Houston artist Rick Lowe can now add Nasher Sculpture Center artist-in-residence to his resume. The internationally respected “social sculptor” most recently made an impact in Dallas as the man behind Trans.lation, the innovative community project in Vickery Meadow commissioned by the Nasher for its 10th anniversary city-wide Xchange exhibition.
Trans.lation gave culturally diverse Vickery Meadow residents an opportunity to share their talents and traditions with each other and Dallas as a whole, thanks to a series of workshops, free-standing white cube “galleries” and pop-up markets. By identifying the residents’ creative strengths and connecting them with other local artists for mentorship, Lowe and the Trans.lation teamed inspired not only entrepreneurship, but also a new vision for what public space and interaction could look like in the neighborhood.
“Trans.lation has already seen important successes, and through the platform of this residency, the Nasher will be able to support its continued growth,” said director Jeremy Strick in a release. “At the same time, Rick’s presence at the Nasher will allow us to benefit from the extraordinary insight, imagination and expertise of this remarkable artist as we continue to explore the varied nature of modern and contemporary sculpture.”
Lowe earned international acclaim for his Project Row Houses, in Houston’s Third Ward neighborhood. He and his team saved a series of shotgun houses from being demolished and transformed them into galleries, classrooms, artist studios and community gathering spaces, thereby nurturing a sense of togetherness and exchange.
He has also worked as a guest artist on projects such as the Rem Koolhaas-designed Seattle Public Library, and his art has been exhibited at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, Gwangji Biennale in Korea, Kumamoto State Museum in Japan, and Houston’s Contemporary Arts Museum and Museum of Fine Arts.
“I’m very excited to be the inaugural artist-in-residence at the Nasher,” Lowe said. “The residency will allow me to continue working on Trans.lation, as well as connect with other artists, organizations and communities in the city.”
Rick Lowe is the Nasher's inaugural artist-in-residence.
