In a city with exciting nightlife, live music and an endless supply of places to eat, Nashville’s art scene often goes unnoticed. While Chihuly at Cheekwood certainly got its fair share of Instagram posts, Music City has a number of other galleries and exhibitions to enjoy—especially in the spring. We’ve compiled a list of art activities to check out below if you want a break from staring at your computer screen, and want to have a look at stunning chef-d’oeuvres instead.
The Frist Museum
Going to the Frist might sound obvious, but the museum really is worth checking out, especially since college students get free admission. The Picasso exhibit is the most publicly eye-catching, but there are also a number of other unique exhibitions to check out on your day trip.
Picasso Exhibit at Frist
The Frist Art Museum is featuring Pablo Picasso’s work in a limited exhibition called “Picasso Figures” until May 2. The exhibition features 75 paintings, sculptures and works on paper from the collection of the Museé National Picasso-Paris. The works featured highlight Picasso’s interest in the human figure as a vehicle of emotional expression and a means of grappling with the complex questions of humanity. Artistic styles, from surrealism to neoclassicism to expressionism, can be observed throughout the exhibition, which includes works from throughout Picasso’s career. Nashville will be the only location in the United States to host this exhibition, which has been ongoing since Feb. 5. Visit Frist’s Ingram Gallery to view Picasso’s work up close before it is gone. Make sure to reserve tickets as student discounts are not applicable for this exhibit.
N2020: Community Reflections
This is an online exhibition available for viewing here. Guest curator Woke3 has partnered with the Frist to create a collection of images, videos and music representative of 2020 (think: this year in pictures).
Liliana Porter: Man with Axe and Other Stories
On display until May 2, Argentina-born artist Lilian Porter has created an eerie and chaotic arrangement of toys to represent “the entropic effects of time and the collapse of historical progress that can be caused by a single agent of chaos,” per the Frist website. Her work titled “Man with Axe” is the centerpiece of the exhibition.
A Landmark Repurposed: From Post Office to Art Museum
In celebration of the Frist’s 20th anniversary, this exhibition will focus on the history of the museum which was once a post office. There will be old architecture drawings, newspaper clippings, photographs and reconstructed prototypes to visually walk viewers through the history of the building. This is a great exhibit for history lovers and those who want to understand Nashville’s transformation. Available until Jan. 9, 2022.
Creating the American West in Art
This exhibit is partnered with the Denver Art Museum. We’ve learned about the importance of the American West in our history classes as central to American identity and ideology. In exploration of new territories and the groups of people affected by expansion, this collection gives a visual representation of American history related to the West with a span of portrait and landscape paintings and sculpture from 1822 to 1946. On display until Jun. 27.
This museum/hotel hybrid is a great place to get a bite to eat before or after checking out the current exhibitions it has to offer. Currently, the space houses two collections— “Elevate” and “Fragile Figures: Being and Time”—which are free for admission. The 21 C collections are markedly centered around 21st century art relevant to modern culture.
Art Crawls
Many art galleries participate in art crawls, where they collaborate to open their doors to the public for onlookers to walk from gallery to gallery while sipping on wine and, of course, appreciating art. We recommend staying up-to-date with their Facebook pages and websites for updates as scheduling might be adjusted due to COVID restrictions.
On the first Saturday of every month, First Bank hosts an evening downtown art crawl with the galleries along 5th Avenue and Arcade Ally. Admission is free and with over twenty galleries participating, this crawl is one of the most popular art events in Nashville. Moreover, the sheer number and range of galleries allow for exposure to a diverse collection of pieces.
This art crawl involves galleries that are within walking distance of the Wedgewood-Houston neighborhood. It takes place on the first Saturday of every month during the day in accordance with gallery times.
On the second Saturday of every month, galleries, small businesses and studios in East Nashville open their doors from 6-9 p.m. This art crawl is a great opportunity to meet local artists and support small businesses and the Nashville art community.
On the third Saturday of every month, local artists, musicians and businesses host a “community crawl” from 6-9 p.m. Local beer is provided and small artists are welcome to come participate.
On the fourth Saturday of every month, the Jefferson art crawl brings in guest artists and speakers to display their work and give lectures. This crawl is unique in that it is directly connected with the Jefferson Street community and connects guests to the rich history of the area.
Since March 18, curator Ashley Bergeron has invited local artists to create live paintings on every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the new Fifth + Broadway location. Four original paintings will be revealed for exhibition April 17 during an artist meet-and-greet event.
Dinner and a show! Every third Friday from 5-9 p.m., musicians and food trucks line Davidson Street for the East Nashville Art Show. For those of age, cocktails, beer and hard seltzers will be available for purchase to enjoy while perusing the different art on display. The next art show will take place April 16.
