaped the history of the Unitas Fratrum.

The resulting body of work traces the development of the Moravian Church across centuries—from its early Central European roots through periods of persecution, the Reformation, the establishment of missions, and the movement of Moravian communities across Europe and the Americas.

Combining historical research with the imagination of an artist, Needs approaches the past as an artistic "time traveler." Each work is accompanied by historical context, inviting visitors to encounter Moravian history through a distinctly personal and visual lens.

Curlee Raven Holton

February–March 2027

Payne Gallery presents an exhibition of work by Curlee Raven Holton, featuring recent acquisitions from the Joann Trotsky Collection alongside 20–30 additional new works from the artist’s studio.

A painter, printmaker, and founder of Raven Fine Art Editions, Holton has spent more than 25 years exploring the complexities of human experience through painting, drawing, and printmaking. His work draws deeply from his African American heritage and engages questions of race, class, poverty, politics, isolation, and cultural memory through symbolism and provocative figurative imagery.

Bringing together works already entering Moravian University’s permanent collection with new work from Holton’s studio, the exhibition offers an opportunity to consider the evolution of an important contemporary artist whose practice consistently invites dialogue about the personal and the political.

Dates to be announced.

Moravian University encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation or have questions about the physical access provided, please contact the Art Department at art@moravian.edu.