University of Richmond Museums Opens Swan Song: Celebrating the Permanent Collection

New Exhibition Highlights Legacy of Longtime Executive Director Richard Waller
November 3, 2022

Pictured above: The Exhibition of the Royal Academy, an etching and engraving on paper from the Joel and Lila Harnett Print Study Center, is one piece featured in the new exhibition.

UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND — Swan Song: Celebrating the Permanent Collection is now on view in the Harnett Museum of Art at the University of Richmond. The new exhibition, curated by retiring Executive Director Richard Waller, will be open through April 21, 2023. Waller’s final exhibition honors his legacy of 32 years of service to University Museums.

Richard WallerWaller became the first full-time director of University of Richmond Museums in 1990, and his goals were to expand the galleries, develop an important permanent collection, and promote dynamic programming.

“Richard has more than succeeded — he has exceeded — in achieving those goals during his 32 years of leadership,” said Elizabeth Schlatter, interim executive director.

As a member of the faculty of the Department of Art and Art History, Waller taught courses in color and design, digital artmaking, contemporary art, and museum studies.

During his tenure, Waller oversaw the building and expansion of the museums, brought more than 400 exhibitions to campus, many of which he curated, and worked diligently to bring thousands of artworks and objects into the museums’ permanent collections.

Swan Song features more than 70 artworks from the collection and presents objects acquired over the past 32 years under Waller’s direction.

Highlights include:

  • Prints by Pablo Picasso (Spanish, 1881-1973), Henri de Toulouse Lautrec (French, 1864-1901), and Andy Warhol (American, 1928-1987).
  • Notable pieces of Rockingham and other art pottery featuring a range of styles, glazes, and materials.
  • A selection of prints from the English artist William Hogarth (1697-1764) and numerous contemporary prints from the Center Street Studio Archives in Milton, Massachusetts, including the print Martin Luther King, Jr. by American artist John Wilson (1922-2015).

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University of Richmond Museums comprises the Joel and Lila Harnett Museum of Art, the Joel and Lila Harnett Print Study Center, and the Lora Robins Gallery of Design from Nature. Admission to all museums is free and open to the public.

Visit museums.richmond.edu or call 804-289-8276 for directions, hours of operation, and additional information about exhibitions and programs.