Nasher Mixtape, a new show at Nasher Sculpture Center, offers an album of  “tracks,” or micro-exhibitions, of the gallery’s permanent collection. 

And like a mixtape, of different moods and themes, the show resembles a letter of sentiments dedicated to family, friends, colleagues – and those lost to the pandemic. 

“It’s this very personal and individual combination of ideas and moods and something that’s often done as a gift or dedication to people in your life that you care about,” said Catherine Craft, curator of the micro-exhibitions, about the inspiration. 

Joan Miró, ‘Moonbird (Oiseau lunaire),’ also called ‘The Lunar Bird,’ 1944-46, Raymond and Patsy Nasher Collection, Nasher Sculpture Center, Dallas. Photo: David Heald.

The show – or mixtape – is organized into 10 “tracks,” or themes. One installation is “Into The Garden,” artworks inspired by nature. “Know We Know” examines six works by Melvin Edwards and “Looking Down On My Soul Now,” is work by Lauren Woods. 

Nearly one third of the works in “Nasher Mixtape” have never been shown at the museum, while others have not been exhibited for years.

At the downstairs gallery is “Love and Delight,” an installation that Craft began envisioning prior to the pandemic. It presents the first two decades of Raymond and Patsy Nasher’s collection, emphasizing moments of connection. One of their first modern sculptures was Jean Arp’s Torso with Buds, a surprise birthday gift from Patsy to Raymond. 

“I had worked on the show a lot in quarantine, in isolation, and it was nice to work on a project that was about our connections with each other,” said Craft.

Isamu Noguchi, Raymond and Patsy Nasher Collection, Nasher Sculpture Center, Dallas. Photo: David Heald.

“Nasher Mixtape” spotlights works from Joan Miró, Nancy Grossman, as well as new acquisitions from Judy Chicago, Melvin Edwards, Maren Hassinger and Nicole Eisenman. The new additions are an effort to diversify the museum’s collection.

Craft hopes the show will seem like a “time capsule” by the time the show ends in September. 

“Until then, we share with our visitors its moments of joy, respite, and reflection,” she said.

Visitors can also listen to curated Spotify playlists inspired by each “track” in the collection. 

Got a tip? Email Mia Estrada at mestrada@kera.org. You can follow her on Twitter @miaaestrada.

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