Frist Center To Showcase New Exhitbits For Spring

By Brandi Kornguth

Motlow Buzz Reporter

         NASHVILLE, Tenn.—The Frist Center for the Visual Arts will be running three exhibitions through May and June 2014, with one showing Eastern influence on Western artists and the others expressing different artists’ perspectives on history and war.

   

The Frist Center for the Visual Arts

      The “Looking East: Western Artists and the Allure of Japan” exhibition, organized by the Museum of Fine Arts of Boston, showcased a variety of pieces from early Japanese culture. The exhibition also showed works by legends such as Monet and Van Gogh, who were heavily influenced by Japanese culture and art. Van Gough’s “Postman Joseph Roulin” was also a particularly interesting piece, as it showed an infusion of Japanese art and his own personal style of painting.

            Local Nashville artist Lain York’s  “Selected Works” was a featured 

exhibition as well. The exhibition showcased contemporary pieces that displayed 

an abstract interpretation of political stories and events in American history. 

York hopes that people who may not have a lot of experience with abstract 

painting will still have a good experience with the work.

            “I feel it is very important to open up a conversation,” said York, “For the work on the wall to be a catalyst for the viewer to bring his or her own experiences into that conversation.”                      
             The Francisco Goya “Disasters Of War” collection expressed different  aspects of the Peninsular War of 1808-1814. According to Motlow Art Instructor Angela Burks, the collection expressed the “harsh realities of war in a very relentless way”. The images were overwhelming, both visually and emotionally, but displayed an honest perspective of the destruction of war.               

  “Steven Mumford’s War Journals 2003-2013” showcased the drawings, journals and paintings by the New York artist, chronicling his visits to war zones in the Middle East over its 10-year occupation. His works spoke to the human experience, showing people in their most vulnerable and candid moments. It displayed the humanity the public wouldn’t often be shown on news telecasts of war coverage, which was particularly fascinating and humbling.

   In comparing the latter two collections, Mumford’s was much easier to digest and take in for a long period of time than Goya’s, almost like a palate cleanser. Goya’s work evoked emotions of anger and intensity, whereas Mumford’s collection brought up fewer negative feelings, despite also containing images of war.

         “Going from Goya to Mumford was similar to getting a much-needed commercial break,” said Burks.

“Looking East” will be on exhibit in the Ingram Gallery, and Lain York’s “Selected Works” will be displayed in the Gordon Contemporary Artists Project Gallery, both showing through May 11. “Steven Mumford’s War Journals” and Goya’s “Disasters of War” will be on display through June 8.
          Admission is regularly $10, but students with their ID will receive $3 off the regular price and free admission on Thursdays and Fridays from 5-9 p.m. Admission will allow access to each of the galleries.
          The Frist Center is a non-profit museum that opened in 2001 and has become an integral part of Nashville’s ever-growing art scene and culture. For more information, please visit http://www.fristcenter.org    

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