Disconcerting Realism A balding businessman cycles confidently off to work—but goes nowhere fast in Bob Durham’s photo-realistic painting “The Stationary Cyclist.” Instead of tooling down the open road, Durham’s cyclist is trapped in a corner of a room, making no headway across an Oriental rug. That’s the sort of unsettling reality art lovers can expect from this Cumberland Gallery show, which also features paintings by Ronald Gibbons that mix fantasy and realism in similarly disconcerting fashion. The exhibit is on view through Oct. 20. For information, call 297-0296.

Gravity ruby green presents new works by Nashville sculptor Steve Benneyworth and drawings by New York artist Karen Platt. Benneyworth’s heavy metal sculptures reference modern geometry in form but have an ancient sensibility. Platt’s complex drawings feature realistic objects turned abstract by means of suspension and fragmentation. Together, the works by these artists should create an installation-like exhibit, on view through Sept. 29. For details, call 244-7179.

Two Views of Venice Vanderbilt Fine Arts Gallery presents two different artists’ looks at this storied Italian city. Etchings by Venetian artist Canaletto (1697-1768) are paired with prints by Australian-born Mortimer Menpes (1855-1938) to reflect the enduring appeal of Venice’s watery landscape. The exhibit is Sept. 20-Nov. 1. For information, call 322-0605.

Kristi Hargrove/Third Annual Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition

Finer Things Gallery spotlights the challenging medium of graphite and the challenging format of outdoor sculpture in two shows debuting simultaneously. The precise, witty, and often surreal drawings of Kristi Hargrove are featured inside the gallery, while new outdoor pieces by 14 artists from around the country are installed on the gallery’s park-like grounds. The Hargrove exhibit is Sept. 22-Nov. 3; the sculpture show is up Sept. 22 and runs for a year. Celebrate both shows at a dual opening reception, 4-7 p.m. Sept. 22. For details, call 244-3003.

Japanese Woodblock Prints The Parthenon presents original woodblock prints by artist Paul Jacoulet (1902-1960). Though French by birth, Jacoulet lived in Japan most of his life and traveled extensively in the South Pacific, Korea, Mongolia, and Manchuria. Dubbed a “visual poet of the ugly,” Jacoulet documented the decimated and diminished natives of these places and foreshadowed their inevitable disappearance. In some cases, Jacoulet’s exotic, colorful prints are the only documentation of whole cultures and even countries that have since disappeared. The show, the third installment in the Parthenon’s “Signed and Numbered” series exploring printmaking methods and the fine art print, is Sept. 28-Nov. 24. The opening reception is 6-8 p.m. Sept. 28. A lecture by Dr. Milan Mihal, professor emeritus at Vanderbilt University, on traditional Japanese woodblock techniques is scheduled for 7 p.m. Oct. 2 as part of the Parthenon Symposia, a free lecture series on art and history. For information or symposia reservations, call 862-8431.

Artrageous Zeitgeist and nine other Nashville galleries join in this 14th annual art tour and party benefiting Nashville CARES. At Zeitgeist in Hillsboro Village, check out new works by Richard Painter; then move on for more art at The Arts Company, American Artisan, Cumberland Gallery, Midtown Gallery, In the Gallery, Local Color, Finer Things, ruby green, and Prism Glass, 6-9 p.m. Sept. 29. Sip wine and nibble on treats provided by some of Nashville’s top restaurants while you eye the art. Then head to the Gaylord Entertainment Center for the grand finale—a performance by singer Jennifer Holliday, dancing, more refreshments, and a silent auction, 9 p.m.-1 a.m. $65 for the art tour and party; $45 for the party only; for tickets, call 259-4866, ext. 300.

Works by Petah Coyne The Frist Center for the Visual Arts’ second exhibition in its Contemporary Artists Project (CAP) Gallery features New York artist Petah Coyne. The artist is internationally renowned for her complex wall, floor, and ceiling sculptures composed of delicate materials such as wax and horsehair. Dates are Sept. 30-Jan. 13. For information, call 244-3340.

Songs of New Heaven (New Earth)/New Video Installations Installation art takes center stage at Cheekwood this fall with Terry Adkins’ sculptural installation “Songs of New Heaven (New Earth)” in the Temporary Contemporary Gallery and seven new video installations by emerging regional artists in the adjacent Installation Gallery. Adkins’ installations are created on site and weave recovered objects and reclaimed histories into a visual and musical experience. Meanwhile, an eclectic exhibit of videos in the Installation Gallery features works by Nashville artists Brent Stewart and Megan Walborn, Miami artists Dara Friedman and Adriana Arenas Ilian, Sewanee artist Greg Pond, and North Carolina’s John Pickel, whose video installation includes a Webcam for a view from the Internet. The Adkins exhibit is Oct. 5-Nov. 25. The “New Video” installations are on view Oct. 5-Feb. 24. Both shows share an opening reception 6-8 p.m. Oct. 5, with a gallery talk by the artists at 6:30 p.m. For details, call 356-8000.

The Third Annual Renaissance Regional Art Exhibit The Renaissance Center’s Visual Arts Gallery presents a juried show with works in all media by artists from Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia. The exhibit is Oct. 12-Nov. 30, with an opening reception 5-8 p.m. Oct. 12. For information, call 446-4450.

Best of Tennessee The Tennessee State Museum presents an exhibition of the top entrants in a purchase competition cosponsored by the Tennessee Arts Commission and juried by John Buchanan, director of the Portland Art Museum in Oregon. The competition drew nearly 600 entries, from which Buchanan selected 78 works for the exhibition, with 26 of those awarded purchase prizes. Nashville artists are well represented and include Todd Greene, Ted Jones, and Sylvia Hyman among those local artists whose works will become part of the state museum’s permanent collection. The exhibit is Oct. 27-Dec. 30. For information, call 741-2692.

Works by Anne & Fred Grgich The Attic Gallery pairs the works of Anne Grgich, a self-taught artist from Seattle, with those of her brother Fred, an artist now living in Nashville. Anne’s paintings are primarily of faces, while Fred’s multimedia works portray the people he sees daily around Music City. The exhibition is Nov. 7-Dec. 1, with a reception with both artists 6-9 p.m. Nov. 9. For information, call 298-2803.

Everyday Myths The Arts Company presents the Nashville debut of artists Greg Decker and Charles Keiger. Both painters create contemporary, accessible figurative paintings and drawings, often depicting everyday life with mythical overtones. Look for Keiger’s series on a day in the life of a businessman. The show runs Oct. 21-Nov. 21, with an opening reception during the Third Saturday Arts Matinee, 2-6 p.m. Oct. 21.