| The work of UT art students and alumni has a knack for finding its way into notable art galleries and museums. In the past three years alone, for instance, two UT grads—Kelley Walker and Wade Guyton—were represented in the Whitney Biennial, and plenty more graduates have seen their creations surface in exhibitions both in the States and abroad. Finding enough wall space to properly accommodate the output of those still living in Knoxville, however, has, in the past, proved something of a challenge. The Ewing Gallery, founded in 1981 inside the school’s Art & Architecture Building, has historically served as UT’s premier showplace for fine art. |  |
University of Tennessee Galleries – Leslie Wylie
The work of UT art students and alumni has a knack for finding its way into notable art galleries and museums. In the past three years alone, for instance, two UT grads—Kelley Walker and Wade Guyton—were represented in the Whitney Biennial, and plenty more graduates have seen their creations surface in exhibitions both in the States and abroad.
Finding enough wall space to properly accommodate the output of those still living in Knoxville, however, has, in the past, proved something of a challenge.
The Ewing Gallery, founded in 1981 inside the school’s Art & Architecture Building, has historically served as UT’s premier showplace for fine art. With 3,000 bright, airy square feet of exhibition space, it’s a blank page periodically re-adorned with student, faculty and guest works of rotating mediums. It’s joined by Gallery 1010, a more intimate venue that’s ideal for student shows, which was established 20 years ago in the nearby Candy Factory building, just off campus.
But, while the Ewing Gallery boasted impressive, innovative programming and was an unmatchable resource for students, some local art enthusiasts complained that it wasn’t accessible to the general public—finding a parking spot on campus can be an exercise in frustration. When the Candy Factory’s future came into question, it became clear that it was time to look for exhibition space elsewhere.
For Paul Lee, professor and director of the UT School of Art, moving into the steadily re-developing downtown area, adjacent to campus, seemed a natural progression. At the time, however, it was something of a pioneering idea—the only other art venue downtown was The Emporium, a space on Gay Street acquired by Knoxville’s Arts & Culture Alliance to be used for community art groups in the wake of the Candy Factory’s closure. And, even then, it was a work in progress—when Lee first saw it, the old building had just been gutted.
But it was another building, next door, that caught his eye. With 25 foot ceilings and no columns to block the view, Lee saw the first floor as a possible new gallery for UT. “I had this vision of a gallery that would look like something you would see in New York, maybe SoHo,” he says. He pitched the vision to the University’s vice president for operations, and it took. Downtown developer David Dewhirst gave UT an incredible deal on the rent, charging them less than market value, and the art school signed a 5-year lease. Lee enlisted the help of students to create the interior design scheme, signage and marketing identity.
“It turned out to be a great opportunity for everyone involved,” says Lee. “It wasn’t just a space for exhibiting art; it was also a lab for students working to solve real-life problems, and they did a fantastic job.” In 2004, the gallery was ready to go. Eight-hundred people attended the opening, including Mayor Bill Haslam, who cut the ribbon.
“And that was only the beginning,” Lee says. A year later, Gallery 1010 relocated into a space across the street, creating another point of pride for UT. “It’s a unique feature for any art school,” Lee says. “It’s a gallery that’s run completely by students. They have lot of good ideas, and this is a place where they can try these things out.”
Today, the downtown galleries serve as UT’s “window to the world,” as Lee puts it, bridging the gap between the school and the community. Lee notes that they were the first wave in what would later become a resurgence of art into downtown—an influx of aesthetic activity into the area that continues to gain momentum. “It’s becoming a real arts district,” he says, “and we’re very proud to be a part of it.”
