Metro Arts Announces Ambitious Public Art Project on Nolensville Pike

This week, Metro Arts Commission announced the artists commissioned for a new public art project that will take place along the Nolensville Pike corridor. It’s a result of a long-term community engagement process led by Conexión Américas in partnership with the Salahadeen Center, the Greater Nashville Regional Council, Metro Arts and other community leaders. The Envision Nolensville Pike Collaborative has led community engagement activities with the Latino and Kurdish communities along the corridor with the goal of documenting transportation challenges and possible solutions.

All five of the artists and artist groups are local. LeXander Bryant — whose work is currently on display in the Frist Art Museum’s Murals of North Nashville Now — will design utility-box wraps along the corridor that feature portraits of community members paired with quotes conveying neighborhood concerns. Jairo Prado and Susan Prado — the artists who also created the mosaic that crowns Casa Azafrán — will use bright, geometric designs in their design of a bus shelter across the street from the Nashville Zoo. 

Joyner Avenue, Daniel Arite and Thandiwe Shiphrah designed a bus shelter that will feature a quilt motif in honor of the late Woodbine resident Fannie Hall Williams, who, according to Metro Arts’ press release, “organized community sewing circles and campaigned years ago to have a crosswalk and traffic light installed at the intersection.” 

Tony Sobota will continue his partnership with the Salahadeen Center and the Kurdish community with a bus stop that pays homage to Iran’s iconic Zakho Bridge and the region’s native date palm trees. Tess Davies’ bus shelter is geared toward the preschool students at Casa Azafran: It’s shaped like a huge mouth, and the drawings by the preschoolers will be incorporated into the design. 

When designing their projects, the artists have consulted with technical advisors from Metro Public Works, WeGo Public Transit, Transportation Planning and Metro-contracted fabricators. 

Check out all of the prototypes on Metro Arts’ blog. You can learn more about the project on Dec. 14 at Conexión Américas’ annual Holiday Bazar and Day of Action (10 a.m.-3 p.m. at Casa Azafrán, 2195 Nolensville Pike). There, you can shop for holiday gifts from local immigrant entrepreneurs and write postcards, make calls and share your concerns with our elected representatives. It’s also a great opportunity to say thanks to the 2019 Nashvillians of the Year: the folks at Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition — also housed in Casa Azafrán. 

Renderings of designs are subject to change during the fabrication and installation processes.