“Extrasensory” — October 13, 2017–March 25, 2018
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (September 12, 2017)—The Frist Center presents Extrasensory, a collaborative and dynamic community art exhibition inspired by Nick Cave: Feat. and the five senses. The interactive artworks will be on display from October 13, 2017, through March 25, 2018 in the always free Conte Community Arts Gallery. Extrasensory will run concurrently with Cave’s exhibition at the Frist Center.
Extrasensory is an energetic multisensory project created by Frist Center visitors in tandem with local teaching artists during a series of free workshops held from February through May 2017. In these 31 sessions, more than 900 participants, including members of Empower TN, Tennessee Disability Coalition, and VSA Tennessee: The State Organization on Arts and Disability, were guided through the process of creating five installations to represent the physical senses.
Multidisciplinary teaching artists Maria Borghoff, Dee Kimbrell, Amber Lelli, Beth Reitmeyer, and Massood Taj employed an array of mediums to create emotive and visceral works. “The five teaching artists were asked to submit proposals for interactive, site-specific installations that could be engaged through multiple senses,” says Shaun Giles, assistant director for community engagement. “Each had very different approaches to the project and found insightful ways to incorporate sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell.”
The five works—Palate, See Me, Favorite Things, Sacred Space, and Sensory Stories—focus on different stimuli to engage viewers by detailing the diverse yet interconnected nature of human perception. Composed of a variety of textiles, recycled materials, audio samples, and more, these artworks present a unique snapshot of the many insights and commonalities of the Nashville community that is as personal as it is pluralistic.
The influence of Nick Cave’s dramatic re-contextualization of found objects and exploration of movement and identity is present throughout Extrasensory. Cave is most recognized for his intricate “soundsuits,” larger-than-life human-shaped sculptural pieces composed of repurposed materials. When worn by dancers, the colorful suits take on a fervid quality, transforming the once-static piece into a vivid and energetic experience. Extrasensory’s collaborative body of work channels the bold colors and textures seen in Cave’s soundsuits and invites viewers to reflect on how they interpret their surroundings.
“In line with the Frist Center’s vision statement, we hope that interaction with the works will inspire visitors to see, smell, hear, touch, and taste their world in new ways,” says Giles. Through collaboration and a shared spirit of artistic exploration, this exhibition presents an opportunity to witness the Frist Center’s vision in action and the five senses on full display.
Participating Teaching Artists
Maria Borghoff (Atlanta) is a multidisciplinary artist and yoga teacher. She creates mixed-media artwork incorporating drawing, sculpting, and other techniques, and leads workshops that explore human behavior and mental health. Her work inspires harmonious living, both socially and environmentally.
Dee Kimbrell (Hendersonville) specializes in the use of recycled materials to engage the community, build relationships, and encourage care for the environment. She has worked primarily in Middle Tennessee since 2006. In 2015, she designed ornaments for the National Christmas Tree in Washington, DC, and presented workshops in Tennessee, New York, and Ohio. Kimbrell also paints, sculpts, and creates mixed-media objects, including props.
Amber Lelli (Nashville) is a multidisciplinary artist who focuses on sculpture and printmaking. She has worked for the sculptor Alan LeQuire and as a studio volunteer with Poverty & the Arts. Her work has been featured at the Frist Center, as well as in Santa Ana, Philadelphia, and Baton Rouge.
Beth Reitmeyer (Bowling Green) creates colorful installations, using materials such as paint, plastic, pipe cleaners, and felt, often sewing them into geometric or floral patterns. She currently teaches in Western Kentucky University’s Department of Art. Her work has been recently exhibited in Nashville, Bowling Green, Brooklyn, Houston, and London.
Massood Taj (Franklin) is a multi-instrumentalist who draws on indigenous cultures and mystical traditions, including his own Sufi heritage, to create global meditative music for sacred spaces. Since 2006, Taj has presented at conferences, conducted workshops, and facilitated interactive programming with a focus on the transcending properties of sound and the healing nature of collaborative creativity.
Public Programs
Friday, October 13
ARTlab with Beth Reitmeyer for ages 15–18
4:00–8:00 p.m.
Frist Center Studio A
$25 members; $30 not-yet members (materials included). Limited to 10 participants. No experience required.
Visit fristcenter/artlab to reserve your place. Questions? Call 615.744.3355.
Join Extrasensory teaching artist Beth Reitmeyer for hands-on explorations of light and metaphor. Plan, engineer, and construct geometric sculptures that will glow and sparkle both day and night! You will use plastics, paper, paint, LEDs and various recycled materials to build your personal geode.
Sunday, November 12
Family Festival Day
1:00–5:30 p.m.
Free
Bring your family and friends to the Frist Center to celebrate the opening of the exhibition Nick Cave: Feat. This FREE Family Festival Day will be filled with unique gallery experiences, fun art-making activities, a silent disco, a grand finale performance by the VSA TN Movement Connection Dance Program, and so much more! Community members who participated in the creation of the exhibition Extrasensory are invited to see their work in the Conte Community Arts Gallery, and visitors are invited to dress in bright colors and wild patterns to stimulate the senses! All programs are free and offered on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last.
Exhibition Credit
Organized by the Frist Center for the Visual Arts
Sponsor Acknowledgment
Presenting Sponsor: HCA Healthcare/TriStar Health
Supporting Sponsors: Memorial Foundation and U.S. Bank Foundation
The Frist Center for the Visual Arts is supported in part by the Metro Nashville Arts Commission, the Tennessee Arts Commission, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
MEDIA CONTACTS
Buddy Kite: 615.744.3351, ”
Ellen Jones Pryor: 615.243.1311, ”
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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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