New Nasher Museum for Duke University

Durham, N.C., will open its new art museum, now named the Nasher Museum of Art. Designed by Rafael Vinoly, it is the first completed museum project in North America for the architect. Located on a nine-acre wooded site, the $23-million facility was largely funded by Dallas-based real-estate developer, philanthropist and Duke alumnus Raymond D. Nasher, who gave $7.5 million for the building in addition to $2.5 million from the Nasher Foundation. The Nasher at Duke has so far raised $19 million toward its $23-million goal.

As the university's first standalone museum, the new building represents a significant boost for the visual arts at the school. The 65,000-square-foot facility comprises five pavilions that are connected by a glass and steel canopy rising to 45 feet. There are three large galleries totaling 14,000 square feet, in addition to 13,000 square feet of display space in the atrium. One gallery will be devoted to works from the permanent collection, which has strong holdings in ancient American, African and Classical art, as well as old-master and modern pieces. The other two pavilions will be used for traveling exhibitions. The museum also contains an auditorium, shop, classrooms, offices and a cafe.

Under director Kimberly Rorschach, the Nasher will work to build its modern and contemporary collection, which currently includes pieces by such artists as Bearden, Warhol, Rauschenberg and Cindy Sherman. Inaugural exhibitions include "The Evolution of the Nasher Collection," featuring the art of Rodin, Picasso, Dubuffet, Shahn, Sheeler, Johns, Basquiat and Koons [through May 13, 2006], and "The Forest: Politics, Poetics and Practice," including works by such artists as Petah Coyne, Wolfgang Staehle, Joseph Beuys, Inigo Manglano-Ovalle, Kiki Smith, Janet Cardiff, Alan Sonfist and Yang Fudong [through Jan. 13, 2006].

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