Metro Parks Centennial Art Center immerses gallery visitors in new exhibit

Immersion, Centennial Art Center Gallery's latest exhibit, brings together three prominent Nashville artists: Elisheba Israel Mrozik, Michael Mucker, and ArJae Thompson. The dynamic display of their works fills the gallery with art that effortlessly flows through the space to envelop all who enter. In addition to their individual works of art, the center of the gallery will feature a collaborative installation titled Black Aloud. It was crafted specifically for Centennial Art Center Gallery in response to the Art Center's former use as a "Whites Only" swimming pool. As Mrozik eloquently explains, "Black Aloud seeks to both impose and enshrine the Black presence upon a space that sought to define itself through separateness...your place is where you choose to be. Black allowed. Black Aloud."

The exhibit opens on Saturday, May 14, 2022, from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. with an artists' reception featuring POOL by Asia Pyron, founder of PYDANCE, at 6:30 p.m.

This contemporary dance performance was created as part of Reflections and Deep Dives, a grant-funded project celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Centennial Art Center. It reflects on the building's history as part of the civil rights movement in Nashville. POOL was made possible by South Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Metro Arts Commission. This interpretative work explores the ways African Americans have contributed to the success of the United States, serving as its backbone, yet are often being overlooked and ignored instead of celebrated and supported.

Asia Pyron is an emerging choreographer and artistic director of PYDANCE; she aims to foster a mind-body connection in dance performance and to undergo a creative process that immerses each dancer in their own role throughout the work.

Similarly, the paintings in Immersion are boldly and realistically painted and possess a touch of mystery and magic. Elisheba Israel Mrozik's paintings and murals tell stories of strength, beauty, and growth. Describing the artwork she has created for this exhibit, Elisheba explains, "These works dare to celebrate the immortality of Black perseverance and creativity, weaving a beautiful folk tale into the cultural narrative."

Artist Michael Mucker's paintings combine multiple images with a variety of styles to create narratives and new worlds for the viewer to explore. Michael uses strong graphic elements, realism, and animation to create his artwork. He often paints on large-scale surfaces using both traditional painting techniques and airbrushing to produce striking gradients and layers in his commercial and residential murals. Many of Michael's paintings are mixed media; he enjoys the process of bringing interesting and diverse materials into his artwork.

ArJae Thompson is a self-described "Norf Nashville based Black Queer aesthete." As a multidisciplinary artist, ArJae creates murals, paintings, and animations. Their work evokes a strong sense of movement and a feeling of dreams for the viewer. They often use interconnected patterns to create fluidity between elements and imagery.

Individually and collectively, Elisheba Israel Mrozik, Michael Mucker and ArJae Thompson are talented mural artists who have created many commercial and residential murals around Nashville. Visit this link to see a list of artists' mural locations in the Nashville area.

Join us for the gallery opening of this fabulous exhibit, Immersion, and take a deep dive into art. On display May 14-June 30, 2022, with a reception, Saturday, May 14 from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. (The dance performance of POOL will take place at 6:30 p.m. May 13 and 14, 2022.) In Elisheba's artist statement, she concludes with these empowering words, "We dare to dream, dance, create, grow, love, and thrive. So even in this world that has tried tirelessly to drown us, tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow, we continue to swim."