We Count Project proceed virtually
On March 31, 2020 at 9:00 am, I was part of a online conference meeting with Shaun Giles, Assistant Director for Community Engagement at the Frist Art Museum (Nashville, TN).
Shaun scheduled this meeting with the other artists in the WE COUNT project to discuss the the novel Corona Virus: COVID-19 affect on the operations of the museum and its impact on the programming scheduled this spring, summer and into the fall.
The artist in this exhibition/project are Beizar Aradini, Donna Woodley, Megan Kelley, Thaxton Waters and myself. Click on the artist names for their online presence.
With the COVID-19 epidemic well underway, and the city of Nashville’s policy of #SafeatHome and encouragement of the #socialdistance practice, Shaun and the team members at the Frist have made the decision to move all exhibitions and programs to an online format effective immediately.
Because the museum will remain closed to the public until further notice, Shaun wanted us to be aware that there will not, sadly, be a physical exhibition of the work created for this project. The exhibition will, instead, be presented as an online archive (think). The dates for the online exhibition will also differ from the previous physical show.
The exhibition will go live as part of the First Art Museum website on May 1, 2020 and will be available to pursue virtually through December 31, 2020. Link
I am bit sad that the work will not be seen in person, but an online exhibition is a best choice alternative. In the best interest of the health of everyone, it’s the only option.
This will make it easier to extend viewing accessibility past the Nashville bubble and offer those outside of the city a chance to see the works.
Cheers to adapting to a rapidly changing world and circumstances! I’m still super excited for people to see the work in some form and I hope that the fie of us will find a venue when physical shows can again be installed and present the work as it was first imagined in the future. Until then, online is where we’ll go.
Many thanks to the Frist Art Museum and its amazing team of professionals: Shaun Giles, Assistant Director of Community Engagement at the Frist Art Museum; Anne Henderson, Director of Education and Engagement at the Frist Art Museum; Susan H. Edwards, Phd, Executive Director and CEO of the Frist Art Museum; and the many sponsors of this project, the exhibition, publication and press.
This project and exhibition is supported in part by O’Keeffe Circle members:
Judy and Joe Barker; Barbara and Jack Bovender; Richard and Judith Bracken; Patricia First Elcan and Charles A. Elcan; Jennifer and Billy Frist; Julie and Tommy Frist; Patricia C. First and Thomas F. Frist, Jr., MD; Lynn and Ken Melkus; R. Milton and Denice Johnson; Sid and Linda Pilson; Delphine and Ken Roberts; Anne and Joe Russell; Mr. and Mrs. James C. Seabury III; and Olivia L. Tyson.
Sponsors include:
HCA Healthcare, TriStar Health, The Ryman Hospitality Foundation, Neal and Harrell Attorneys at Law, Metro Arts Council, Tennessee Arts Commission, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
A special thank you goes to Rosemary Swain Brunton, former director of Community Engagement at the Frist Art Museum, for extending an invitation and believing that my work and I would be a good fit in this amazing roster of artists. I’m deeply honored and humbled.
Finally, the deepest of gratitude to the four amazing people who trusted me with their stories, perspectives, company, friendships, and most importantly, their voices. Without these individuals the work would not have been created. Thank you to my friends: Vesna Pavlović, Sophia Stevenson, John Warren, and Jake Lee.