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MCC Art Program

MCC Art Selections Progress with Commissioned Artists

Over the last two years, the Convention Center Authority and its art committee, the latter composed of a panel of Nashville artists and professionals, have worked to narrow down the submissions to select a broad array of art in multiple mediums.

More than 200 local and national artists submitted proposals to be considered for one of the six commissioned pieces, all of which have been selected. More than 150 local artists submitted works to be considered for installation throughout the Music City Center.

"Sound Wave," by Beth Galston

Commissioned Artists Profiles

Ball-Nogues Studio: Ball-Nogues Studio, led by Benjamin Ball and Gaston Nogues, is creating “Euphony (working title),” a cascading curtain of individual lengths of metallic bead chain hanging under self-weight to form a matrix of catenary curves. “Euphony” will be attached inside the east concourse of the building facing the Omni Nashville Hotel and will be nearly 140-feet high.”

Beth Galston: Galston’s piece, “Sound Wave,” is an interactive sculpture made of undulating metal forms and LED lights, taking its inspiration from the shape of a sound wave and a musical staff. It will be mounted in the 6th Avenue concourse and lobby.

Alicia Henry: Nashville artist Alicia Henry, an associate professor at Fisk University, will explore themes of intimacy and peace in her piece. The work is mixed media and composed of dyes, stains, fabrics, wood, clay, and yarn on canvases and wood panels and will be on level one of the east concourse.

Jamaal Sheats: Brentwood native and Fisk University graduate Jamaal Sheats offers “Eight Octaves,” a series of eight panels that form the shape of an abstract guitar. Sheats works in repousse, in which metal is shaped by hammering on the reverse side to create a design in relief. His work will be featured in the pre-function area of the Grand Ballroom.

Phillip K. Smith, III: Artist and architect Smith is creating two colorful three-story pieces, “Chladni”, and “Spectrum II,” to be mounted at the east end of the project in the meeting room corridors, based on the sound vibration patterns discovered by German physicist and musician, Ernst Chladni, and an interpretation of resonance, rhythm, and musical vibration revealed through topography, color, and reflection.

Aaron Stephan: “Composition” takes inspiration from small model kits in which pieces are snapped off a central grid call a parts tree.  Instead of car parts, plane wings, and ship rudders, Stephan’s unique work consists of over a hundred life-sized musical instruments.  The stark white instruments are organized in a similar grid-like form and create a rhythmic dynamic with the surrounding architecture. Stephan’s work is suspended over the Demonbreun cascade stairs and can be seen from two distinct views.  From outside Music City Center - at street level - the work can be seen in its entirely as a large-scale diagram of an orchestra in waiting.   The second view - from the balconies inside - gives a closer glimpse of Composition.  Inside, the individual instruments can be seen up-close and against the dynamic backdrop of downtown Nashville.

Aaron Stephan’s work, “Composition,” takes inspiration from small model kits

Bob Zoell: Bob combines bold colors with minimalist designs to create eye-catching art. For the Music City Center, he’ll depict Nashville’s skyline and four seasons with musical fun and whimsical images on a 165-foot-long mural on 6th Avenue that runs through the building. Bob is a seminal L.A. artist whose career has spanned 5 decades. He has been the recipient of the Pollack/Krasner and the Adolph Gottlieb Foundation grants. In 2001–2002 he was invited as visiting faculty in painting at U.C.L.A. He has shown his work and lectured in Japan, France and throughout the U.S. He is also a regular contributor to the New Yorker magazine with 7 covers to his credit. For more info on Bob's work see his web page www.bobzoell.com.

Artists Selected for Acquisition

MCC Public Art Update (May 2012)

Local Artists

With the completion of the commissioned art selection process, the MCC Public Art Committee (PAC) is eagerly working to complete the selection process for the local (“acquired”) artworks over the next few months. The MCC Citizen Selection Panel concluded earlier this year the review of over 2500 images for the 62 “acquired” art locations in the Music City Center. The MCC PAC is reviewing the recommendations from the MCC Citizen Selection Panel to identify local artists whose artworks ultimately will be part of the Music City Center’s art collection.

Commissioned Artists

The selection process for the commissioned art locations is complete. There were 221 proposals received from artists across the country vying to create site specific works of art for eight (8) art locations, 7 interior locations and 1 exterior location along 6th Avenue. The Convention Center Authority is very thankful to the MCC Public Art Committee and the MCC Citizen Selection Panel for assisting in the selection process. We believe the Nashville community will be pleased with the commissioned art collection for the Music City Center.

Overview

In 2013, Nashville art lovers can celebrate the addition of another institution to the city’s already rich artistic environment:  Over 70 interior and exterior locations for public art have been identified through the Music City Center’s master planning process where the Convention Center Authority budgeted $2 million to finance the purchase of artworks for the new convention center.  The new convention center’s collection could feature a broad spectrum of artistic media, including paintings, suspended pieces, works on paper, new media, mosaics, and light works.

Public input during workshops and casual conversations has proved to be instrumental in guiding the themes that will be represented throughout the building.  For instance, many in the community would like the center’s art to reflect the city’s diverse musical and cultural heritage and to showcase Nashville’s progressive and entrepreneurial spirit.  Eight works will be commissioned for original design and fabrication. These works are part of a national open call for artist submissions. The remaining works will be purchased directly from artists. These non-commissioned works will be open to regional artists in the Southeast with an emphasis on those from Tennessee. Priority will be placed on supporting local artist participation in the project.

Site Plan

• Site Plan Document

Public Art Committee

Ms. Lanie Gannon, Artist
Nashville, Tennessee

Ms. Elisa “Putt” Putman, Assistant Director
Nashville Convention Center

Ms. Paula Roberts, Executive Director
Museum of African American Music, Art & Culture

Mr. Mark Scala, Chief Curator
Frist Center for the Visual Arts

Ms. Mona Lisa Warren, Secretary/Treasurer
Convention Center Authority

Citizen Selection Panel

Dr. Phyllis Qualls-Brooks, Former Deputy Commissioner
State of Tennessee Department of Tourism

Mr. David Koellein, Instructor and Interior Design Chairperson
O’More College of Design

Ms. Janet Kurtz, Director of Sales and Marketing
The Hermitage Hotel

Ms. Pamela Johnson, Vice President of Development
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

Ms. Debby Dale Mason, Chief Community Action Officer
Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce

Dr. Courtney Martin, Postdoctoral Research Associate and Lecturer
Vanderbilt University

Mr. Terry Thacker, Chair of Fine Arts
Watkins College of Art, Design & Film

MCC Art Program's Contact Person

Rich Boyd or Brian Downey, Program Consultants
Convention Center Authority
413 Fifth Avenue South
Nashville, TN 37203
615-880-1450