Photo Credit: McKay Imaging Photography Studio & Gallery

The Zimmerli Art Museum at Rutgers presents Art After Hours: First Tuesdays on March 3, from 5 to 9 p.m. The evening features curator-led tours of two exhibits, “’It makes me think of that awful day…’ The Natural World in the Anthropocene” and “A Celebration of the Children’s Books of Vladimir Radunsky,” as well as a performance by violinist Suliman Tekalli, the State Theatre New Jersey artist-in-residence, in partnership with the Center for Musical Excellence. In addition, Mason Gross jazz students Vaughn Stavropoulos (keyboard) and Ian Young (bass) perform throughout the evening. Art After Hours is free and open to the public, with complimentary refreshments.

Curator-led tours of the exhibits  begin at 5:30 and 7 p.m.

Artists have long trained their eyes on the natural world, creating art that offers visions of nature and humankind’s place within it. For contemporary practitioners, this means grappling with an environment deeply marked by human intervention, as is explored in “’It makes me think of that awful day…’ The Natural World in the Anthropocene.” The works featured in this exhibition suggest that there is no such thing as an untouched, unmediated natural world. It is on view through May 17.

“A Celebration of the Children’s Books of Vladimir Radunsky, ” on view through March 8, captures the creative narration, innovative design, and pervasive wit of the author and illustrator. More than 50 original gouache, photo collage, and paper collage illustrations from four books are on public view for the first time, with labels in English and Spanish. With his own writings, Radunsky invented new stories and drew upon favorites from his childhood, including The Mighty Asparagus (2004), a reimagining of a famous Russian folktale, combined with the culture of his adopted homeland, Italy. Radunsky’s longest creative partnership was with two-time Caldecott Medal winner Chris Raschka. Their final book, Mother Goose of Pudding Lane, offers a unique look into the life of this beloved figure. Radunsky’s work also bridges the Zimmerli’s diverse holdings of children’s literature illustrations, the George Riabov Collection of Russian Art, and the Norton and Nancy Dodge Collection of Nonconformist Art from the Soviet Union.

Violinist Suliman Tekalli, a Center of Musical Excellence Artist and the current artist-in-residence at State Theatre New Jersey, performs from 6 to 7 p.m. He has established a unique voice as an exciting and versatile soloist, chamber musician, and composer, performing with orchestras throughout the world. A native of Daytona Beach, Florida, Tekalli attended the Juilliard School, Cleveland Institute of Music, and Yale School of Music. He also frequently performs with his sister, pianist Jamila Tekalli, as the Tekalli Duo. Tekalli’s residency culminates in a free concert with violinist George Meyer on Sunday, May 17, at the United Methodist Church, located at 323 George Street in New Brunswick. The event is free, but tickets are required. For more information, visit www.stnj.org.

The Zimmerli Art Museum at Rutgers is located at 71 Hamilton Street (at George Street) on the College Avenue Campus of Rutgers University in New Brunswick. The Zimmerli is a short walk from the NJ Transit train station in New Brunswick. It  is open Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m., and select first Tuesdays of the month, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Admission is free.

For more information, visit the museum’s website www.zimmerlimuseum.rutgers.edu or call 848.932.7237.