Elephant Gallery’s Smoke Show Is Varied and Fiery

Located on North Nashville's Buchanan Street, Elephant Gallery sticks out from its neighbors via the colorful murals and letters that adorn its walls. It is currently perhaps most noticeable due to the very large sculpture of a cigarette adhered to the front of the gallery. The excellent current exhibition Smoke Show is an eclectic and surprising exploration of how we experience smoke. 

Elephant is run by owner Alex Lockwood and gallery manager Ellie Caudill, with assistance from Caudill’s dog Babbs, and serves as a studio space for several other artists. Smoke Show is a group show; featured artists responded to an open call or were discovered by Lockwood and Caudill, in some cases via Instagram. Due to the diverse collection of art that makes up the exhibition, Smoke Show showcases a variety of artists working with an array of different materials.

Just inside the entrance to the gallery hangs David Goebel’s big plush cigarette, called “Sad Ciggy.” The soft sculpture offers a humorous first impression. There are several other clever pieces featuring cigarettes crafted in nontraditional mediums. “Security Blanket” by Callan Downing features a blanket that resembles an unrolled cigarette, perhaps a nod to the addictive comfort offered by smoking. And on a window ledge at the front of the gallery, there sits a stack of what appears to be cigarette butts. Take a step closer and the pile reveals itself to be composed of ceramic cigarettes created by Madeline Donahue.

Some of the most fascinating pieces in the show are those that interpret the show's title literally and are crafted with smoke or fire. “Balaclava” by Saul Gray-Hildenbrand displays the outline of a ghastly face with gaping eyes and a wide mouth. However, the visage is neither a drawing nor a painting; it was created by sprinkling gunpowder in the shape of a face and setting it on fire. By incorporating smoke into the piece through this unusual method, you can’t help but imagine all the objects and tools that could be used when artists are willing to explore new possibilities. 

Tara Walters also incorporates the element of fire into her piece “Flower of Life II.” Walters often paints with smoke using a Surrealist technique called fumage, so her work fit perfectly into the exhibit. “Flower of Life II” features an almost geometric collection of gray and black swirls on canvas, which ultimately connect in the middle of the piece to loosely form the shape of a flower. The work offers an ironic example of a life cycle completed at once, with the blooming of a flower contrasting with the ashy remnants of smoke.

One of the most interesting artists featured in the show is Paa Joe, a craftsman and folk artist from Ghana. Paa Joe crafts coffins shaped like animals, ships, seashells — anything is fair game — and his art ensures that those purchasing it will be granted a more personal ceremony when they die. For Smoke Show, Paa Joe crafted a foot-long coffin shaped like a cigarette that sits atop a cigarette pack stand. Elephant Gallery also sells mini coffins created by Paa Joe in its adjoining Anteater shop. 

Ultimately, Smoke Show is a playful yet reflective appreciation of an element that has been vital to human life since ancient times. Keep an eye on Elephant Gallery’s website to learn about their next exhibition.