Frist Art Museum

Current Exhibitions

The bustling opening entrance of the Venice and the Ottoman Empire exhibit.

Close up of a group of gourds of varying shapes and sizes

Drawing of a black man in four different poses drawn in different colors.

Wide view of the Piazza San Marco with people gathering and some walking in procession

Venice and the Ottoman Empire Now Open

Venice and the Ottoman Empire is a cross-cultural journey encompassing four centuries of two Mediterranean superpowers. Featuring more than 150 works, the exhibition about the Republic of Venice and the Ottoman Empire explores their complex relationship through artistic, culinary, diplomatic, economic, and political spheres. Including some objects only recently excavated from a sunken sixteenth-century Venetian ship, this exhibition of armor, paintings, pottery, textiles and more tell stories of art, culture, and exchange.

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Painting of a close up of a man's foot next to a plant and a rock.

See meticulously detailed paintings by Ellen Altfest

Ellen Altfest: Forever is an exhibition of oil paintings of still lifes, landscapes, and the human body by the American representational painter Ellen Altfest. Altfest’s paintings are recognized for surprising pairings of subjects, unorthodox cropping, and, perhaps most notably, the scrupulous rendering of naturally occurring textures and intricate surface features.

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People sitting at drawing easels looking at a tall mannequin dressed in a royal looking gown

Explore new ArtQuest activities inspired by historical Mediterranean cultures!

Dive into a new lineup of art activities in Martin ArtQuest inspired by Venice and the Ottoman Empire. Try your hand at drawing a self-portrait inspired by the powerful Venetian doges, or design your own shield. Build an ancient Italian city at the block table or trade goods at the interactive magnet wall. You can also create a shimmering painting using gold watercolor and help weave a collaborative sculpture using rich, textured fabrics. And don’t miss the chance to sketch a mannequin dressed in an elaborate doge’s outfit!

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Upcoming Events & Programs

This image shows the bottom of the spiral staircase in the Frist Art Museum. The image consists of some grays, blacks, whites, and a few browns. There is also some marble detail.

Woman looking at one of the Venice and the Ottoman Empire paintings.

learn different encaustic techniques including incising, scraping, layering wax, using stencils and metal imprinting tools, and fusing with a heat gun.

Close up view of metal art deco bannister along marble stairwell

People walking through a gallery looking at art

Blue, white, and red quilt that depicts the American flag

A young girl sits on a stool drawing with her dad behind her.

A male and female give a guided architecture tour in ASL interpretation to visitors on the steps outside at the Frist.

Broad view of the Nashville skyline showing the Cumberland River in the foreground with a large bridge crossing the water

Group of people gathering at the entrance to Venice and the Ottoman Empire

Woman looking at a large painting while another woman walks by in the foreground

Woman holding a tubular object over several silver and gold vessels

Two potholders made from different patterned yellow and black materials

A female holds a young female while looking at artwork in the gallery for the Farm to Table exhibition.

Man leaning over to look closely at a small painting pf a blue flower

A female teaches three young males how to make prints in Martin ArtQuest. Another male joins them. There are other people in the background creating and experiencing art.

Hoosier Suffrage Quilt, before 1920. Cotton plain weave, pieced, embroidered, and quilted. Frank B. Bemis Fund and with funds donated anonymously. Photograph © Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

A young male looks at his reflection at an activity in Martin ArtQuest. Other children create and experience art around him.

Two young females create art in Martin ArtQuest.

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Please consider supporting the Frist Art Museum with a donation. Your gift is essential to our mission of serving the community through the arts and art access in particular. We truly appreciate your generosity.

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Experience a cross-cultural journey in Venice and the Ottoman Empire

Current Exhibitions

Upcoming Events & Programs