Armon Means: Urban Stories

Local photographer Armon Means is a longtime resident of urban environments: when he closes his eyes he can vividly see neon signs and brightly colored advertisements boldly yelling their message in windows of storefronts, liquor stores and gas stations. In his current show at Belmont, Means relates these ways of communicating in signage to vibrant street graffiti, commonly seen as desecration, by taking them out of their original context and bringing them into the gallery. By contrasting images of the past with modern images, Means explores the impact graphic elements--such as signs or graffiti--have on the history of language and the African American community. The closing coincides with Means' departure to a professorship in Kansas. He better soak in all of Nashville’s neon while he can.
Aug. 1-Sept. 6, 2008