East Gallery Exhibit
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 2, 2011
Contact
Susan Shockley, Curator
(615) 862-8431 ext.222, susan.shockley@nashville.gov
Brenna Cothran, Registrar/Assistant Curator
(615) 862-8431 ext.225
brenna.cothran@nashville.gov
The Parthenon, Metro Nashville Parks
HIDDEN GEMS: A HISTORY OF COLLECTING AT THE PARTHENON
THE PARTHENON
September 23, 2011-January 7, 2012
The Parthenon is pleased to announce the return of an exhibition of artwork from its permanent collection. The exhibition tells the story of art collecting at the Parthenon, which has its roots in the 1897 Tennessee Centennial Exposition. At that time, the Parthenon not only represented Nashville; it also served as the Fine Arts Building for the Exposition.
While it is best known today for its exact replication of the ancient Greek temple and for its colossal statue of Athena by Alan LeQuire, the Parthenon is also home to a small but strong collection of fine art. This exhibition seeks to emphasize the Parthenon’s role as the city’s art museum.
The exhibition includes paintings, drawings, prints, and sculpture, including examples by Sara Ward Conley, architect of the Woman’s Building for the 1897 Exposition; Ella Sophonisba Hergesheimer, a portrait painter who worked in Nashville in the first half of the twentieth century; and local sculptor Sylvia Hyman, among others.
“Many people are unaware of the long collecting history of the Parthenon and this exhibit gives us a chance to tell that story. We are very pleased to show off some lovely, rarely exhibited objects acquired since the 1920s,” says Wesley Paine, Director.
Ella Sophonisba Hergesheimer (1873-1943). Portrait of Faith Harris Leech, 1920. Oil on canvas, 69 x 50 inches. Collection of the Parthenon, Nashville, TN, 36.1.01.
HOURS
The Parthenon is open Tuesday-Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. In the summer months (June-August), add Sundays 12:30-4:30. The first Thursday of every month, the Parthenon is open until 7 p.m.
ADMISSION
Admission to the Parthenon is $6 for adults; $4 for seniors 62 and over; and $4 for children 4-17. Children under 4 are admitted free.
Admission includes access to the exhibitions Hidden Gems and to Pleasure in Collecting: American Art at the Parthenon, the museum’s collection of American art given by James M. Cowan. It also includes access to the Parthenon’s upper level, graced by the colossal statue of the goddess Athena.
MEMBERSHIP
Members of The Conservancy for the Parthenon and Centennial Park, which supports the exhibitions and programming of the Parthenon, enjoy unlimited free access to the Parthenon. They also receive invitations to lectures, receptions, and other special events. Additional benefits include discounts at the museum store and free guest passes. To learn more about the Conservancy, please visit www.conservancyonline.com
ABOUT THE PARTHENON
The Parthenon, owned and operated by the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County’s Parks and Recreation Department, is the city of Nashville’s longest-lived art museum. Opened as an art museum in 1931, its galleries are the home of the distinguished Cowan Collection of American art, and feature several temporary exhibitions per year. The galleries are housed on the lower level of the Parthenon, the world’s only full-scale replica of the fifth-century BCE temple in Athens, Greece. Beloved symbol of civic pride to Nashvillians since its original manifestation as the art building for the Tennessee Centennial Exposition in 1897, it welcomes hundreds of thousands of Nashvillians and visitors to the city per year. To learn more about the Parthenon, please visit www.parthenon.org
THE METRO BOARD OF PARKS AND RECREATION
The Metro Board of Parks and Recreation does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, sex, color, national origin, or disability in admission, access to, or operations of its programs, services, or activities. For TTY (relay service), call 1-800-849-0299. For questions, concerns, or requests regarding the American Disabilities Act call 862-8400.