Alexander Calder's 1951 work "Bird" will be one of the highlights of the Nasher Museum show.

Durham, NC - The legacy of modern sculptor Alexander Calder lives on, not only in museums, but above nearly every baby crib.  The "mobile" invented by Calder is as familiar as Kleenex and the Frisbee. Young artists are now taking a fresh look at the work of the master, whose perfectly balanced sculptures are hugely difficult to replicate and reveal Calder's expertise in mechanical engineering.

A new exhibition at the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University, "Alexander Calder and Contemporary Art: Form, Balance, Joy," opening Thursday, focuses on Calder and his influence on a new generation of artists.

"This exhibition will inspire a new appreciation for Calder," said Sarah Schroth, Nancy Hanks Senior Curator at the Nasher Museum. "I want people to feel joy. I want them to feel amazed by the sheer genius of Calder's inventive mind."

The exhibition pairs 34 master works by Calder with work by seven young artists: Martin Boyce, Nathan Carter, Abraham Cruzvillegas, Aaron Curry, Kristi Lippire, Jason Meadows and Jason Middlebrook. The Nasher Museum is the fourth and final venue for the exhibition, which will be on view from Feb. 16 to June 17.

The exhibition opening and artist talk is Thursday, Feb. 16, at 7 p.m. Lynne Warren, curator of contemporary art at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, will give a talk with artist Nathan Carter, whose work is part of Alexander Calder and Contemporary Art. Reception and cash bar to follow. Artist talk and reception are free and open to the public. Admission to the exhibition requires separate ticket purchase. Ticket information here.

Duke faculty and staff receive half-price Calder tickets for $5 apiece (2 per I.D.).

Duke students receive free Calder tickets on same day of admission (1 per ID)

"This is the first exhibition to explore Calder's influence on an exciting new generation of artists." said Kimerly Rorschach, Mary D.B.T. and James H. Semans Director of the Nasher Museum. "Visitors will have a rare chance to see their work side by side with that of Calder, to compare the creative use of materials to define space and explore form, balance, color and movement."

"Alexander Calder and Contemporary Art" will fill two gallery pavilions. A third pavilion features the installation, "Angels, Devils and the Electric Slide: Outsider Art from the Permanent Collection," and includes work by artists who, like Calder, incorporate found objects and unusual materials in their work. "Outsider Art" is on view through July 8.

The exhibition will be complemented by programs at the Nasher Museum, including two Free Family Day events; weeklong residencies with artists Kristi Lippire and Jason Middlebrook; a talk by Duke engineering professor Henry Petroski; free screenings of the 1955 film by Jean Pavileve, "Le Grand Cirque Calder 1927," and 1961 documentary by Carlos Vilardebo, "Calder's Circus;" gallery tours; teacher workshops and other programs.

The museum also plans to reach out to visitors from the science and engineering communities with two free evening events for corporate sponsors of the exhibition and their employees, including all employees of Research Triangle Park, courtesy of The Research Triangle Park. Visitors will have the chance to create their own mobiles in the Mary D.B.T. Semans Great Hall.

"Alexander Calder and Contemporary Art" is organized by Lynne Warren, a curator at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA), Chicago. The exhibition traveled to the Nasher Sculpture Center in Dallas and the Orange County Museum of Art in California. The exhibition is accompanied by a fully illustrated catalogue co-published by the MCA and Thames & Hudson.

Admission to "Alexander Calder and Contemporary Art" is $10 for adults ($15 with guided tour), $5 for children 7 to 17, and free for children 6 and under. Admission is free for Duke students (one per I.D.) and for Nasher Museum members (two free tickets per day per membership). Admission is $5 for non-Duke students, $5 for faculty and staff with a Duke ID and $5 for Duke Alumni Association members with an ID card. Tickets are available by calling (919) 684-4444 or clicking on www.events.duke.edu/calder.

Additional information is available at www.nasher.duke.edu.