Photo: Nasher Museum of Art.
Dallas-based collectors Derek and Christen Wilson have given a $1 million gift to boost the endowment of the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University. The Wilsons had previously given the museum two artworks, and contributed to the acquisition of another three pieces for the permanent collection.
Derek Wilson serves on the Nasher’s board of advisers. He is also a trustee of the Dallas Museum of Art and a member of Tate Modern’s international council. He graduated from Duke in 1986 and earned his MBA from the school in 1990, and his daughter Trinity is on track to graduate from the college next year.
“Duke and the Nasher Museum have been very positive influences in our lives over the years, and to be able to support that legacy at the alma mater of my parents, myself and, soon, my daughter is truly an honor,” Wilson said in a statement.
The Wilsons’ gift is accompanied by a $2 million donation by Gary L. Wilson (Derek’s father) to support and improve the college’s athletic facilities.
“This far-reaching gift reflects the Wilson family’s understanding of how the arts and athletics enrich and expand a Duke education,” Duke president Richard H. Brodhead said in a statement. “We are grateful for this new commitment across generations of the Wilson family, honoring their deep Duke roots and their appreciation of the many facets of the Duke student experience.”