A Closer Look at The Nasher’s Latest Exhibit, Which Isn’t Quite What It Appears

Of all the installations to grace The Nasher Sculpture Center’s Nasher Public initiative, Shelby David Meier’s “A Part of the Whole” takes up the least amount of real estate in the Dallas Arts District museum. In fact, at first glance, it might look more like the remnants from exhibits past. Of course, one man’s trash (in this case, it comes in the form of Styrofoam cups and takeout boxes) is another man’s artistic statement.

Upon second glance, the single-use containers are revealed to be ceramic casts made over the years by the artist, who invited someone to do a floral arrangement in the piece, which will dry and wilt as the exhibition, which runs from February 25 to March 21, comes to its close. “They won’t be replaced to kind of show this passing of time and this decay,” Meier says in the video shared below.

Across the room, Meier created what appears to be a security envelope, opened and displayed on the wall — a commentary on the idea of safety, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic. “By putting these very similar but also very different pieces in the space, I’m hoping to create a conversation between the two.”

For more on the meaning of “A Part of the Whole,” Meier’s shares his thoughts in the video below. And to learn more about the Nasher Public initiative, visit nashersculpturecenter.org.