Monumental Figures
Interested in hosting a traveling exhibition? Contact us for availability and details.
“We’re All In This Together”
-
The mission of the Nashville Parthenon has always been to bring art and artists forward. Long after the Centennial exposition of 1897, the Parthenon remains our primary cultural museum, beloved by Nashvillians. From the outset, it was the venue for exhibiting painting and sculpture, and after 128 years, it continues in that function today. Over 300,000 visitors per year enjoy exhibitions by both local and nationally known artists. There is a fine permanent collection of American paintings, a gallery with rotating exhibits, and frequent offerings of theater, music and performance art.
The Parthenon Museum also continues to be a valuable example of experimental archaeology, offering both students and scholars the opportunity to experience the art and architecture of ancient Greece firsthand. I began the statue of Athena in 1982 and completed it in 2002 as part of that ongoing experiment. The projectwas the completion of my training as a sculptor, and I feel very fortunate to have had this experience with Greek art and the Nashville Parthenon.
The Athenians saw the original Parthenon as home to their patron goddess, and they interpreted the statue as a living embodiment of her. Despite the alarm some may feel when they learn of the Nashville Parthenon, and the Nashville Athena, I don’t think there are many Nashvillians who worship Greek gods and goddesses. What we admire in the architecture and the sculpture of the Athenians of the fifth century BC is the remarkable human craftsmanship that created beautiful, lasting works of art that we associate with Democracy – flawed though it was. Nashvillians felt themselves owners of that legacy from the Greeks, and thus made the building permanent in the 1920’s.
We owe the Greeks our concepts of what makes a great work of art. It should inspire with its own energy, hopefully combining physical, intellectual and spiritual meaning. Numinosity does not depend on the representation of a deity, but is inherent in the object itself, shaped by human hands. This idea has influenced my work for decades. It contains the seed of humanism that I hope I can help bring forward into the 21st century.
-
“We’re All In This Together”
All the work in this exhibit was produced by hand, without the use of computers. The tools for sculpture have changed over the centuries, but only recently have the tools become so powerful that the artist’s hand is no longer necessary. Most of the skills that I learned as a young man are no longer taught, and sculptors all over the world, if they can afford it, are scanning objects or people, manipulating three-dimensional files on a computer, and having those objects produced mechanically. I am impressed with the technology as much as anyone, but for me the satisfaction of making sculpture is physical as well as mental. I believe that the engagement of one’s body affects one’s perception of form in space, and sculpting requires physical involvement, otherwise there is no craftsmanship.
In the project to build Athena and most of my large works, I’ve employed young people, and I’ve tried to share the training that I received when I worked for other sculptors. I’ve continued to share those skills throughout my career. There are thirteen young artists who worked with me on this project. They have made armatures for the works in this exhibit using my small models and the ancient method of enlarging by contour and cross-section. I refer to this as “C and C” as an ironic play on CNC (Computer Numeric Control). It is not as accurate as digital enlarging, but it requires the artist’s physical engagement throughout the process.
Even though I spent eight years working on a recreation of Athena by Pheidias, I don’t worship Greek idols or aspire to make art like that of the ancient masters. My most important discovery as a result of my training in Europe was that I wanted to ennoble and memorialize real people, not emperors, kings and queens, or gods and goddesses. With the same sort of monumentality that artists of the past used to create religious or mythological figures, I wanted to honor real people, especially women. I’ve been able to do that over the course of my career and I continue that pursuit in this exhibit. Several of these works are portraits inspired by my personal heroes and role models, like Joan Baez, Fannie Lou Hamer, and Mildred Stahlman.
The portrait is perhaps the most direct attempt to create a living object, but every great sculpture aspires to be a living object. This is the central mystery of sculpture, and it is part of our inheritance from the Greeks. Many works of art are full of great meaning – intellectual, symbolic, and sensual. Sculpture combines all these possibilities and presents them in a form you can touch and hold onto. Only sculpture does that. The Parthenon itself is a beautiful example of inanimate materials brought to life. The essence of this idea, which is part of every sculpture I make, is summed up in the design of the Doric column. It swells outward with positive energy, or entasis, but the surface is concave because of the flutes. This visual paradox of positive and negative form gives the column an elegant weightless feeling, but also an even greater living presence. Our most important lessons from classical art are abstract, and they belong to everyone.
As Jon Batiste said at the end of his American Symphony, “We’re all in this together.” He wanted to bring Native American, African American, classical, gospel, country and jazz - all the different musical genres together simultaneously. The technology that exists now allows us to hear many different voices, and that simultaneity is inspiring. Life is not about emperors, or gods and goddesses, but every one of us.
-
Colossal Head
Fannie Lou Hamer(1917-1977) testified at the 1964 Democratic National Convention telling the story of her attempt to register to vote in Mississippi. I remember seeing that testimony on television as a 9-year-old. It still moves me today, and I think she profoundly changed the course of the civil rights movement.
Ten Torsos
In addition to the large-scale portraits, I’ve included ten torsos in the exhibit that are my reinterpretation of one part of the classical figurative legacy. I wanted to consider the Romantic notion of the Greek fragment. That was a 19th century fad that expired a long time ago, but we inherit the idea of the human torso as a complete work. It is not a broken piece of a body, but a streamlined, simplified conveyer of the essence of a human being. It is the place of the breath and heart, that hopefully will impress with its own life and living presence.
Suspended Athletes (Inspired by Olympians)
Gymnast, inspired by Simone Biles
Runner, inspired by Wilma Rudolph
Swimmer, inspired by Katie Ledecky, Tracy Caulkins and the Walsh sisters
Colonnade Sculptures
These pieces are all inspired by real women that I admire, or whom I consider role models.
Aunt Eleanor
Mary Mark
Dr. Mildred Stahlman
Dr. Dorothy Brown
Sisters
A Couple
Sifan Hassan
Diane Nash
Odetta
Joan Baez
Relief Paintings
The idea for my relief paintings comes from the French concept of “les metiers” or the professions. This is a theme that often appears in Gothic art, on the cathedral of Chartres, for example, but the figures are male. I wanted to consider how modern female professions would look in a similar framework. Titles as follows:
Fisher
Architect
Teacher
Farmer
Doctor
Song Writer
Entrepreneur
-
Photography by: Dean Dixon.
Studio In House Team: Alan LeQuire, Andrée LeQuire, Elizabeth Cave, and Amber Lelli.
Assistants: Henry Fox, Kat Jay, Stephen Hutchins, Olivia Blanchard, Betsy Bowles, Henry Burch, Meredith Edmondson, Robert Gregory, Alex Johnson, Tucker Knoll, Freddy Loew, and Emily Mann.
Bases: Dave Clark
Installation: Nabholtz
Tennessee Crossroads Feature
Vicki Yates tours a new exhibit inside the Parthenon.
Monumental Figures In progress. Photos by Kevin Wurm for Nashville Business Journal and Gallery Staff.
A man is sculpting a large, detailed bust of a person's face out of white material, possibly plaster or clay, in a workshop.
A close-up of a man with gray hair and blue eyes, partly obscured by a blurred object or hand in the foreground.
Close-up of an elderly man's hand drawing on a large pink canvas with a black marker, with sketchy floral outlines visible.
A person carving a piece of stone or marble with a handheld tool, creating dust and chips
Man sculpting a large white clay or plaster sculpture with a carving tool.
An artist working on sculpture in a studio filled with various busts and sculptures in different stages of completion.
An older man with gray hair wearing a plaid shirt observes a large canvas with a line drawing of a person holding a fish, surrounded by plants, in an artist's studio filled with sculptures, busts, and masks.
An older man working on a large sculpture in a workshop, using a tool on the white material sculpture. He holds a green bowl in one hand and a spray bottle is on the table nearby.
A woman in a light blue shirt holding a device facing to the right, and a man in a light blue shirt standing at a distance in a dimly lit room with large columns.
People sitting at a table playing a card game with colorful illustrated cards, surrounded by various items including phones, notebooks, and drinks.
An older man playing a banjo in an art studio filled with sculpture models and artworks on shelves and walls.
Close-up of a person's hand gripping a textured white surface or object.
Monumental Figures In Progress. Photography by Kevin Wurm for Nashville Business Journal
Stack of small paper notepads with a colorful sketch of a person's face on top, bound with a green rubber band, on a wooden surface.
Artists working on large sculptures in a studio with various art supplies and sculptures in the background.
A large metallic sculpture of a person in a dynamic pose, suspended from the ceiling by chains and wires, in an art studio with shelves of sculptures and art supplies, and Amber Lelli working on various projects in the background.
Alan Lequire and Amber Lelli working on a large sculpture of a human figure in an art studio filled with various busts and sculptures in the background.
A group of nine people pose on the steps of a large building with columns and a glass entrance. Some are standing, and some are sitting, smiling and making various gestures. They are dressed casually, and some have drinks and personal items with them.
People working on creating a large sculpture in an art studio filled with busts, sculptures, and art supplies.
A workspace with a small sculpture of a person sitting, blue safety glasses, a tape measure, a large sheet of grid paper with a diagram, and a ruler on a workbench.
View through a glass window showing a room with furniture, a person, and various objects, framed by a dark grid of squares and rectangles. Parthenon Museum.
A high-angle view of the gold sculpture of Lady Justice in a building undergoing maintenance, with workers present and tools scattered on the floor. Parthenon Museum and Alan LeQuire and Monumental Figures exhibit.
A person carving details into a large, dark sculpture of a human face, with an indoor workshop setting in the background.
A plastic bag containing items placed on an insulated foam box, with another item underneath, set against a dark textured wall.
A group of artists working together in a sculpture studio, with one person holding a sponge, another painting, and two lifting a large sculpture.
Looking up at a wooden ceiling with a bright light fixture in the center, surrounded by large columns.
A person building a large white sculpture that depicts a reclining woman with a head resting on one arm. The sculpture appears to be in the process of being formed with a textured surface. It is located in a workshop with shelves and scaffolding in the background.
A person working on a large yellow sculpture of a face in an artist's studio, with a man standing in the background.
A young man working on a large metal and mesh structure in a well-lit industrial workspace.
People working on lifting a large, golden sculpture inside a grand hall with tall columns and ornate decor.
Workers in construction gear working on the steps of a large, classical stone building with tall columns under a clear, blue sky. Construction equipment, including a JCB crane, is present.
A man in a green plaid shirt measuring and marking wood on a large table in a woodworking shop.
People working on a large sculpture of a whale in a dimly lit studio.
An artist is spray-painting a bronze statue of a person's head and shoulders against a gray wall covered with plastic.
A person in a green plaid shirt looks at a sketchbook with technical drawings on grid paper, while a clay sculpture of a person on a chair sits on the workbench nearby.
Person climbing a dimly lit narrow staircase with warm light at the top.
A woman standing on a stepladder working on a large yellow sculpture with a textured surface in a studio, with a young girl crouching nearby.
Two workers in orange shirts and white helmets move a large, gold-colored sculpture of a human head and torso on a wooden platform with straps, inside a dimly lit building near an open door leading to outside.
A man standing in a studio surrounded by large, partially finished sculptures of human faces and busts in various stages of completion.
A man working on a metal sculpture in a workshop, welding sparks flying, with a large head sculpture on the table, surrounded by various tools and equipment, including a ladder, workbench, and a rolling door labeled 'Overhead Door'.
People working on a metal sculpture of a person, with a backdrop of numerous sculptures and statues on shelves in an art studio or workshop.
A worker welding a metal structure surrounded by various tools and materials in an art studio or workshop, with sculptures and art pieces visible in the background.
An artist working on a sculpture studio with a large white sculpture of a woman, a small bronze figure, and various art supplies and equipment.
An older man working on a large white sculpture of a woman's head in an art studio.
An artist working on a large white sculpture of a woman, possibly a bust, in a workshop.
An artist in a workshop sculpting a large bust out of white material, with various other bust sculptures and art supplies around.
An artist workshop with sculptures of human heads, busts, and figures. A person in safety gear is working on a sculpture while an older man is observing and holding a bowl.
An artist in a studio working on a large pink canvas with a simple line drawing of a person. Various sculptures and busts are visible in the background, along with art supplies and equipment.
An artist applying thick white paint to a textured canvas with a palette knife, with a bookcase filled with books in the background.
A large artist's sculpture of a human face with a gold finish, set in an art studio with people working and shelves with small sculptures in the background.
A workshop with multiple sculptures of human figures in various stages of completion, including busts and full-body statues, with some painted in colorful abstract styles. Shelves behind hold busts and small sculptures, and tools and supplies are visible on tables.
Studio filled with artistic sculptures and busts in various stages of completion, including textured and painted human figures and heads.
A young man working on a sculptural art piece in a studio, with a partially finished white sculpture of a seated figure and a gold-colored sculpture of a woman playing a guitar nearby.
A person working on a sculpture in a workshop, focusing on the head of a large sculpture or bust, with tools and equipment visible, and various art sculptures and artworks in the background.
A spacious workshop with various sculptures in different stages of completion, including a large white reclining figure of a person and a gold-colored head sculpture, with tools and scaffolding around.
An artist creating a large sculpture of a person's face with white material, working with sculpting tools in a studio.
A man standing in an art studio or sculpting workshop, surrounded by sculptures and art supplies, resting his head on his hand while posing next to a large bronze sculpture of a woman with an expression of contentment.
A flatbed truck carrying two large golden statues of women, with one woman raising her arms and the other with her hands on her head, in front of a gray building with an open garage door and a clear blue sky.
Two men standing in a room with wooden walls, facing each other and smiling. The ceiling has a rusted metal frame and some grid-like metal structures.
Two young men standing next to a sculpture in an art studio. One is looking at the camera with a slight smile, the other is looking at the sculpture. The studio has various sculptures and art supplies.
Two young men in a workshop or art studio working on a sculpture, with one holding a wooden base and the other attaching a metallic material to the sculpture, surrounded by various art pieces and supplies.
An artist's studio filled with sculpture busts, sketches, books, and art supplies, with large ductwork and fluorescent lights overhead.
A young man with brown hair and a mustache kneeling on the floor of a workshop, surrounded by tools and materials, with a sheet of paper with a sketch in front of him. He appears to be working on a project, with a measuring tape and a ruler nearby.
A young man with curly hair, glasses, and a mustache stands in an art or pottery studio next to a counter with bags of clay, bowls, and tools. He is smiling and holding a piece of clay or a sculpted object, wearing a black T-shirt and jeans.
Sculptural art pieces in a workshop, including a piece resembling a hand with fractured forms, some wrapped in metallic wire mesh, and wooden crates and sculptures in the background.
People working on a large white sculpture in an art studio surrounded by shelves filled with smaller sculptures and statues.
Alan Lequire and Amber Lelli in an art studio working on a sculpture, with model heads and other sculptures in the background.
A white sculpture of a female torso on a wooden base, placed on a worktable in an art studio.
A cluttered workbench with various tools including screwdrivers, pliers, a saw, a hammer, and a bottle, all covered with dust and debris.
An artist is creating a large, detailed bas-relief sculpture on a wall, depicting a human face with closed eyes and wavy hair, in a studio setting.
Two people working on a sculpture, one with a plaid shirt and another with a purple t-shirt, surrounded by sculptures and art supplies in a studio.
Two people working on a large, white sculpture of a figure in an art studio. One person is on a ladder adjusting the sculpture, while the other is holding it steady. The studio has various art supplies and tools around.
A woman sculptor working on a large wooden sculpture in her art studio, surrounded by shelves filled with small figurines and art supplies.
People working on a large sculpture in a workshop, with scaffolding and various tools around
A person working on a large white sculpture of a woman's head in an art studio, with various smaller sculptures and art supplies around.
An artist working on a large, partially completed sculpture of a person’s bust in a workshop.
An artist wearing a grey beret and black jacket sculpting a white plaster bust of a woman in a workshop filled with sculptures and art supplies.
Studio art sculpture of a large white rock formation on a wheeled platform, with metal framework and protective mesh.
A person working in a sculpture studio with numerous clay sculptures and busts on shelves and a partially finished large bust sculpture in the foreground.
