Thursdays at the Nasher
Tours and artists make First Thursdays a popular event
Friday, April 6, 2007
Durham, NC -- Friendly conversation and laughter filled the Mary D.B.T. Semans Great Hall in the Nasher Museum of Art as Duke community members and Triangle residents mingled, discussing everything from current events to ancient artifacts.
Welcome to First Thursday at the Nasher, where the art world – and the “real” world – collide, in a positive way.
“We get a wonderful mixture of artists and visitors during our First Thursday events, and since it is a small world, you never know whom you’re going to bump into, such as a former professor or a co-worker,” said Wendy Livingston, the museum’s marketing manager. “It’s a casual atmosphere and a wonderful, non-intimidating way to learn about art.”
Held on the first Thursday of each month, the event offers the Duke community and general public a special look at the vast array of art inside the $24 million museum. The evening starts at 5:30 p.m. with a reception featuring complimentary appetizers and a cash bar followed by a guided tour of an exhibit. Tours are hosted each month by members of the art community, ranging from Duke professors to local artists. The evening is free for Duke faculty, staff, students and museum members. Other visitors may attend for free with admission.
On March 1, visitors were greeted by Carla Antonaccio, professor of classical studies at Duke, and co-curator of “The Past is Present: Classical Antiquities at the Nasher Museum,” an exhibition from the ancient Mediterranean world.
As more than 50 visitors admired exquisite vases, marble and terracotta sculptures, carved amber jewelry and other art on display, Antonaccio highlighted the origins and importance of each piece. Her insightful and light-hearted presentation quickly put the audience at ease. As she explained that the collection was bequeathed to the museum last year by an anonymous donor, she captured the crowd’s attention.
“It’s a relaxed, informal discussion,” said Courtney Reid-Eaton, Duke’s Center for Documentary Studies exhibition director, who attended First Thursday last year when a partner from the contemporary Branch Gallery in Durham presented. That was Reid-Eaton’s first time attending the Thursday night event, and she plans to return and recommends other Duke employees take advantage of the Nasher opportunity.
“It’s a great after-work gathering for Duke faculty and staff,” said Rebecca Swartz, Nasher’s director of development and external affairs. “They can drop by when they leave the office and they don’t have to stay the entire time, if they need to get home.”
