May 2 – Sept. 23, 2018
Guest Curator Cole Sartore is working with museum staff to create the next summer blockbuster exhibition of the work of Bone Creek’s cornerstone artist, Dale Nichols. This exhibition will explore the lives of David City native Dale Nichols and fellow contemporary artist Terence Duren from Shelby, Nebr.
We believe the museum’s 10th anniversary is the perfect year for such an important exhibition to be the summer blockbuster show. The idea came from a Time magazine article entitled “War in the Corn” that recounted a dispute between the two artists, when each held retrospective exhibitions of their works in their hometowns at nearly the same time. This dramatic exchange is an exciting jumping off point to take visitors back to the era of when these artists were living.
When it comes to Regionalist and Social Realist art, two of the best artists representing these styles are Nebraska’s own Dale Nichols and Terence Duren.
In the summer of 1945, Nichols had planned an exhibition of his work in his hometown of David City. He had recently become art editor of the Encyclopedia Britannica and also sold his painting, End of the Hunt, to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Interestingly, just 20 miles down the road, the people of Shelby were celebrating Duren, their own nationally known artist, who recently had his painting, Picnic in the Park, accepted into the Portrait of America contest sponsored by the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
With such great artistic talent converging on an ordinarily quiet, rural pocket of the Midwest, Time magazine took notice. That August, Time published a short, but provocative, article on the two artists, boldly titled “War in the Corn,” which added to the artistic rivalry building between the two men.
Despite this rivalry, in retrospect, their lives are far more similar than one might think. Worthy Rivals: The Art of Dale Nichols and Terence Duren offers a glimpse into the lives of these two remarkable artists, showing the rich history of American Scene Painting forged on the rolling fields of Nebraska in the 20th century.
Watch us on 10/11 Pure Nebraska
For more information about the guest curator, visit https://www.
Exhibition Sponsors:
Butler County Area Foundation Fund
Butler County Arts Council
Nebraska Arts Council and Nebraska Cultural Endowment
The Nebraska Arts Council, a state agency, has supported this program through its matching grants program funded by the Nebraska Legislature, the National Endowment for the Arts and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment. Visit www.nebraskaartscouncil.org for information on how the Nebraska Arts Council can assist your organization or how you can support the Nebraska Cultural Endowment.
Allen Covault and Anna Nolan (Covault)
Nolan Covault Foundation
Gerald Wempner
Allen Capital Group, LLC
Bank of The Valley
Birkel Homestead Inc.
John and Beth Klosterman
Gerald and Bonnie Luckey
Marvin and Pat Mohler Memorial
Moravec Financial Advisors, Inc.
George and Elizabeth Passela
Steve and Elizabeth Jane Shanahan
Dr. Victor and Ruth Thoendel
Richard and Annette Winslow
In Memory of David Jay Friis