|
One of the newest additions to the growing Nashville art scene is tucked into in a 364 square foot space on the second floor of the historic Arcade Building in downtown Nashville. SQFT Gallery is owned and operated by Rhode Island School of Design graduate, and local Nashvillian, Aaron Durnin. Durnin is a furniture designer and metal artist who has done a number of commissioned pieces throughout the Nashville area. I am the gallery’s curator and Durnin’s fellow Rhode Island School of Design alum. In addition to a curator, I am also a graphic designer and design instructor. |
 |
Emerging Artists & Designers Come to Nashville – Kathleen Losche
One of the newest additions to the growing Nashville art scene is tucked into in a 364 square foot space on the second floor of the historic Arcade Building in downtown Nashville. SQFT Gallery is owned and operated by Rhode Island School of Design graduate, and local Nashvillian, Aaron Durnin. Durnin is a furniture designer and metal artist who has done a number of commissioned pieces throughout the Nashville area. I am the gallery’s curator and Durnin’s fellow Rhode Island School of Design alum. In addition to a curator, I am also a graphic designer and design instructor. Aaron and I share a vision of using SQFT as a space where emerging artists and designers can take center stage and gain exposure in Music City; as well as a destination for Nashville gallery-goers to view a brand new crop of talent with every opening.
SQFT’s inaugural show featured drawings by up-and-coming Nashville artist—and Pomona College graduate—Becca Durnin and Los Angeles-based artist Daniel Ingroff. Ms. Durnin’s drawings explored the link between human anatomy and human emotions and focused on the relationship between the body and space. Mr. Ingroff’s series documented the tension of a once privileged but forgotten Highland Park neighborhood, as it undergoes probable gentrification. David Maddox, art critic from the Nashville Scene, called the drawings “energetic” and “insightful.”
The gallery’s February offering, “Let’s Get Together,” featured work by seven artists from the East to West coasts. The artists included were, from the East coast—Caitlin Keegan, James Keegan, Dan-ah Kim and Julia Rothman; from the Mid-West—Jason Thielke; and from the West Coast—Sheli Ben-Ner and Maxwell Loren Holyoke-Hirsch. The work as a whole is a more illustrative offering, from the satirical humor of James Keegan’s paintings to the emotional quality of Dan-ah Kim’s mixed media pieces, there was something for everyone.
SQFT will hold a total of 12 shows this year, including both two and three-dimensional works by aritists and designers who, for the most part, have not had the opportunity to show in Nashville before. The rest of 2007 promises an exciting crop of solo, two-person and group offerings. Shows include a solo show of screenprints by Chicago-based Shawn Stucky—Mr. Stucky will also be showing his work at the Night of the Lights Festival in Reykjavik, Iceland in September; a two-person show featuring work by Nashville-based Shea Steele and Birmingham artist Merrilee Challiss; a solo show of works by owner Aaron Durnin; a printmaking group show; a solo show of works by New York artist and illustrator Rachel Saloman; a two-person show of work by RISD alums & talented Brooklyn-based illustrators, Caitlin Keegan and Julia Rothman, a September group show including work by up-and-coming artists including Lisa Congdon, Catherine Ryan, Ray Fenwick, Christine Tillman, Amy Ruppel, and others; a contemporary painting show including work by rising painters Elizabeth Shuppe, Eric Graham, and others; all culminating in an affordable art group show in December.
SQFT joins a community of artists, galleries and shops that have recently taken root at the Arcade. The galleries include the Andrew John Gallery, which features work by brothers John Ha and Andy Anh Ha; Art Rogue shows photography by artist and designer Matt Mikulla; Dangenart Gallery, and owner/artist Daniel Lai, offer edgy contemporary art; fà Âv studio is workspace and gallery for artist Danielle Duer; Odyssey’s End is a shopping destination featuring decorative artwork and custom gifts; Studio 66 is workspace and gallery for artist Bart Mangrum; Twist Art Gallery, recently launched by art consultant Caroline Carlisle and artist and curator Beth Gilmore, features an eclectic mix of local and regional artists; and Visual Impact Photography is a documentary style photography studio and a gallery of fine art prints. All of the galleries in the Arcade hold openings on the first Saturday of every month, and participate in the First Saturday Gallery Crawl, which includes a number of other galleries in the downtown Nashville area.
