Illuminating African American History

7th Nasher Xchange work to honor Bishop College's cultural impact on Dallas

Nasher Sculpture Center announced Friday that Dallas artist Vicki Meek will create the seventh work in the Nasher Xchange program. Her piece, titled Black & Blue, Cultural Oasis in the Hills, will be on the campus of Paul Quinn College in South Dallas.

Although relatively close to the first Xchange sculpture at Trinity River Audubon Center, Meek's work will serve a different purpose than Ruben Ochoa's reclamation-of-nature piece. Meek's project will honor the legacy of Bishop College, which once occupied the campus that Paul Quinn College now calls home. Both are historically black colleges.

According to the Nasher, the goal behind Vicki Meek's project is "to illuminate critical issues affecting the black community through visual communication."

Meek plans to capture Bishop College's influence on Dallas' cultural history with a series of markers commemorating important people and moments from the college. The project will also have an interactive web component and video interviews.

Bishop College, which started in Marshall, Texas, but moved to Dallas in 1961, had a significant impact on the Dallas community in its 27 years here. In addition to its distinguished alumni, it played a big part in the development of the African American Museum at Fair Park and Dallas Black Dance Theatre.

Meek is working with former Bishop College faculty and alumni, as well as members of the neighborhoods around the school, to ensure the project is as authentic as possible. According to the Nasher's press release, the goal behind Meek's project is "to reclaim African American history, restore our collective memory, and illuminate critical issues affecting the black community through visual communication."

In addition to Ochoa's sculpture, Meek's piece joins other works from Rick Lowe, Ugo Rondinone, Liz Larner, Alfredo Jaar and the Good/Bad Art Collective. Three more projects will be announced in the coming weeks.

Paul Quinn College, which now occupies the campus that used to house Bishop College, will be the site of Vicki Meek's Nasher Xchange piece.

Photo by Alison V. Smith for the Nasher Sculpture Center

Paul Quinn College, which now occupies the campus that used to house Bishop College, will be the site of Vicki Meek's Nasher Xchange piece.

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Fear the Dragon

Dallas theater will host a 6-hour live Dungeons & Dragons session

Photo courtesy of Shawn Gann

Theatre Three will present a Dungeons & Dragons fundraiser led by Shawn Gann on January 3.

The role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons seems to be all the rage in Dallas these days, and joining the fun will be local theater company Theatre Three, who will present a six-hour live Dungeons & Dragons session on Saturday, January 3.

The one-day-only event will feature a variety of well-known voice actors, guided by master storyteller Shawn Gann (Dragon Ball Super, One Piece, Star Wars, Ultraman, and Borderlands) as Dungeon Master.

Audience members will be able to watch the campaign unfold from beginning to end, or come and go as they please, as the players navigate the perils and pitfalls along the way as they complete their quest using their strength, smarts, and if need be, casting a spell or two.

Other participants will include Hayden Daviau, Caitlin Glass, Parker Davis Gray, Lydia Mackay, and Alejandro Saab, each of whom have extensive voice acting credits on their resumes.

The live campaign joins other ongoing or upcoming D&D-themed events in the area like Dungeons & Dragons: The Immersive Quest (taking place through at least February 1 in Plano) and Dungeons & Dragons: The Twenty-Sided Tavern (taking place at Wyly Theatre, January 20-February 1).

The six-hour event — taking place from 3-10 pm, with a one-hour break for dinner — will feature snacks, drinks, and more in Theatre Three's lobby. There are also several restaurants and bars within walking distance for audience members to enjoy.

Tickets for the fundraising event for Theatre Three are on sale now at givebutter.com/60DRCN, ranging from $75-$100.

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