The Frist Calendar of Events
Calendar of Events
March 1–May 31, 2018
- High-resolution images available. Please disregard previous versions of this calendar. This information is current as of February 27, 2018. Dates and programs are subject to change.
OF SPECIAL NOTE IN MARCH
NOW OPEN! – Statewide Call to AP and IB Studio Art Students
Thursday, March 1 – Curator’s Tour Rome: City and Empire presented by Mark Scala, Frist Center chief curator
Thursday, March 8 – Film: 13th – Post-film Q&A with Project Return
Friday, March 9 – Southern Word Grand Slam Semifinal
Sunday, March 11 – Jazz on the Move – The Life and Songs of Nancy Wilson, presented by Dara Tucker
Saturday, March 17 – Family Movie Matinee: Hercules
Thursday, March 22 – Lecture: Modern Challenges in Ancient Art presented by Dr. Maxwell L. Anderson, consulting scholar, Mediterranean Section,
University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, and president, Souls Grown Deep Foundation
Friday, March 30 – Exhibition Opens – We Shall Overcome: Civil Rights and the Nashville, Press, 1957–1968
MARCH 2018
OPEN NOW! Call to AP and IB Studio Art Students
The Frist Center for the Visual Arts’ seventh biennial Young Tennessee Artists exhibition will take place from October 20, 2018 through March 17, 2019. Students participating in Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) studio art programs during the 2017–2018 school year are invited to submit artwork to be considered for this museum-quality exhibition. Check fristcenter.org front page for submission details.
Thursday, March 1 Curator’s Tour Rome: City and Empire presented by Mark Scala, Frist Center chief curator
Noon
Meet at exhibition entrance
Free to members; admission required for not-yet-members
Rome: City and Empire tells the story of how Rome grew on an unprecedented scale from a series of small villages into a mighty empire. Each object illuminates not only the rich history of the Roman Empire, but also the stories of Rome’s diverse peoples. Join Frist Center chief curator Mark Scala as he highlights key works from the collection of more than two hundred works from the British Museum. A members-only tour of this exhibition will take place on Friday, March 2, at noon.
Thursday, March 1 Music at the Frist
6:00–8:00 p.m. Shelby Bottom Duo
Frist Center Café
Free
Michael August and Nell Levin formed the Shelby Bottom String Band in 2008. Shelby Bottom Duo continues the band’s tradition of entertaining, irreverent social commentary, humanity, and humor. Their repertoire includes originals like “East Nashville Rag,” the title cut of the band’s CD; “Displacement Blues,” named by The Tennessean as “Nashville’s newest social justice anthem;” and “Fat and Bald,” an audience favorite about life’s unintended consequences. Admission is free for college students with valid school ID on Thursday and Friday evenings from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. (with the exception of Frist Fridays).
Friday, March 2 The Austin Peay State University
6:00 p.m. 2017–18 Tennessee Artist Fellow
Frist Center Rechter Room Lecture presented by Andrew
Free; first come, first seated Scott Ross
Andrew Scott Ross, of Johnson City, is the 2017–18 recipient of the Tennessee Artist Fellowship awarded by the Austin Peay State University Center of Excellence for the Creative Arts (CECA, or “seek-ah”). Ross is an associate professor in drawing at East Tennessee State University whose work has appeared at the Guggenheim Museum, Ben Gurion International Airport, the 2017 Atlanta Biennial, and elsewhere. According to the fellowship selection committee (which does not solicit nominations or applications from artists), Ross’s drawings are “gritty, yet refined” and “transcend the two-dimensional surface we associate with drawing media.” Join CECA at the Frist Center to learn more about Ross’s exceptional work and celebrate contemporary art in Tennessee.
Friday, March 2 Music at the Frist
6:00–8:00 p.m. Jazz vocalist Arte’Mis
Frist Center Café
Free
Arte’Mis (Tramaine Robinson) grew up singing in a church choir in Knoxville. Now residing in Nashville, she has carried that soulful foundation to everything from jazz and R&B to classical and musical theater, influenced by the likes of Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, and Jill Scott.
Admission is free for college students with valid school ID on Thursday and Friday evenings from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. (with the exception of Frist Fridays).
Saturday, March 3 Docent-Guided Exhibition Tour with ASL Interpreter
1:30 p.m.
Meet at the Frist Center’s
Gallery Information Desk
Gallery admission required; members free
On the first Saturday of each month, we offer an informal docent-guided tour with certified American Sign Language interpretation. The tour focuses on a current exhibition and originates at the information desk inside the entrance to the galleries.
Our docents also conduct tours on most weekdays and weekends at 1:30 p.m.; reservations are not required. To check availability, contact Visitor Services at 615.744.3277.
ASL interpretation is generously supported by the Memorial Foundation and by Bridges, a Nashville-area nonprofit resource for deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing communities.
Saturday, March 3 Architecture Tour with ASL Interpreter
4:30 p.m.
Meet in the Frist Center’s Grand Lobby
Free
Coming to the First Saturday Art Crawl, or to another downtown Nashville event? Enhance your weekend with a visit to the Frist Center. Stop at our café between 2 and 5 p.m. for Dessert Happy Hour (free coffee with the purchase of any dessert), and enjoy a guided tour of our landmark art deco building at 4:30 p.m.
On the first Saturday of each month, certified American Sign Language interpretation is provided with the tour, with the generous support of the Memorial Foundation and Bridges for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Architecture tours are sponsored by Messer Construction. For more information, contact Visitor Services at 615.744.3277.
Thursday, March 8 One-Day Educator Workshop:
9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. Rome: City and Empire
$25 Frist Center members; $30 not-yet-members
(all materials, gallery admission, parking validation, continental breakfast, and lunch included)
Visit fristcenter.org/educator to reserve your place. Registration required by March 5. Space is limited to 20 participants.
During this workshop, educators will examine original works of art in the exhibition, participate in gallery discussions and studio activities, and develop teaching materials and connections. Christopher McDonough, Alderson-Tillinghast Chair in the Humanities at Sewanee: The University of the South, will be the guest presenter. Frist Center educator workshops are open to educators of all subjects, pre-K–12.
Thursday, March 8 Film: 13th
7:00 p.m. Post-film Q&A with Project Return
Frist Center Auditorium
Free; first come, first seated
Shown in conjunction with Slavery, the Prison Industrial Complex: Photographs by Keith Calhoun and Chandra McCormick, the acclaimed documentary film 13th looks in depth at the Thirteenth Amendment to the US Constitution, which abolished slavery and indentured servitude. In this thought-provoking documentary, scholars, activists, and politicians analyze the prison industrial complex and the history of racial inequality in the United States.
Following the screening, stay for a special Q&A with Project Return, a nonprofit non-faith-based organization that provides an extensive array of supportive services for individuals returning to society after incarceration.
Directed by Ava DuVernay, 2016. 100 minutes. Rated TV-MA (may be unsuitable for children under 17). Netflix.
Thursday, March 8 Music at the Frist
6:00–8:00 p.m. Embers Music (pianist)
Frist Center Café
Free
Music is a language measured in rhythm and song, and for pianist Embers Music, that language describes motion and emotion. This pianist does not simply hear music; she sees it in dancing forces across her mind’s eye. That envisioned dance is the instrument whereby she explores dynamics and tempo to share thoughts and feelings and dreams.
Embers joins an array of talented musicians and songwriters who can be heard at the Frist Center on Thursday and Friday evenings. Enjoy a beverage or snack before the evening’s program or your visit to the Frist Center galleries.
Admission is free for college students with valid school ID on Thursday and Friday evenings from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. (with the exception of Frist Fridays).
Friday, March 9 Southern Word Grand Slam Semifinal
5:00 p.m.
Frist Center Auditorium
Free
Reserve your seat at southernword.org
Join us as the region’s top youth poets, emcees, and spoken word artists compete for top lyrical honors, a chance to appear at the statewide finals and a shot to travel to the Brave New Voices Festival slated for Chicago this summer.
Southern Word creates a platform for youth to speak about the real hopes and challenges of their lives. Discretion is advised for this event as some material may be unsuitable for young children.
The event is presented by Southern Word in partnership with the Frist Center and made possible through the generous support of Metro Arts: Nashville Office of Art + Culture and Tennessee Arts Commission.
Friday, March 9 Music at the Frist
6:00–8:00 p.m. Bassoonery (bassoon quintet)
Frist Center Café
Free
The five members of Bassonery—founder Patricia Gunter, Kate Affainie, Wilson Sharpe, Harold Skelton, and Andrew Witherington—have been symphony orchestra members, teachers, and band directors. With a repertoire spanning Bach to Gershwin, they’ve delighted Frist Center visitors for years.
Saturday, March 10 Figure Study
1:00 p.m.
Frist Studios
$15 members; $20 not-yet-members
(gallery admission and parking validation included).
Space is limited to 15 participants. Ages 18 and older only, please.
Want to study the human form? Enhance and expand your artistic practice once a quarter by participating in this series of no-instruction sessions at the Frist, with poses by live, clothed models along with access to the masterworks of Rome: City and Empire in our galleries.
Please bring your own nontoxic drawing, painting or sculpting mediums to this workshop; only pencils are allowed in our galleries (pencils provided as needed).
Saturday, March 10 Architecture Tour
4:30 p.m.
Meet in the Frist Center’s Grand Lobby
Free
“When was the Frist Center built? Who was the architect? Can you tell me about the floors in the galleries?” These are some of the questions answered in the Frist Center’s popular architecture tours, sponsored by Messer Construction. Learn more about our landmark art deco building from one of our always-engaging docents.
Sunday, March 11 Jazz on the Move
3:00 p.m. The Life and Songs of Nancy Wilson,
Frist Center Auditorium presented by Dara Tucker
Free
The Nashville Jazz Workshop, in collaboration with the Frist Center, presents the 12th season of the popular performance and education series Jazz on the Move. Each installment features a lecture and performance highlighting a major figure or period in jazz history. Presented by Nashville’s top jazz artists/educators, the series offers audiences world-class music, as well as opportunities to learn more about the genre. Each performance is led by an individual artist intimately familiar with the jazz great being profiled, with an outstanding group of supporting musicians. Those attending Jazz on the Move will be able to visit the Frist’s exhibitions free of charge and receive discounted parking in the Frist Center visitor parking lot.
Nancy Wilson is an icon of American music whose appeal and fame transcends the jazz world. She began her singing career at age 15 when she won a talent contest hosted by her local TV station in Columbus, Ohio, resulting in television appearances and singing in clubs. She began touring with big bands in 1956, followed shortly thereafter by her first commercial recording on Dot Records. At the encouragement of Cannonball Adderly, she moved to New York City in 1959, and in 1960 she was signed by Capitol Records. She appeared in numerous television shows, recorded over 70 albums, and won three Grammy Awards. She performed publicly for the last time on September 10, 2011, at Ohio University.
Thursday, March 15 Drop-In Drawing Turns Five Years Old!
5:00–8:00 p.m.
Free to members; admission or membership
required for Ingram, CAP. and Upper-Level Galleries.
Materials included (first come, first served)
To celebrate our fifth anniversary, we are hosting a throwback Thursday night of doodling in our galleries on March 15, featuring local Etch A Sketch artist John Taylor from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. John will cover the basics for beginners and share techniques for mastering the Etch A Sketch screen. Fun for all ages!
On the third Thursday of each month, check out drawing materials to practice different techniques and skills, gain instructional guidance, and be inspired by the artworks in the galleries and the architecture of the building. Art supplies, including Etch A Sketches, will be available near the Ingram Gallery Information Desk. Limit one per person and while supplies last. Feel free to bring your own Etch A Sketch (or digital drawing surface) to participate.
Thursday, March 15 Educator SPARK!
5:30–8:00 p.m.
(presentation at 6:00 p.m.)
Frist Center Studios | Free for K–12, homeschool, and college/university educators (gallery admission and parking validation included)
Join us for our second season of Educator SPARK, which occurs through May. Between 5:30 and 8:00 p.m., spark your creativity and curiosity by exploring Frist Center exhibitions and enjoying light refreshments with other educators. From 6:00 to 6:30 p.m., participate in an informal idea exchange session with Lindsey Bailey (cakecrush.com), and continue your conversations afterward in a comfortable setting.
Thursday, March 15 Music at the Frist
6:00–8:00 p.m. Contrarian Ensemble
Frist Center Café
Free
The Contrarian Ensemble—Bruce Baxter (accordion), John Hedgecoth (mandolin), Mike Teaney (guitar), and Svend Thomsen (fiddle)—performs an eclectic variety of dance music from the 1300s to the present, including traditional tunes from the U.S., the British Isles, and Europe, as well as original compositions. From tunes that would feel at home in a Paris café to the music of Bill Monroe, the Contrarian Ensemble’s superb musicianship always delights.
Admission is free for college students with valid school ID on Thursday and Friday evenings from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. (with the exception of Frist Fridays).
Friday, March 16 Music at the Frist
6:00–8:00 p.m. Tim Gartland (contemporary blues)
Frist Center Café
Free
Tim Gartland is a singer-songwriter and harmonica player committed to honoring the rich tradition of blues while moving the genre forward. His release If You Want A Good Woman features 12 original songs and reached #1 on the blues radio charts on AirPlay Direct. It was also named one of the Top Picks of the year by Bill Wilson of the Nashville Blues Society and reached #13 on the national blues charts according to Roots Time Radio. His original music is a blend of Chicago blues, soul, and Americana.
He has released two critically acclaimed original albums: Looking Into The Sun (2011) and Million Stars (2014). In 2015, he released The Willie Project, a heartfelt homage to the songwriting of the legendary blues hall of famer Willie Dixon.
Saturday, March 17 Family Movie Matinee: Hercules
2:00–4:00 p.m.
Frist Center Auditorium
Free; first come, first seated
Pack up the kids and come downtown for an afternoon at the museum! Curl up on your blanket or sleeping bag in our auditorium for a Saturday matinee screening of Disney’s Hercules! Arrive early to see the Roman treasures in our galleries, and head to Martin ArtQuest in the Studios after the movie for hands-on fun! Space is limited.
Saturday, March 17 Architecture Tour
4:30 p.m.
Meet in the Frist Center’s Grand Lobby
Free
“When was the Frist Center built? Who was the architect? Can you tell me about the floors in the galleries?” These are some of the questions answered in the Frist Center’s popular architecture tours, sponsored by Messer Construction. Learn more about our landmark art deco building from one of our always-engaging docents.
Monday, March 19 Beaded Blanket-Making Workshops
–Wednesday, March 28
10:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m. (Mondays–Saturdays)
1:00 p.m.–5:30 p.m. (Sundays)
Frist Center Studio B
Free
Stop by the Frist Center to help assemble a beaded blanket for the Nick Cave: Feat. Nashville performance on April 6 at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center. Everyone is welcome to join in this “come and go” activity. Participants will use shoelaces and colorful beads to make a community blanket that represents the stories of its creators.
Visit fristcenter.org/studio to see the full schedule of FREE workshops and to register groups of 10 or more. Individuals and small groups (2–9 participants) are encouraged to drop in. Space is limited.
Thursday, March 22 Music at the Frist
6:00–8:00 p.m. Classical guitarist Michael Roberts
Frist Center Café
Free
Michael Roberts is a Nashville-based classical guitarist and composer who is active around the country. A student and teacher of many different musical styles, he has studied with world-class master Michael Lorimer (of the Segovia school) and internationally renowned professor Rob Nathanson. His recent concerts include a rare 15-guitar performance of Steve Reich’s Electric Counterpoint and atmospheric shows for Chihuly and Andy Warhol art exhibits. He regularly composes classical and pop music for the guitar, as well as cinematic soundtracks, and tours nationally with rock band Dead Man’s Mail.
His latest compilation of original work includes a string quartet, a piano sonata, his first symphony, and various tone poems. A full-length classical guitar album is on the way. It will feature his New Etudes, as well as works by Enrique Granados and others.
Admission is free for college students with valid school ID on Thursday and Friday evenings from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. (with the exception of Frist Fridays).
Thursday, March 22 Lecture: Modern Challenges in Ancient
6:30 p.m. Art presented by Dr. Maxwell L.
Frist Center Auditorium Anderson, consulting scholar,
Free; first come; first seated Mediterranean Section, University of Pennsylvania Museum of
Archaeology and Anthropology, and president, Souls Grown Deep Foundation
In this talk, Dr. Maxwell L. Anderson, author of Antiquities: What Everyone Needs to Know (Oxford University Press, 2016), will summarize multiple perspectives on protecting objects such as those in Rome: City and Empire, including the care and supervision of excavations and museum collections, the international treaties and laws governing the circulation of objects from antiquity, the state of the art trade, and trends in public and private collecting. For more about Dr. Anderson, visit the page for this event at fristcenter.org.
This lecture is supported in part by Vanderbilt University’s Department of History of Art and Department of Classical and Mediterranean Studies.
Friday, March 23 Music at the Frist
6:00–8:00 p.m. Acoustic soul artist Larysa Jaye
Frist Center Café
Free
Larysa Jaye is a Nashville-based acoustic soul artist with eclectic influences and a captivating stage presence. Her ability to flow seamlessly from country to R&B to pop has earned her a loyal following. As a songwriter, Larysa finds inspiration from her everyday life as a wife and mother.
Saturday, March 24 Get Fit at the Frist
9:00 a.m.
Turner Courtyard
Free
Space guaranteed for the first 300 guests. We will allow more participants into Turner Courtyard if we can do so safely.
Grab your water bottle and workout buddy for a free outdoor fitness class with Katherine Tisha Wilson of b.fab.fitness®! A trademarked style of dance cardio and strength training, b.fab.fitness® is as much about fellowship as it is about working out. The workout’s choreography, b.fab.funk®, includes simple dance moves set to hip-hop, pop, Latin, and even some Bollywood beats. No experience is required—just a desire to move and have fun!
Get Fit at the Frist will be canceled in the event of rain. Guests are invited to enjoy FREE admission to the Frist Center galleries following their workout.
Saturday, March 24 Architecture Tour
4:30 p.m.
Meet in the Frist Center’s Grand Lobby
Free
“When was the Frist Center built? Who was the architect? Can you tell me about the floors in the galleries?” These are some of the questions answered in the Frist Center’s popular architecture tours, sponsored by Messer Construction. Learn more about our landmark art deco building from one of our always-engaging docents.
Friday, March 25 Exhibition Closes – Extrasensory
Monday, March 26 Family Monday
10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.
Entire family admitted for the price of one adult admission; members free
The Frist loves families! Join us on the last Monday of the month for special family programming. Enjoy storytime in the galleries in English and Spanish, a multisensory exhibition tour, café and gift shop discounts, and Martin ArtQuest Studios—reserved just for families! See fristcenter.org for the day’s schedule.
Thursday, March 29 Music at the Frist
6:00–8:00 p.m. Mandolinist Mike Compton
Frist Center Café
Free
Mike Compton is a Grammy and International Bluegrass Music Association Award–winning recording artist; a solo, duo and band performer; and a passionate mandolin teacher. The New York Times calls Compton “a new bluegrass instrumental hero.”
Born in Meridian, Mississippi, Compton took up the mandolin as a teenager. Drawn to the powerful mix of old-time fiddle stylings, blues influences and pure creativity embodied in Bill Monroe’s playing, he moved to Nashville in 1977 and quickly found work with veteran banjoist and former Monroe sideman Hubert Davis. In Nashville, Compton recorded albums with the John Hartford String Band and toured extensively with the band until Hartford’s death in 2001. At the same time, he collaborated with other masters, including guitarist David Grier, renowned mandolinists David Grisman and Mike Marshall, and producer T-Bone Burnett, for whom he performed not only as a Soggy Bottom Boy on 2001’s Grammy Album of the Year, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, but on the following Grammy-winning Down from the Mountain soundtrack and tours, and on the Cold Mountain soundtrack and tours.
Honored in 2002 with a special resolution by the Mississippi State Senate for his accomplishments, Mike Compton is in demand today at every level, from solo tours, treasured performances with the Nashville Bluegrass Band, and appearances with Grier and other duet partners, to instructional settings like the International Bluegrass Music Museum’s wildly successful Monroe Mandolin Camp, to studio recordings with bluegrass legends such as Ralph Stanley and country stars like Faith Hill. As Mandolin Magazine put it, Mike Compton is “a certified mandolin icon.”
Admission is free for college students with valid school ID on Thursday and Friday evenings from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. (with the exception of Frist Fridays).
Friday, March 30 – Exhibition Opens – We Shall Overcome: Civil Rights and the Nashville Press, 1957–1968
Friday, March 30 Music at the Frist
6:00–8:00 p.m. Sam Frazee and Hiptet
Frist Center Café
Free
Led by Sam Frazee, Hiptet has been entertaining concert crowds in Nashville for more than three years. The five-piece band brings to life the high energy music of famous American jazz artists like Duke Ellington, Horace Silver, Art Blakey and other legendary players. Hiptet also puts its own spin on the Beatles and Bossa Novas.
The Hiptet features Sam Frazee, bass; Ray Manley, keyboard; Tommy Strange, guitar; Jeff McCombs, drums; and Greg Lewis, trumpet.
Admission is free for college students with valid school ID on Thursday and Friday evenings from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. (with the exception of Frist Fridays).
Saturday, March 31 Architecture Tour
4:30 p.m.
Meet in the Frist Center’s Grand Lobby
Free
“When was the Frist Center built? Who was the architect? Can you tell me about the floors in the galleries?” These are some of the questions answered in the Frist Center’s popular architecture tours, sponsored by Messer Construction. Learn more about our landmark art deco building from one of our always-engaging docents.
APRIL 2018
Thursday, April 5 Music at the Frist
6:00–8:00 p.m. The Twin Fiddles of Jenny Obert and Frist Center Café Shad Cobb—An evening of Americana
Free music
Tonight’s evening of music, created by multi-instrumentalists Jenny Obert and Shad Cobb, promises a broad array of traditional and original songs from the Americana canon.
Jenny Leigh Obert grew up in Alabama and Texas, and both states have inspired and influenced her development as a respected multi-genre fiddler, singer, and songwriter. Obert moved to northern Virginia in 2010, joining renowned banjo legend Bill Emerson (Country Gentlemen, Jimmy Martin, and the United States Navy’s Country Current band) for three albums as a member of his band, Sweet Dixie. She moved to Nashville in 2014 and has become an in-demand session player. She performs regularly with Bobby Clark, the Volunteer String Band, Amanda Contreras, Don Coyote, and Shad Cobb, with whom she appears this evening. In addition to writing, performing and recording, Obert is a sought-after teacher who coaches violin and fiddle students of all levels.
Shad Cobb grew up in Wisconsin and began playing the fiddle at age 13 with his family’s band. In 1995, he moved to Nashville and began recording with many of the city’s major artists, including the Osborne Brothers, Mike Snider, Marty Rabon and Shenandoah, Willie Nelson, and Steve Earle. Cobb’s intricate and soulful style is the result of absorbing the influences of some of the greatest fiddlers of the last 50 years, including Vassar Clements, Sam Bush, Art Stamper, Mark O’Connor, Kenny Baker, and Byron Berline. Today, his widely acknowledged virtuosity places him in the highest echelon of the country’s most accomplished fiddlers. Most recently, Cobb has been heard in the café in performance with David Grier, Missy Raines, and Mike Compton as the Helen Highwater String Band.
Friday, April 6 Live Streaming of Nick Cave: Feat.
10 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. Nashville
Frist Center Auditorium
Free
Both performances of Nick Cave: Feat. Nashville at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center are sold out. The next best thing? Come watch a live stream of either the matinee or evening performance in the Frist Center auditorium, fristcenter.org, or on our Facebook page.
The free large-scale performances will include three customized compositions (“Blanket Statement,” “Heard,” and “Up Right”) that combine a variety of genres, from music and dance to spoken word, with Cave’s signature soundsuits as part of the visual extravaganza. An explosion of color, sound, and energy, Cave’s art often defies traditional definitions and is unforgettable once it has been encountered.
In addition to creating elaborate and thought-provoking objects for presentation in galleries and museums, as in the exhibition Nick Cave: Feat., Cave wants his role as a messenger to engage a broader audience. The titles of the exhibition and the performances, with their abbreviation of the word “feature,” invoke the larger purpose behind Cave’s involvement with the Frist Center: to feature the people and issues of Nashville by way of artistic performance. The artist’s commitment to “hiring the community” means that Cave is collaborating with local preprofessional and professional choreographers, dancers, musicians, students, and leaders to produce Nick Cave: Feat. Nashville. Together, the artist, the cast, the crew, and the audience will explore themes of identity, social justice, and the power of art to transform our world, doing so from multiple vantage points.
Friday, April 6 Music at the Frist
6:00–8:00 p.m. TBA
Frist Center Café
Free
Join us in the Frist Center café to hear some of Nashville best and brightest musicians from the worlds of jazz, soul, blues, Latin, country, folk, bluegrass, Americana and classical music.
Admission is free for college students with valid school ID on Thursday and Friday evenings from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. (with the exception of Frist Fridays).
Saturday, April 7 Docent-Guided Exhibition Tour
1:30 p.m. with ASL Interpreter
Meet at the Frist Center’s Gallery Information Desk
Gallery admission required; members free
On the first Saturday of each month, we offer an informal docent-guided tour with certified American Sign Language interpretation. The tour focuses on a current exhibition and originates at the information desk inside the entrance to the galleries.
Our docents also conduct tours on most weekdays and weekends at 1:30 p.m.; reservations are not required. To check availability, contact Visitor Services at 615.744.3277.
ASL interpretation is generously supported by the Memorial Foundation and by Bridges, a Nashville-area nonprofit resource for deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing communities.
Saturday, April 7 Architecture Tour with ASL Interpreter
4:30 p.m.
Meet in the Frist Center’s Grand Lobby
Free
Coming to the First Saturday Art Crawl, or to another downtown Nashville event? Enhance your weekend with a visit to the Frist Center. Stop at our café between 2 and 5 p.m. for Dessert Happy Hour (free coffee with the purchase of any dessert), and enjoy a guided tour of our landmark art deco building at 4:30 p.m.
On the first Saturday of each month, certified American Sign Language interpretation is provided with the tour, with the generous support of the Memorial Foundation and Bridges, a Nashville-area nonprofit resource for deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing communities. Architecture tours are sponsored by Messer Construction. For more information, contact Visitor Services at 615.744.3277.
Thursday, April 12 Music at the Frist
6:00–8:00 p.m. Fiddler Billy Contreras and Friends
Frist Center Café
Free
Billy Contreras has been called “the finest jazz violinist of his time,” and has performed or recorded with a stunning array of notable musicians, including Lionel Hampton, Doc Severinsen, George Jones, Crystal Gayle, Charlie Louvin and Hank Thompson. He has also appeared with the Cincinnati Pops and Nashville Symphony Orchestras. In addition to teaching at Belmont University, Billy leads his own band that traverses an amalgam of styles, including jazz, country, blues, western swing, rock, and jam.
Billy will be joined by a versatile group of all-star musicians:
- Matt Menefee (banjo) has toured with Mumford and Sons, Bruce Hornsby, and Big and Rich.
- Jake Stargel (guitar) plays weekly on the Grand Ole Opry and has toured with Mountain Heart and Sierra Hull.
- Geoff Saunders (bass) is a Grammy Award–winning bassist and tours with The O’Connor Band.
- Dave Racine (drums) has toured with Patty Loveless and Jim Lauderdale.
The group will perform instrumental arrangements of folk tunes as well as original music in a style Billy describes as between jazz, jam, and bluegrass.
Friday, April 13 Music at the Frist
6:00–8:00 p.m. Songwriter Ronny Criss and Friends
Frist Center Café
Free
Singer-songwriter Ronny Criss gathers a number of his songwriting friends for evenings of original music.
Born in Arkansas and raised in Chicago, Criss is a talented tunesmith with Southern roots and a Midwestern sensibility. Join him and some of Nashville’s newcomers as well as established writers in the Frist café. Admission is free for college students with valid school ID on Thursday and Friday evenings from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. (with the exception of Frist Fridays).
Saturday, April 14 Voices from the Front Lines
Noon A panel discussion with participants in Frist Center Auditorium the local civil rights movement,
Free; first come, first seated moderated by historian Linda Wynn
Hear the stories behind the photographs of We Shall Overcome: Civil Rights and the Nashville Press, 1957–1968, and take a deeper look at the civil rights movement. Moderated by Linda Wynn, this panel will feature first-person accounts by individuals who fought for racial equity in Nashville.
Saturday, April 14 Architecture Tour
4:30 p.m.
Meet in the Frist Center’s Grand Lobby
Free
“When was the Frist Center built? Who was the architect? Can you tell me about the floors in the galleries?” These are some of the questions answered in the Frist Center’s popular architecture tours, sponsored by Messer Construction. Learn more about our landmark art deco building from one of our always-engaging docents.
Monday, April 16 Senior Monday
10:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
The Frist Center presents Senior Mondays, a series of events for those who admit their senior status. On these days, gallery admission is $6 (1/2 the price of regular adult admission) for seniors. Senior parking is $5 in the Frist Center lots as long as spaces are available. Seniors receive a 15 percent discount on gift shop purchases and on café refreshments purchased during the visit. Seniors are invited to enjoy live music by Harry Stephenson, aka “Snappy Pappy,” in the Grand Lobby from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. A docent-guided tour of a current exhibition is offered at 1:30 p.m. We are grateful to the Jackson National Community Fund for their support of Senior Mondays.
Thursday, April 19 Music at the Frist
6:00–8:00 p.m. Choro Nashville (Brazilian music)
Frist Center Café
Free
Choro Nashville is a six-member acoustic music group dedicated to the century-old Brazilian music known as Choro or Chorinho, which today still influences much of Brazil’s best-known music. Choro is often compared to American ragtime music, with a mixture of improvisation and composition played to an energetic and syncopated rhythm.
Choro Nashville features Randy Leago on woodwinds and cavaquinho, Chris Moran on guitar and bandolim, Larry Seeman on seven-string guitar and cavaquinho, Carlos Ruiz on percussion, and Jonah Kraut on guitar.
Admission is free for college students with valid school ID on Thursday and Friday evenings from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. (with the exception of Frist Fridays).
Thursday, April 19 Drop-In Drawing Turns Five Years Old!
5:00–8:00 p.m.
Free to members; admission or membership required for Ingram, CAP. and Upper-Level Galleries. Materials included (first come, first served)
Drop-In Drawing turns five years old this year! On the third Thursday of each month, check out drawing materials to practice different techniques and skills, gain instructional guidance, and be inspired by the artworks in the galleries and the architecture of the building. Art supplies, including Etch A Sketches, will be available near the Ingram Gallery Information Desk. Limit one per person while supplies last. You may bring your own supplies, too!
Thursday, April 19 Educator Appreciation Night
5:30–9:00 p.m.
Check in at the Rechter Room (valid school ID card required)
Free for educators (all subjects, grades K–12) and guests (one guest per educator)
Questions? Contact Shaun Giles at sgiles@fristcenter.org.
Come learn what the Frist Center can offer to you and your curriculum. Enjoy SPARK discussions, live music, Drop-In Drawing, and gallery tours. Receive special discounts in the café and gift shop, and on memberships purchased during this event.
Thursday, April 19 Educator SPARK!
5:30–8:00 p.m.
(presentation at 6:00 p.m.)
Frist Center Studios
Free for K–12, homeschool, and college/university educators
(gallery admission and parking validation included)
Join us for our second season of Educator SPARK, which meets monthly through May. Between 5:30 and 8:00 p.m., spark your creativity and curiosity by exploring Frist Center exhibitions and enjoying light refreshments with other educators. From 6:00 to 6:30 p.m., participate in an informal idea exchange session with Lisa Bachman Jones (labachman.com), and continue your conversations afterward in a comfortable setting.
Friday, April 20 Music at the Frist
6:00–8:00 p.m. Contrarian Ensemble (early music)
Frist Center Café
Free
The Contrarian Ensemble—Bruce Baxter (accordion), John Hedgecoth (mandolin), Mike Teaney (guitar), and Svend Thomsen (fiddle)—performs an eclectic variety of dance music from the 1300s to the present, including traditional tunes from the U.S., the British Isles, and Europe, as well as original compositions. From tunes that would feel at home in a Paris café to songs by Bill Monroe, the Contrarian Ensemble’s superb musicianship is always a delight.
Admission is free for college students with valid school ID on Thursday and Friday evenings from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. (with the exception of Frist Fridays).
Thursday, April 26 Music at the Frist
6:00–8:00 p.m. Duette (vocal duo)
Frist Center Café
Free
Duette (Duane Spencer and Paulette Licitra) is an alternative acoustic band of ukulele and guitar, with tight, irresistible harmonies. Their addictive music is fun, quirky, and succinct. Spencer was a member of the legendary Martha’s Vineyard band Mr. Timothy Charles Duane (aka TCD); he toured the Northeast with the soul-calypso (soca) group Target Rhythm Band, and has played, recorded, and collaborated with a varied list of artists, including Van Morrison, Fred Lipsius, Roly Salley, Richard Bell, Clark Pierson, John Hall, James Taylor, Carly Simon, Kate Taylor, Maria Muldaur, Bobby Cochran, and Mark Volman. Licitra has written songs for theater and has produced music-related television, films, and videos. In Nashville, she is also known as Chef Paulette on WSMV-TV Channel 4.
Admission is free for college students with valid school ID on Thursday and Friday evenings from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. (with the exception of Frist Fridays).
Thursday, April 26 Concert: Songs of Freedom, featuring 7:00 p.m. The Fairfield Four and other Nashville Auditorium musicians, presented with the National Frist Center Museum of African American Music
Free; first come, first seated
Music has been used throughout history to unite communities in the face of injustice. From early spirituals to civil rights era freedom songs to jazz and blues recorded at Angola Prison, music serves as its own language, conveying messages that could not be expressed by words alone. Join us for a celebratory evening of music, featuring performances by the Fairfield Four and other Nashville musicians. This program is presented in partnership with the National Museum of African American Music.
Friday, April 27 Photography and Activism: A
Noon Conversation with Keith Calhoun,
Frist Center Auditorium Chandra McCormick, and Dr. Makeda Free; first come, first seated Best, moderated by Dr. Susan H.
Edwards, Executive Director and CEO,
Frist Center
The works in Slavery, the Prison Industrial Complex: Photographs by Keith Calhoun and Chandra McCormick bring visibility to racial inequality in the US criminal justice system and document the exploitation of men incarcerated in the Louisiana’s state penitentiary. In this conversation, the artists are joined by Dr. Makeda Best, Richard L. Menschel Curator of Photography at Harvard Art Museums, and Dr. Susan H. Edwards, executive director of the Frist Center and photography historian, to explore the role of photography in activism and how artists can become agents of social change.
Friday, April 27 Music at the Frist
6:00–8:00 p.m. Latin vocalist Luna Morena
Frist Center Café
Free
Luna Morena returns to the Frist Center’s Music in the Café series for a night of dynamic and electrifying Latin music. She made her first appearances at the Frist with the popular Latin ensemble Serenatta.
Born and raised in Mexico City, Luna comes from a musical family. At the Andre Soler Drama Institute she began her professional career performing in musicals, recording background vocals and jingles, entertaining at corporate events and touring internationally. She performs in English and Spanish to musical arrangements by her oldest brother, Gio Lamb, in a variety of Latin styles including bossa, tango, reggae, flamenco, and traditional Mexican music.
Admission is free for college students with valid school ID on Thursday and Friday evenings from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. (with the exception of Frist Fridays).
Saturday, April 28 Architecture Tour
4:30 p.m.
Meet in the Frist Center’s Grand Lobby
Free
“When was the Frist Center built? Who was the architect? Can you tell me about the floors in the galleries?” These are some of the questions answered in the Frist Center’s popular architecture tours, sponsored by Messer Construction. Learn more about our landmark art deco building from one of our always-engaging docents.
Monday, April 30 Homeschool Family Monday
10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.
Entire family admitted for the price of one adult admission; members free
The Frist is a great place for homeschoolers! Join us for a special day for homeschool families. Enjoy discounts, special tours and resources, and hands-on activities, and chat with museum educators about connecting our exhibitions to your lessons. Limited parking in Frist Center lots. See fristcenter.org for the day’s schedule.
MAY 2018
Tuesdays, May 1, 8, and 15 Art History Course: Rome, From
6:00 p.m.–7:30 p.m. Foundation to Constantine
Frist Center Rechter Room
Price per class: $12 members; $15 not-yet members
Price for the entire course: $30 members; $40 not-yet-members (you must register for all three classes at the same time).
Each class is a standalone offering that can be taken by itself or in conjunction with the others.
Presented by G. Edward Gaffney, PhD, senior lecturer (retired), Classical and Mediterranean Studies, Vanderbilt University, and James Womack, MA, Jackson Family Chair, Visual & Performing Arts, Montgomery Bell Academy.
Three classes: 1. Foundation through Punic Wars; 2. Julius Caesar through Trajan; 3. Zenith and Decline
These classes will provide an overview of the history of the city and its growth from the 8th century BCE to the 4th century CE. Particular emphasis will be given to the ascendancy of Rome—first to its role as the principal city of Italy, and then to its establishment as the principal city of the Mediterranean and Western European world. We will explore the manner in which Romans, through their built environment, aggrandized their image and their concept of empire and passed on to other cities of the empire architectural and artistic legacies.
Thursday, May 3 Wines of Ancient Rome
5:30–8:30 p.m.
5:30 p.m. tour at the Frist
6:45 p.m. tasting at City Winery
(609 Lafayette Street, Nashville)
$65 members; $75 not-yet-members (gallery admission, parking validation, and tasting samples included). Registration required by April 26. Space is limited! Ages 21 and older only, please.
Join us for this unique workshop, which will give you a glimpse into the origins and culture of Roman wine. The evening will begin at the Frist, where participants will tour Rome: City and Empire, the exhibition of treasures from the British Museum’s collections. You will then head over to City Winery to taste and compare ingredients while you learn about ancient Roman winemaking techniques and recipes—some still in use today.
Thursday, May 3 Music at the Frist
6:00–8:00 p.m. Sam Frazee and Hiptet
Frist Center Café
Free
Led by Sam Frazee, Hiptet has been entertaining concert crowds in Nashville for more than three years. The five-piece band brings to life the high energy music of famous American jazz artists like Duke Ellington, Horace Silver, Art Blakey and other legendary players. Hiptet also puts its own spin on the Beatles and Bossa Novas.
The Hiptet features Sam Frazee, bass; Ray Manley, keyboard; Tommy Strange, guitar; Jeff McCombs, drums; and Greg Lewis, trumpet. Admission is free for college students with valid school ID on Thursday and Friday evenings from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. (with the exception of Frist Fridays).
Friday, May 4 Making Memories
10:30 a.m. Rome: City and Empire
Free, with lunch included.
Registration required: contact Tiffany Cloud-Mann at tiffany.cloud-mann@alz.org or 615.315.5880 to reserve your place.
In partnership with the Mid South chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, the Frist offers this program to individuals in early stages of dementia and their caregivers. It gives those affected by the disease an expressive outlet and forum for dialogue through guided exhibition tours, social interaction, and art-making activities, along with a free lunch. Making Memories is held quarterly, with future gatherings this year on August 10 (Chaos & Awe) and November 30 (Paris 1900).
Friday, May 4 Music at the Frist
6:00–8:00 p.m. East Side Story
Frist Center Café
Free
Pop trio East Side Story charms listeners with an eclectic mix of melodic, original songs and unexpected cover tunes. Bandmates Maarten Muller, Joe Bidewell and Julie Zeitlin bring their individually written songs to rehearsals, where they blend their distinct styles through a shared sense of harmony, groove, and passion for 1960s–’70s pop and rock. Since forming in 2008, they’ve recorded two CDs and played popular Nashville venues, including Antique Archaeology, Bobby’s Idle Hour and Ri’chard’s Louisiana Café. During their live show, they take turns on lead vocals, trade instruments frequently, and entertain not just their audience but one another, with twists, turns and surprises. Their name comes from their long-term residence in East Nashville, and it has been said that their sound reflects the Bohemian spirit of their community.
Admission is free for college students with valid school ID on Thursday and Friday evenings from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. (with the exception of Frist Fridays).
Saturday, May 5 Docent-Guided Exhibition Tour with 1:30 p.m. ASL Interpreter
Meet at the Frist Center’s Gallery Information Desk
Gallery admission required; members free
On the first Saturday of each month, we offer an informal docent-guided tour with certified American Sign Language interpretation. The tour focuses on a current exhibition and originates at the information desk inside the entrance to the galleries.
Our docents also conduct tours on most weekdays and weekends at 1:30 p.m.; reservations are not required. To check availability, contact Visitor Services at 615.744.3277.
ASL interpretation is generously supported by the Memorial Foundation and by Bridges, a Nashville-area nonprofit resource for deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing communities.
Saturday, May 5 Architecture Tour with ASL Interpreter
4:30 p.m.
Meet in the Frist Center’s Grand Lobby
Free
Coming to the First Saturday Art Crawl, or to another downtown Nashville event? Enhance your weekend with a visit to the Frist Center. Stop at our café between 2 and 5 p.m. for Dessert Happy Hour (free coffee with the purchase of any dessert), and enjoy a guided tour of our landmark art deco building at 4:30 p.m.
On the first Saturday of each month, certified American Sign Language interpretation is provided with the tour, with the generous support of the Memorial Foundation and Bridges, a Nashville-area nonprofit resource for deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing communities. Architecture tours are sponsored by Messer Construction. For more information, contact Visitor Services at 615.744.3277.
Sunday, May 6 Film: Spartacus
2:00 p.m.
Frist Center Auditorium
Free; first come, first seated
Spartacus tells the story of a rebel who, after being sold to a school for gladiators, escapes to become the leader of an army of slaves. Starring an impressive cast that includes Kirk Douglas and Laurence Olivier, this award-winning historical epic captures the grandeur of the Roman Republic and is a spectacular example of classic Hollywood cinema. This 1991 restoration contains previously cut scenes deemed too controversial to show in 1960.
This film is being shown in conjunction with the exhibition Rome: City and Empire, on view through May 28, 2018. Directed by Stanley Kubrick, 1960 (1991 restoration). 187 minutes. PG-13. 35 mm.
Thursday, May 10 Music at the Frist
6:00–8:00 p.m. TBA
Café
Free
A native of Pittsburgh, Geary Moore lived and performed in the New York metropolitan area for a number of years and now lives in Nashville. His fluid and inventive style attests to the depth of his background in jazz, R&B, and pop music. An accomplished composer as well as a master technician, Mr. Moore has composed a repertoire of original tunes.
Mr. Moore has performed with numerous highly respected musicians, including Arthur Prysock, Peaches & Herb, Jon Faddis, Billy Drummond, Slide Hampton, T.S. Monk, Bob Cranshaw, and many more.
Admission is free for college students with valid school ID on Thursday and Friday evenings from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. (with the exception of Frist Fridays).
Friday, May 11 Submission Period for AP and IB Studio
Art Ends!
The Frist Center for the Visual Arts’ seventh biennial Young Tennessee Artists exhibition will take place from October 20, 2018, through March 17, 2019. Students participating in Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) studio art programs during the 2017–2018 school year are invited to submit artwork to be considered for this museum-quality exhibition. Check fristcenter.org front page for submission details.
Friday, May 11 Music at the Frist
6:00–8:00 p.m. Singer-songwriter Barbara Jenice
Frist Center Café
Free
Influenced by her parents’ love of music—The Isley Brothers, Anita Baker, Carla Thomas, Aretha Franklin, Billie Holiday, Blue Magic, Chaka Khan, The Beatles, James Taylor—as well as the folk, rock and reggae she came to love as a teen, Barbara Jenice blends it all into a uniquely powerful and evocative easy listening groove.
Jenice’s JazzEclecticFolk Project moves with her from Memphis to Nashville—an energetic fusion band of rotating artists. Individual personalities collaborate in genre-bending explorations—jazz meets folk, funk, soul, rock, hip-hop, and even gospel and country.
Through a lifetime of writing and performing music, Jenice shares an incredible journey of recovery through song. She continues to make headway in the music industry under the mentorship of legendary Memphis Music Hall of Fame inductees David Porter and Carla “Gee Whiz” Thomas.
Friday, May 11 Shakespeare in the Galleries:
7:00 p.m. The Roman Plays, presented by the Meet at the exhibition entrance Nashville Shakespeare Festival
Free to members; admission
required for not-yet-members
From Julius Caesar and Titus Andronicus to Anthony and Cleopatra, the people of ancient Rome have inspired authors and playwrights throughout history. In an immersive one-hour experience, see the stories of emperors, senators, and generals come to life as actors from the Nashville Shakespeare Festival perform dramatic readings of scenes from Shakespeare’s Roman plays in the galleries of Rome: City and Empire, accompanied by live music.
Saturday, May 12 Architecture Tour
4:30 p.m.
Meet in the Frist Center’s Grand Lobby
Free
“When was the Frist Center built? Who was the architect? Can you tell me about the floors in the galleries?” These are some of the questions answered in the Frist Center’s popular architecture tours, sponsored by Messer Construction. Learn more about our landmark art deco building from one of our always-engaging docents.
Thursday, May 17 Drop-In Drawing Turns Five Years Old!
5:00–8:00 p.m.
Free to members; admission or membership required for Ingram, CAP. and Upper-Level Galleries. Materials included (first come, first served)
Drop-In Drawing turns five years old this year! On the third Thursday of each month, check out drawing materials to practice different techniques and skills, gain instructional guidance, and be inspired by the artworks in the galleries and the architecture of the building. Art supplies, including Etch A Sketches, will be available near the Ingram Gallery Information Desk. Limit one per person and while supplies last. You may bring your own supplies, too!
Thursday, May 17 Music at the Frist
6:00–8:00 p.m. Contrarian Ensemble
Frist Center Café
Free
The Contrarian Ensemble—Bruce Baxter (accordion), John Hedgecoth (mandolin), Mike Teaney (guitar), and Svend Thomsen (fiddle)—performs an eclectic variety of dance music from the 1300s to the present, including traditional tunes from the U.S., the British Isles, and Europe, as well as original compositions. From tunes that would feel at home in a Paris café to the music of Bill Monroe, the Contrarian Ensemble’s superb musicianship always delights.
Admission is free for college students with valid school ID on Thursday and Friday evenings from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. (with the exception of Frist Fridays).
Thursday, May 17 Educator SPARK!
5:30–8:00 p.m.
(presentation at 6:00 p.m.)
Frist Center Studios | Free for K–12, homeschool, and college/university educators (gallery admission and parking validation included)
Join us for the final session of Educator SPARK’s second season. Between 5:30 and 8:00 p.m., spark your creativity and curiosity by exploring Frist Center exhibitions and enjoying light refreshments with other educators. From 6:00 to 6:30 p.m., participate in an informal idea exchange session, and continue your conversations afterward in a comfortable setting.
Thursday, May 18 Music at the Frist
6:00–8:00 p.m. TBA
Frist Center Café
Free
Join us in the Frist Center café to hear some of Nashville best and brightest musicians from the worlds of jazz, soul, blues, Latin, country, folk, bluegrass, Americana and classical music.
Admission is free for college students with valid school ID on Thursday and Friday evenings from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. (with the exception of Frist Fridays).
Saturday, May 19 Architecture Tour
4:30 p.m.
Meet in the Frist Center’s Grand Lobby
Free
“When was the Frist Center built? Who was the architect? Can you tell me about the floors in the galleries?” These are some of the questions answered in the Frist Center’s popular architecture tours, sponsored by Messer Construction. Learn more about our landmark art deco building from one of our always-engaging docents.
Monday, May 21 Senior Monday
10:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
The Frist Center presents Senior Mondays, a series of events for those who admit their senior status. On these days, gallery admission is $6 (1/2 the price of regular adult admission) for seniors. Senior parking is $5 in the Frist Center lots as long as spaces are available. Seniors receive a 15 percent discount on gift shop purchases and on café refreshments purchased during the visit. Seniors are invited to enjoy live music by Harry Stephenson, aka “Snappy Pappy,” in the Grand Lobby from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. A docent-guided tour of a current exhibition is offered at 1:30 p.m. We are grateful to the Jackson National Community Fund for their support of Senior Mondays.
Thursday, May 24 Martin ArtQuest Grand Reopening
11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. Ribbon cutting and members-only preview
3:00–9:00 p.m. Community opening (free to the public)
Please join us to celebrate the reopening of our beloved art-making gallery, with dynamic performances and activities throughout the building as well as new stations and old favorites within MAQ to explore and enjoy. A members-only ribbon-cutting and preview will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. with Ellen H. Martin, who has championed MAQ as a special place for children and families. MAQ will open to the community at 3 p.m., with free admission to all galleries through 9 p.m. We also thank the James Stephen Turner Family Foundation, the Hearst Foundation, and visitors of all ages for their financial support of the renovation.
Thursday, May 24 Music at the Frist
6:00–8:00 p.m. Classical guitarist Grant Ferris
Frist Center Café
Free
Grant Ferris, a Nashville-based guitarist, composer, and songwriter, holds a master’s degree in classical guitar performance from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, where he received a scholarship to study under David Tanenbaum. He also earned a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Denver and was the first recipient of the Helen M. Garrett Award for the Outstanding Graduating Classical Guitarist.
A recipient of the Louis Armstrong Jazz Award, Ferris has been praised for his versatility as a guitarist playing in all styles from classical to jazz to country to rock. As a songwriter, Grant has worked extensively with his sister, recording artist Ferris. As a composer, Ferris’ work embraces American genres and styles. In the spring of 2012, his work “A Craftful Butchering of Jesse James,” co-written with Bay Area flutist Courtney Wise, was praised for its entertainment value and dedication to American styles of music. Recent works include a guitar duet entitled “UP,” written for Duo Tandem, and a 2013 EP, Ten and Six, comprising solo guitar works.
Admission is free for college students with valid school ID on Thursday and Friday evenings from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. (with the exception of Frist Fridays).
Friday, May 25 Music at the Frist
6:00–8:00 p.m. Singer-songwriter Rae Hering
Frist Center Café
Free
Belmont University graduate Rae Hering’s sophisticated alternative pop music ranges from playful to melancholy to funky. She is a multi-instrumentalist whose 2014 release The Shy Gemini Sessions features two versions of seven songs; the “A” side was recorded with a band, and the “B” side was recorded as a solo performer.
Admission is free for college students with valid school ID on Thursday and Friday evenings from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. (with the exception of Frist Fridays).
Saturday, May 26 Architecture Tour
4:30 p.m.
Meet in the Frist Center’s Grand Lobby
Free
“When was the Frist Center built? Who was the architect? Can you tell me about the floors in the galleries?” These are some of the questions answered in the Frist Center’s popular architecture tours, sponsored by Messer Construction. Learn more about our landmark art deco building from one of our always-engaging docents.
Monday, May 28 Exhibitions Close
Rome: City and Empire
Slavery, the Prison Industrial Complex
Monday, May 28 Family Monday
10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.
Entire family admitted for the price of one adult admission; members free
The Frist loves families! Bring the whole family to the museum for the price of one adult admission! Join us on the last Monday of the month for special programming, including storytime in English and Spanish and family multisensory tours, and then enjoy Martin ArtQuest Gallery—open exclusively to families today!
Thursday, May 31 Music at the Frist
6:00–8:00 p.m. Mandolinist Mike Compton
Frist Center Café
Free
Mike Compton is a Grammy and International Bluegrass Music Association Award–winning recording artist; a solo, duo and band performer; and a passionate mandolin teacher. The New York Times calls Compton “a new bluegrass instrumental hero.”
Born in Meridian, Mississippi, Compton took up the mandolin as a teenager. Drawn to the powerful mix of old-time fiddle stylings, blues influences and pure creativity embodied in Bill Monroe’s playing, he moved to Nashville in 1977 and quickly found work with veteran banjoist and former Monroe sideman Hubert Davis. In Nashville, Compton recorded albums with the John Hartford String Band and toured extensively with the band until Hartford’s death in 2001. At the same time, he collaborated with other masters, including guitarist David Grier, renowned mandolinists David Grisman and Mike Marshall, and producer T-Bone Burnett, for whom he performed not only as a Soggy Bottom Boy on 2001’s Grammy Album of the Year, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, but on the following Grammy-winning Down from the Mountain soundtrack and tours, and on the Cold Mountain soundtrack and tours.
Honored in 2002 with a special resolution by the Mississippi State Senate for his accomplishments, Mike Compton is in demand today at every level, from solo tours, treasured performances with the Nashville Bluegrass Band, and appearances with Grier and other duet partners, to instructional settings like the International Bluegrass Music Museum’s wildly successful Monroe Mandolin Camp, to studio recordings with bluegrass legends such as Ralph Stanley and country stars like Faith Hill. As Mandolin Magazine put it, Mike Compton is simply “a certified mandolin icon.”
Admission is free for college students with valid school ID on Thursday and Friday evenings from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. (with the exception of Frist Fridays).
Current Exhibitions
Nick Cave: Feat.
November 10, 2017–June 24, 2018
Upper-Level Galleries
Chicago-based artist Nick Cave (b. 1959) is best known for his elaborate “soundsuits,” human-shaped sculptural forms composed of a wide variety of found and repurposed commonplace materials. This dynamic exhibition includes a selection of soundsuits, as well as a projected video, several wall-mounted sculptures, and a large multimedia installation. The works are accessible to audiences of all ages and socioeconomic backgrounds, and on a deeper level speak to issues of racial and social justice and the need for more time and space in contemporary society to cultivate individual dreams and aspirations.
This exhibition was organized by the Frist Center for the Visual Arts.
Extrasensory
October 13, 2017–March 25, 2018
Conte Community Arts Gallery
Inspired by the dynamism and multisensory engagement of Nick Cave’s work, this companion exhibition to Nick Cave: Feat. features art made by members of the Middle Tennessee community. Local teaching artists led open workshops for community members of all abilities and learning styles to collaborate on creating works of art, each engaging the five senses through tactile responses by visitors. The artworks address themes of dreaming, transformation, and creative expression while highlighting various aspects of Cave’s work. Partner organizations for this program include Empower TN, Tennessee Disability Coalition, and VSA Tennessee: The State Organization on Arts and Disability.
This exhibition was organized by the Frist Center for the Visual Arts.
Upcoming Exhibitions
2018 Williamson County Schools Art Show
February 24–March 11, 2018
Education Corridor, Upper Level
The 2018 Williamson County Schools Art Show will feature some of the finest artwork created by students in the school district. Nearly four hundred young artists from kindergarten through twelfth grade will be included in this exhibition.
Elementary and middle school art teachers will select two works per grade level, and high school art teachers will select two works from each art course offered at their schools. All Williamson County schools are participating in the show.
2018 Mayor’s Art Show
Education Corridor, Upper Level
Section 1: March 22–April 5
Features work from the Antioch, Cane Ridge, Glencliff, Hillsboro, Hunters Lane, Pearl-Cohn, and Stratford clusters
Section 2: April 12–April 26
Features work from the Hillwood, Maplewood, McGavock, Overton, and Whites Creek clusters
Created as an opportunity to recognize the artistic accomplishments of Metro Nashville Public School students, the Mayor’s Art Show was launched by Mayor Phil Bredesen during the 1990s. The Frist Center began hosting this annual art show in 2004 during Mayor Bill Purcell’s term and is continuing the tradition with Mayor Megan Barry.
Art teachers at each school selected two works per grade level for inclusion in the exhibition. The variety of images and subject matter reflects the diverse backgrounds and ideas of Metro schoolchildren.
Rome: City and Empire
February 23–May 28, 2018
Ingram Gallery
The stories of Rome and its vast empire continue to captivate and intrigue people almost three thousand years after its foundation. Rome: City and Empire brings to Nashville more than two hundred of the British Museum’s most engaging and beautiful Roman objects. They tell the dramatic story of how Rome grew from a cluster of small villages into a mighty empire.
The British Museum’s exceptionally broad collections have enabled the creation of a truly inspiring experience. Visitors will explore how the empire was won and held and learn about the rich diversity of her peoples. The exhibition is an accessible introduction to the Roman imperial period, yet also provides a range and depth of material for those with an existing interest in Roman history.
The presentation of this exhibition is a collaboration between the British Museum and the Frist Center for the Visual Arts. The Frist Center is the exclusive North American venue.
Slavery, the Prison Industrial Complex: Photographs by Keith Calhoun and Chandra McCormick
February 23–May 28, 2018
Gordon Contemporary Artists Project Gallery
New Orleans natives Keith Calhoun and Chandra McCormick have been documenting African American life in Louisiana for more than 30 years. Since 1980, they have made regular visits to the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola to photograph life on the prison farm, which was founded on the consolidated land of several cotton and sugarcane plantations. Their poignant black-and-white images record the exploitation of the men incarcerated within the maximum-security prison farm while also showcasing the prisoners’ humanity and individual narratives. The husband-and-wife team’s work has been exhibited at the Venice Biennale. Calhoun and McCormick use their cameras as tools for social engagement, reminding their audiences of persistent racial inequities, especially throughout the American criminal justice system.
The Frist Center has produced a hardcover book titled Louisiana Medley about the couple’s work. Published by Lucia∣Marquand, the book includes 70 plates; a foreword by Dr. Deborah Willis, chair of the Department of Photography & Imaging at the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University; a career overview by Frist Center executive director and photography historian Dr. Susan H. Edwards; and an essay by Dr. Makeda Best, Richard L. Menschel Curator of Photography, Harvard Art Museums, that places the images of Slavery, the Prison Industrial Complex in the context of other prison photographs.
We Shall Overcome: Civil Rights and the Nashville Press, 1957–1968
March 30–October 14, 2018
Conte Community Arts Gallery
Fifty years after Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination—at a time when race relations and human rights are again at the forefront of our country’s political and social consciousness—the Frist Center will present a selection of approximately 50 photographs that document an important period in Nashville’s struggle for racial equality. The images were taken between 1957, the year that desegregation began in public schools, and 1968, when Dr. King was killed in Memphis. Of central significance are photographs of lunch counter sit-ins led by a group of students—including John Lewis and Diane Nash—from local historically black colleges and universities, which took place in early 1960. The role that Nashville played in the national civil rights movement as a hub for training students in nonviolent protest and as the first southern city to integrate places of business peacefully is a story that warrants reexamination and introduction to younger generations and newcomers to the region. The exhibition also provides opportunities to consider the role of images and the media in shaping public opinion—a relevant subject in today’s news-saturated climate.
Organized by the Frist Center for the Visual Arts
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About the Frist Center
Accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, the Frist Center for the Visual Arts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit art exhibition center dedicated to presenting and originating high-quality exhibitions with related educational programs and community outreach activities. Located at 919 Broadway in downtown Nashville, Tenn., the Frist Center offers the finest visual art from local, regional, national, and international sources in exhibitions that inspire people through art to look at their world in new ways. The Frist Center’s Martin ArtQuest Gallery features interactive stations relating to Frist Center exhibitions. Information on accessibility can be found at fristcenter.org/accessibility. Gallery admission is free for visitors 18 and younger and for members; $12 for adults; $9 for seniors and college students with ID; and $7 for active military. College students are admitted free Thursday and Friday evenings (with the exception of Frist Fridays), 5:00–9:00 p.m. Groups of 10 or more can receive discounts with advance reservations by calling 615.744.3247. The galleries, café, and gift shop are open seven days a week: Mondays through Wednesdays, and Saturdays, 10:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m.; Thursdays and Fridays, 10:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m.; and Sundays, 1:00–5:30 p.m., with the café opening at noon. For additional information, call 615.244.3340 or visit fristcenter.org.
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