by Hady Mawajdeh 7 Nov 2017 – (originally published on ART & SEEK, photograph by Tamytha Cameron)
Rumors swirled around the internet over the past few days about the death of Meadows Museum curator Nicole Atzbach. Today, the museum confirmed her passing.
It is with great sadness that we inform you that Nicole Atzbach, Curator of the Meadows Museum, passed away on Saturday, November 4, after a brief battle with ovarian cancer. We send our heartfelt condolences to her family, friends, and loved ones as they lay her to rest in her hometown of Arvada, Colorado. In lieu of flowers, donations to a scholarship fund set up for her children may be sent to Geoff Atzbach, 3020 Hollycrest Dr., Colorado Springs, CO 80920.
The Meadows Museum at Southern Methodist University has lost an important member of its family.
Curator Nicole Atzbach (42 years-old) passed away on Saturday, November 4th, after a brief battle with ovarian cancer. The university made the announcement today after receiving permission to share the news from Atzbach’s family.
Atzbach joined the museum as Assistant Curator in March 2010. In 2012, she was promoted to curator. Before that, she worked as a curatorial assistant at the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth.
After her promotion at the Meadows Museum, director Mark A. Roglán stated, “Nicole has been an extremely valuable part of our team since joining the museum, making significant contributions to recent exhibitions . . . I look forward to her continued success with exhibitions, as well as her preparations for a forthcoming catalogue raisonné of the museum’s permanent collection.”
Atzbach made national headlines last year by solving a mystery surrounding two masterpieces in its collection – ‘Saint Justa’ and its companion piece, ‘Saint Rufina’ by Bartolome Esteban Murillo.