Past Exhibitions / Building The Contemporary Collection: Five Years Of Acquisitions

March 10, 2011 - August 14, 2011

In its first five years, the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University focused on modern and contemporary art with a particular emphasis on global, emerging artists of color. Building the Contemporary Collection, in celebration of the museum’s fifth anniversary, presented the most important contemporary works acquired since its founding in 2005.

The exhibition featured work by 42 artists, including Christian Boltanski, William Cordova, Noah Davis, Rineke Dijkstra, Marlene Dumas, Wyatt Gallery, David Hammons, Barkley L. Hendricks, Glenn Ligon, Christian Marclay, Zwelethu Mthethwa, Odili Donald Odita, Dan Perjovschi, Dario Robleto, David Salle, Carolee Schneemann, Gary Simmons, Xaviera Simmons, Jeff Sonhouse, Eve Sussman, Alma Thomas, Hank Willis Thomas, Mickalene Thomas, Bob Thompson, Kara Walker, Jeff Whetstone, Kehinde Wiley, Fred Wilson and Lynette Yiadom-Boakye, among others. The exhibition reflected the museum’s interest in the art and culture of the African diaspora, and includes works in a variety of media–painting, drawing, photography, sculpture, video and installation. It was curated by Trevor Schoonmaker, Patsy R. and Raymond D. Nasher Curator of Contemporary Art.

IMAGE: Glenn Ligon, Warm Broad Glow, 2005. Neon and paint; 4 x 48 inches. Promised Gift of Blake Byrne, T’57, in honor of Raymond D. Nasher, L.4.2007.22. Image courtesy of Regen Projects, Los Angeles. © Glenn Ligon.

Nasher Museum exhibitions and programs are generously supported by the Mary Duke Biddle Foundation, the late Mary D.B.T. Semans and James H. Semans, the late Frank E. Hanscom III, The Duke Endowment, the Nancy Hanks Endowment, the Courtney Shives Art Museum Fund, the James Hustead Semans Memorial Fund, the Janine and J. Tomilson Hill Family Fund, the Trent A. Carmichael Fund for Community Education, the Neely Family Fund, the E. T. Rollins, Jr. and Frances P. Rollins Fund for the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University, the Marilyn M. Arthur Fund, the Sarah Schroth Fund, the George W. and Viola Mitchell Fearnside Endowment Fund, the Gibby and Michael B. Waitzkin Fund, the K. Brantley and Maxine E. Watson Endowment Fund, the Victor and Lenore Behar Endowment Fund, the Margaret Elizabeth Collett Fund, the Nasher Museum of Art General Endowment, the Friends of the Nasher Museum of Art, and the Office of the President and the Office of the Provost, Duke University.