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Downtown

It’s all in the details

HarmonMiddle

Art always looks different seen from far away, nearby, or close up. But the three portraits adorning the walls of the Harmon Group take those distinctions to a higher level. All three portraits (see the others below) are done using a photo mosaic technique, by using thousands of smaller images to produce a larger coherent image, though one that tends to disappear the closer you get to the image. (See closeups below.) Harmon is a marketing and advertising firm, and I’ve been able to identify a least a couple of the smaller images as ones on their website gallery, while the others all seem to be in the style of one or another of the campaigns they feature on their website. It makes for attention-getting images, which no doubt was at least part of the intent. People stumbling at night out of 3rd and Lindsley might not fully appreciate them, but you can visit in the daylight to get the full effect. The murals themselves are mounted on thin boards and bolted to the wall.

UPDATE: This building has been demolished, the murals along with it. A new building is going in its place.

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Located at 807 Third Avenue South, across from 3rd and Lindlsey, where 3rd is cut off by I-40 and Lafayette. There is parking at Harmon and nearby businesses, particularly right now as the office next door is empty. Get a professional consult on your marketing strategy and enjoy the art!

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For that perfect smile

Crest

I have to wonder how long this one is going to be around. Located near Plaza Art on Middleton, it lies right next to a major graffiti installation that was just painted over. This part of SoBro/Pie Town has been fairly resistant to gentrification, but that can’t last. The market forces are very powerful. I believe this says “Crest.” (UPDATE: It’s actually Krest.) There’s one very much like it in Cheltenham, PA, on the north side of Philadelphia. (As of this posting, third row on that page. Look for “Crest Graffiti Cheltenham”.) I suspect it’s the product of an out of towner, because I don’t think I’ve seen this tag elsewhere, and the DayGlo color scheme is unusual here in Nashville. Even if it survives gentrification, for the time being, it’s peeling, likely because it faces the afternoon sun every day unshaded.

UPDATE: I now know this was done by Troy Duff for the 2015 Hands on Creativity! festival sponsored by Plaza Arts. It was later painted over but has been replaced with a newer version done by the same artist. See Krest, 2018.

Located at 617 Middleton Street. Nearby parking is easy. The mural is on the west side of the building, facing Plaza Arts.

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Go, go gorilla!

WorldGymGorrila

Hey, it’s a gorilla! With weights! Not much to say about this except that it’s further evidence that Nashville business owners are more and more understanding the importance of public art on their facilities. The placement on the corner is unusual. This is on the new World Gym in the Gulch, and the gorilla appears to be a symbol of the national chain. UPDATE: I have been informed by the artist himself that this is a Bryan Deese piece. I didn’t recognize it without the trademarks dots in the background you see in a lot of his work!

ANOTHER UPDATE: This gym has been replaced with another gym, QNTM Fit Life, and the gorilla has been painted over.

Located at 114 George L. David Boulevard. The mural actually faces Grundy Street, about a block west from Chauhan Ale and Masala House. Street parking and parking at the gym available. Break a sweat and enjoy the art.

 

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Drink responsibly!

ChaliceFull

“The Art of the Chalice” is a relatively recent Eastside Murals piece, sponsored by Stella Artois. Why did Stella Artois sponsor this mural? Well, the marketing decisions of major corporations can be obscure, but in fact, this mural is one of a number of art installations of the same name that Stella Artois has been doing all over the country. While this one is not specifically branded with Stella Artois, that particular style of glass features in their marketing and the bird chasing after the fish is carrying a horn seen on the Stella Artois label. Regardless, it’s a bright, cheery mural that brings some color to a drab downtown parking lot. You can watch the Eastside artists put the mural up in a nice time lapse video from their Instagram page. The bit of blue on the far edge is a separate mural advertising the bar next door. I’ll post it separately later.

UPDATE: This mural has been replaced with a new one. See Hold Nothing Back. Also, the blue mural I mentioned is also gone, and I never got a chance to blog about it or properly photograph it.

Located at 173 Third Avenue North, on the north-facing wall of Piranha’s Bar and Grill (bachelorette party headquarters!). Obviously, there’s parking right in front of the mural, but like most parking downtown, it ain’t free. Obviously, grab a ride share or taxi to Piranha’s, order a Stella, and enjoy the art!

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Boom Boom Pow

Timeless3

Around the world, landmines and unexploded munitions from wars recent and long ago are a serious problem. Every day, people are killed or maimed by this deadly detritus of war. Here in the United States, we think of these things as the problems of other countries, but there have been major wars on our soil, and live ammunition from the Civil War is still out there. In 1999, when excavations for the foundation of the building now known as the Baker Donelson Center were underway, workers discovered a number of Civil War cannonballs, and not dead weight cannonballs, but the kind meant to explode. They were still live and ready to detonate. Fortunately, none of them went off. After munitions experts defused them, Nashville artist Joe Sorci incorporated them into this piece, “Timeless” (2002), which sits in front of the entrance to the Center. Go ahead, bang on the cannonballs. I’m sure nothing bad will happen.

Located at 211 Commerce Street, in Commerce Center Park. The sculpture is right next to the sidewalk. This is downtown Nashville, so lots of parking, almost none of it free. This is also just half a block from Lower Broad, so incorporate it into your next bachelorette party!

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Guitars and automobiles

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Just because of how many artists are involved, this is a complicated mural to talk about. The “Gibson Tribute Wall” is a product of the Nashville Walls Project. The NWP is a collective of artists and local leaders, organized by Brian Greif, that seek to cover much of downtown and beyond with major art pieces, and are already responsible for a number of major projects. It’s sponsored in part by Gibson Custom Division, and FirstBank donated in particular for this piece. While the NWP seeks to bring in international artists for its projects, this mural was put together by Nashville artists. Starting at far left, the striped deer with butterflies is by Herb Williams, who is known for his multicolored animals, large and small, including a tiny butterfly that seems to have escaped the main mural (see below). Next is a work by Chris Zidek, who signs his work Zidekahedron and among other things did the octopus in Uncovered! Sam Dunson is responsible for the laughing hashtag man, while Emily Miller‘s work is recognizable to anyone who’s been in this town for very long (and keeps their eye open for guerrilla poster art). Finally, the young boys fishing on Leggo blocks are the work of Brian Donahue, who, like your intrepid blogger, is a professor at Tennessee State University.

Located at 213 Third Avenue North, between Chruch and Union, on the north wall of the building. The lot in front of the mural is a Premiere Parking lot, which Google Maps labels as Bank Alley. Bank Alley crosses Printer’s Alley just to the right of this mural. Obviously, there’s parking, but like just about everywhere downtown, it’s not free. The mural is well lit – grab a taxi or a ride share and make it part of your pub crawl on Printer’s Ally!

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Going up!

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I have been remiss in posting about art found in the “skyscraper” district, something I aim to fix. I start small here with a single door, on the east side of the Downtown Presbyterian Church. It’s the work of Sarah Shearer, done in 2009, and she even has a blog post detailing her progress as she put the work together.

Located at 154 5th Ave North, in the alley on the east side of the building. The church is at the corner of Church and Fifth and is worth a look itself. Walk up the alley. There’s more art up there I’ll feature later. This is downtown, so parking lots and garages abound, none of them free.

 

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