STEVEN A. NASH APPOINTED FIRST DIRECTOR OF THE NASHER SCULPTURE CENTER
1/1/2001 12:00:00 AM
Dallas, TX, January 2001--Raymond D. Nasher announced today the appointment of Dr. Steven A. Nash as the first Director of the Nasher Sculpture Center, effective immediately. For the past twelve years, Dr. Nash has served as Associate Director and Chief Curator at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, where he will continue to be involved in developing the new de Young Museum plans and with various curatorial matters. Prior to that, from 1980 to 1988, he served in the roles of Deputy Director and Chief Curator at the Dallas Museum of Art.
In his various museum posts, Dr. Nash has been instrumental in the acquisition of literally thousands of works of art, from all eras and cultures, and has organized many important exhibitions. He has also served on teams overseeing the construction of a new M. H. de Young Memorial Museum (scheduled for 2005); an upgraded and expanded California Palace of the Legion of Honor (1995); and the creation of a downtown facility for the Dallas Museum of Art (1984).
In his position as Director of the Nasher Sculpture Center, Dr. Nash will play a key role in the planning of the Center's building and sculpture garden (he has served as consultant to the project for more than a year). He is responsible for the planning, staffing and operation of the Center.
The Nasher Sculpture Center, scheduled to open to the public in October 2003, is a new cultural institution dedicated to the display and study of modern sculpture under development in downtown Dallas. Groundbreaking will take place on the site of the future facility on January 22 at 2:00 p.m. The Nasher Sculpture Center will occupy a 2.4-acre site adjacent to the Dallas Museum of Art in the heart of the Dallas Arts District. Renzo Piano is the architect of the Center's 55,000 square foot building and is working in collaboration with landscape architect Peter Walker on the design of the sculpture garden.
This project is a longtime dream of Raymond Nasher and his late wife Patsy, who together formed one of the finest collections of modern sculpture in the world. The Center will present rotating exhibitions of works from Nasher's holdings as well as special exhibitions of modern sculpture. In addition to approximately 10,000 square feet of indoor gallery space, the Center will contain an auditorium, education and research facilities, a cafe, library, and bookstore.
In making this appointment, Raymond Nasher, Chairman of the Board of the Nasher Foundation, commented, "We are honored that Steven Nash has agreed to be the Nasher Sculpture Center's first director. The scholarly experience and leadership that Dr. Nash brings to the institution will be invaluable in the creation of the Center and its ongoing success. I am confident that the Nasher Sculpture Center will make an enormous contribution to the fabric of cultural life in Dallas and to the field of modern art internationally."
Commenting on his new role, Dr. Nash observed: "It is both exciting and a great honor to be entrusted with the direction of the new Nasher Sculpture Center and Nasher Institute for Modern Sculpture. One rarely has an opportunity to help build such an important institution from the ground up. I look forward to our collaboration with the Dallas Museum of Art and to forming partnerships with museums worldwide, including the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, for exhibitions and educational and scholarly programs."
Harry S. Parker, III, Director of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, added: "Steve Nash's passion for modern art and extensive experience in museum-building will be a tremendous asset to the creation of an institution of global significance. It is especially gratifying to know that Steve will be playing such an important role in the continuing growth of the Dallas Arts District, something that Steve, Ray and I care deeply about and worked very hard to achieve."
Dr. Nash has curated or co-curated numerous exhibitions including: Wayne Thiebaud: A Paintings Retrospective (2000); Picasso and the War Years: 1937-1945 (1998); Facing Eden: 100 Years of Landscape Art in the Bay Area (1995); Robert Arneson and Politics (1993); A Century of Modern Sculpture: The Patsy and Raymond Nasher Collection (1987); Naum Gabo: 60 Years of Constructivism (1985); Pierre Bonnard: The Late Paintings (1984); Picasso the Printmaker (1983); European Sculpture Between the Wars (1979); and Ben Nicholson (1978). In addition to catalogues for all of these exhibitions, he has authored or co-authored such books as Master Paintings at the California Palace of the Legion of Honor (1999); The Wendy and Emory Reves Collection, Dallas Museum of Art (1985); Painting and Sculpture from Antiquity to 1942: Albright-Knox Art Gallery (1979).
Dr. Nash holds a B.A. from Dartmouth College and a Ph.D. in art history from Stanford University. He is married to Carol A. Nash, and they have two children, Colin and Jessie.
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For more information, please contact:
Kristen Gibbins
Nasher Sculpture Center
214.242.5177
kgibbins@nashersculpturecenter.org
www.NasherSculptureCenter.org?