Background: Raymond and Lucy Allen own pieces by such well-known 20th-century artists as Joan Miró and Romare Bearden, but decided a few years ago to focus their collecting on a handful of lesser-known artists. One of them is Norman Lewis, an African-American abstract expressionist painter who never achieved the fame of some of his contemporaries, such as his friend Jackson Pollock.

Lucy Allen works as a psychologist with the Atlanta Public Schools and is involved with the Atlanta chapter of the Society Inc., a women's group that supports fine arts development for African-American youth. Raymond Allen is a perinatologist, a doctor who deals with high-risk pregnancies. He also chairs the board at the Museum of Design Atlanta.

Jessica McGowan / /Staff (ENLARGE)

Dr. Raymond Allen and his wife, Lucy, collect art from African American artists and their favorite piece is an untitled oil on canvas painting by Norman Lewis.

Favorite piece: "Untitled," by Norman Lewis, circa 1960. The large oil on canvas features small hieroglyphic-like figures Lewis was known for, clustered around a light source. Lewis "was interested in the whole issue of the crowd vs. the individual," Raymond Allen says.

Although the piece doesn't have a name, it has been called "the parade." Raymond calls it "the baseball game," while Lucy refers to it as "the gathering." They bought it for $160,000 from New York's Michael Rosenfeld Gallery, from the owner's personal collection. They first saw it hanging over his desk, but the piece was destined for an apartment he was renovating. The Allens talked him into selling, they said.

Why they like it: They're attracted to the way the blue background changes from light to dark, giving the painting dimension. They also like the way the mysterious light source casts shadows facing different directions.

In addition, the story of Lewis' life enriches their experience of the piece. Lewis, born in Harlem, was an ardent political activist who struggled against racism in his life and as an artist — although he felt that in art, political and social aspects should not prevail over aesthetic considerations. He received his first retrospective exhibition in 1976 at the CUNY Graduate Center, New York.

"We're waiting for the big museum retrospective," Raymond Allen says. "We know it's coming."

My Favorite Piece is a way to let Atlantans talk about the best-loved works in their collections. If you have a suggestion, email Kirsten Tagami at ktagami@ajc.com.

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