Nasher to Celebrate Its 10th with 10 New Works

Charles Long, Pet Sounds, 2012, aluminum and fiberglass structures with sound elements, Madison Square Park, New York City

To celebrate its 10^th anniversary this year, the Nasher Sculpture Center has commissioned new works from 10 artists – artists from as far away as the Netherlands and as close as South Dallas. KERA’s Jerome Weeks says these will be public art works, placed in 10 sites around Dallas.

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Mayor Mike Rawlings spoke at the announcement today of the new project, which is called Nasher Xchange. Mayor Rawlings declared it was a significant effort, not just for the Sculpture Center. “While it’s wonderful to have a thriving arts community centered in downtown, it can’t stay downtown,” he said. “It must reach to our communities, and it must reach to our citizens. This is absolutely essential in building a great city.”

But the new initiative also represents a return to a personal impulse of Raymond and Patsy Nasher, the arts patrons who created the Sculpture Center and part of whose collection can be seen at NorthPark Mall, which the Nashers own. But Nancy Nasher, their daughter, said that their sharing extended far beyond NorthPark. For years, her parents donated art works to institutions across the city. “The idea of sharing but also placing it out where people can walk by and enjoy or stroll,” she said, ” I mean that was their vision.”

More than one million dollars have already been raised for what will be a multi-million-dollar project. The 10 sites were not announced but they’ve already been selected. They represent a range of geographic, social and enVicki Meek, the manager of the South Dallas Culture Center, said her work will reflect the history of Bishop College – and it’ll include apps so people can find out more information.

Alfredo Jaar (left)is one of the 10 artists. Born in Chile, he is a New York-based architect and artist. He says it’s extremely unusual for an established museum to go outside its walls, outside its comfort zone with such an extensive exhibition. “It’s a fantastic idea,” Jaar said, “because it’s clear that there is a wide gap between contemporary art and the audience of contemporary art. And if the audience doesn’t come to you, then you have to come to them.”