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July 4, 2020

Happy Fourth of July everyone! Of course, this year, the 4th is a little different. 2020 has not been an easy year, and we are only halfway through it. Maybe this stern-faced eagle by the artist JamersonSGC (who often signs his work “Low Key Art”) is exactly what we need. Its gaze seems a little disapproving, reminding us of our civic duty, implying that we haven’t quite measured up. Or maybe I just read it that way in the face of – waves hand around – everything that’s been happening. Sometimes being a citizen is easy, and sometimes it is hard, and in 2020 it isn’t easy.

Jamerson has engulfed the whole building in art. The eagle is found on the back of Marley’s Market and Restaurant on Lafayette Street, roughly the south side of the building. On the east side, the left if you are standing at the entrance, is a brown-and-black American flag. And wrapping across the front and the west side of the building is an American flag with an African-American man’s portrait. I’ve seen convenience stores with flag murals before, but nothing on this scale.

Again, have a happy and safe holiday weekend. And think about what that eagle might be trying to tell you.

Located at 141 Lafayette Street. There is parking at the market.

Not all heroes wear capes

Masked doctor mural Nashville street art

I don’t often report on very new art, but this seems timely and relevant. The artist who goes by JamersonSGC and signs his work “Low Key Art” only put this up about a week ago. He writes, “You are my superhero.. be safe..#nurse #doctor.” Ironically, this corner on Lafayette Street, a corridor Jamerson has done a lot of work on, usually has people congregating, as it did when I went to photograph this mural. A lot of it comes down to the fact that social distancing is a matter of privilege. Some people because of their income or housing situation really can’t, and some people, like our medical personnel, like our grocery workers and delivery folks (to name a few) have jobs that require them to take risks. We should honor those risks, and seek ways to help the people who don’t have adequate housing, income, and medical care to shelter in place.

Jamerson has some other work on this building I’ll feature later.

Located at 125 Lafayette Street, on the building that houses Southside Market and Deli and Big G’s. The mural faces Lincoln Street. There is some street parking in the immediate area.

Day Dreamin

While Eddie’s Cee Bee on Lafayette has been closed for some time, the artist JamersonSGC continues to use the building as a canvas. This impressive collection of human and animal portraits emblazoned with the words “Day Dreamin” is found on the back of the building where the old loading dock sits unused. Jamerson (who labels much of his work “Low Key Art”) sometimes likes to edit and reshape his work. See for example the evolution of Low key bee into The full bee (an update). In an original draft (see below), instead of the two people an elephant and possibly a second zebra were taking shape. All that remains of those two animals is the elephant’s tusk, which is engraved with Egyptian hieroglyphics and links the woman and man together. As the fate of the Cee Bee building is uncertain, the long term prospect for this mural is anyone’s guess. But watch this space – Jamerson might decide to revise it again!

Animal Portraits mural street art Nashville

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Located at 109 Lafayette Street. The mural is on the east side of the building, facing Clairborne Street. There is parking in the area in front of the mural, and in the lot on the other side of the building.

More wings, less waiting

Wings mural street art Nashville

It seems that Eddie’s Cee Bee Food Store on Lafayette has closed for good, but that hasn’t stopped the artist who goes by jamersonsgc from turning it into his personal canvas. The full bee (an update) is found one side, these wings on another, and there’s more of his work around back on the loading dock I haven’t blogged about yet (in part because I’m not sure if it’s finished). The “more wings, less waiting” refers both to the sheer size (see the SUV for scale) and the fact that unlike certain other wings, you are not likely to have to wait in line to get your picture with these. Of course, now that Cee Bee’s has closed, how long these wings will be there is anybody’s guess, so get your selfie soon!

Located at 109 Lafayette Street. The mural faces the parking lot, on the north side of the building looking towards Wharf Avenue. Obviously, there is lots of available parking.

The full bee (an update)

CB2Main

I don’t think I have ever posted the same piece twice. But it seems that the bee on the outside wall of Eddie’s Cee Bee Food Store done by jamersonsgc which I featured in Low key bee was not even half finished! In retrospect, I should have guessed from the grey darker background area around the bee that maybe something else was planned, but the idea that the bee, which was finished, would then have a complex background added to it, did not occur to me. And this is basically twice the mural it was before, so I think I need to do more than just update the photo on the original blog post. Seriously, there was no flower, no bee nest cells, and the only Batman Building was on the face of the bee. I’d say this is a much stronger background for your next Instagram portrait, so head on down to Cee Bee’s! The last I checked there was also an obviously half-finished mural on the back of Cee Bee’s apparently by the same artist – I’m going to be much more patient posting about it!

CB2Full

Located at 109 Lafayette Street. The mural faces Lafayette. Cee Bee is a grocery store and has plenty of parking. Load up on sundries and enjoy the art!

Mother Earth

MotherEarthFull

It seems that Jamersonsgc is on a mission. Several pieces of his have appeared along and near the Lafayette Street corridor in the general vicinity of the JC Napier Homes. This piece is on the back side of Tito’s Gyro Grill on Lafayette. (They don’t have a website or social media presence.) The pan-African themes are pretty evident in this piece. Look close at the face (below) and you’ll see a number of mathematical equations as well. While it isn’t signed per se, Low Key Art is a tagline Jamerson uses. He also did a skyline on the front of the building (which is partially obscured by a sign) – see below. And he has updated the piece I featured in Low key bee, so look for new photos on that post soon.

UPDATE: This mural has since been painted over. Jamerson has since replaced it with the mural featured in Strength and mourning.

 

Locat at 13 Lafayette Street. This is just a few steps from the complicated intersection with 2nd Avenue South and McCann Street. It is conceivable to park along the gravel driveway that links Lafayette and 2nd, or in the yard in front of the mural, though that’s not certain. Tito’s has very limited parking. You could also try parking on McCann.

Low key bee

CeeBeeBee

The population of bees, which has been in decline of late, is maybe coming around. Of course, if they were all as big as this one, that might not be a good thing! The Nashville artist who goes by jamersonsgc produced this bee for Eddie’s Cee Bee Food Store on Lafayette, a natural design as bees are part of Cee Bee’s logos. Jamerson, who uses the tag #LowKeyArt, also apparently designs clothing, among other things. I actually had to step out in the middle of Lafayette Street to get this shot. The things I do for art! It appears to be dated 2018, and I’m pretty sure I was on Lafayette earlier this year and didn’t see it, so it’s probably pretty new. And hey, there’s the Batman Building!

Update: This mural has been greatly expanded. See The full bee (an update).

Located at 109 Lafayette Street. The mural faces Lafayette. Cee Bee is a grocery store and has plenty of parking. Load up on sundries and enjoy the art!

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