Visitors can see many colorful pieces, such as “Still Life of Tulips in a Chinese Vase with a Black Fan.” (Johnny Andrews/UNC-Chapel Hill)
Through Jan. 4, “Color Triumphant” invites visitors to explore the vibrancy of modern art from Robertson collection.
“Color Triumphant,” the Ackland Art Museum’s newest exhibition, invites visitors to explore 54 modern paintings, sculptures and works on paper that range from the 1870s to today. The exhibition is taken from the distinguished collection of Julian Robertson ’55 and Josie Robertson, who previously lent works to Ackland for special installations.
Celebrating the liberation of color in modern art, the exhibit features pieces from artists like Claude Monet and Camille Pissarro to Pablo Picasso and Frank Stella. Each work features a vibrant use of color that stands out among the newly painted white walls of the exhibition room.
Peter Nisbet, Ackland’s deputy director for curatorial affairs, developed a relationship with Robertson, who also established the Robertson Scholars Leadership Program connecting UNC-Chapel Hill and Duke University. The Robertson Foundation, which had inherited many of the works collected by the couple after Julian Robertson’s death in 2022, began planning an exhibition and reached out to Nisbet and the Ackland. That led to the inception of “Color Triumphant.”
“This exhibit has been in the works for about two or three years. That included conceptualizing the art that would be displayed and conceptualizing the layout and researching the works with student help,” Nisbet said. “I like to think that there’s a great interest from the Carolina community in the history of modern art, and these amazing pieces can help feed into that.”
When choosing the flagship painting for the exhibit’s marketing, the Ackland team avoided works by the more easily recognizable artists on display like Monet or Picasso. Instead, they went all in on a harbor scene by French artist André Derain, titled “The Jetty at L’Estaque.”
While the Derain work was not one of the largest or most recognizable paintings, Nisbet felt it was the perfect piece to represent “Color Triumphant.”
“There really was a moment where color became non-naturalistic. It became intense and expressive,” Nisbet said. “And the color is made more intense because of the white canvas. There’s that beautiful contrast.”
Nisbet also wanted the layout of the exhibit to have a cohesive link from its beginning to its end, one that connects Monet to Carolina alum Donald Sultan ’73.
Nisbet admits it is quite subtle, though.
A pair of prints entitled “Four Red Flowers” and “Six Red Flowers” by Carolina alum, Donald Sultan ’73, bring the exhibition to a close. (Johnny Andrews/UNC-Chapel Hill)
“When you first walk into the space, visitors are greeted by Monet’s ‘The Seine at Argenteuil,’ where there are tiny red rosebushes in the foreground,” Nisbet said. “And as they exit, those tiny red dots blossom into a pair of prints by Sultan, titled ‘Four Red Flowers’ and ‘Six Red Flowers,’ where the focus is the vibrant flowers that take up the whole frame.”
“Color Triumphant” will be on display through Jan. 4. The Ackland will sponsor lectures, film screenings and other events inspired by the exhibition over the next several months.
Another iteration of the show, “Color Concentrated: A Salon-Style Hang from the Robertson Collection,” will open Jan. 30.
Nisbet is particularly excited to see how these pieces affect the Carolina community.
“One of the things I like about an exhibition is that you’re free to experience it how you want,” Nisbet said. “You’re free to wander and engage with whatever inspires you or excites you. I think there are parts of the show that will be a surprise in a good way.”
Written by Josh McCormack, University Communications and Marketing
