Art and Place.
I’ve been thinking a lot about the role that art and artists play in the world. For as long as humans have existed, there has been something deeply resonant about the expression of the human condition through art.
In the business of real estate, however, we usually consider art only at the very end of the process, if we consider it at all. I am certainly guilty of reaching the conclusion of a project, staring at a blank wall, and asking local artists to bring their creative energy to fix a void I created.
I would like to challenge myself, our development community and the City of Nashville, to do better. I believe that art and the artists who live here are what make this place special.
A few Creators.
First, I want to lift up a few humans who have dedicated their time and talents to bringing energy into our neighborhoods.
- Bryan Deese: Bryan has been part of the fabric of this scene for a long time, painting walls downtown well before the current boom.
- Tess Davies: I remember the first time I encountered one of Tess’ murals. It pulled me in so effectively that, for my own safety, I had to pull over just to look. It literally stopped me in my tracks.
- Mobe: Eric is one of the most prolific artists in Nashville. He has the technical skill to paint anything with a spray can, yet remains one of the kindest humans I have had the pleasure to meet.
- New Hat: These women are leaders in the Nashville art scene. From public works at the airport to custom wall coverings, they possess a wide range of ability in making any surface come to life.
Many days, I dream of being one of their assistants on scaffolding. Someday, maybe?
Durable Path Forward.
If we are to hold onto the things that make this place special, we must change our approach. The path forward is straightforward: we must integrate art and artistic expression earlier in the process.
We should bring artists in during the design phase, rather than waiting to provide them a canvas once the plans are already stamped. To ensure this happens, we must set aside a figure in the budget and protect it fiercely. My target is 1% of the total project cost.
I believe these principles scale across the full spectrum of development in our city, from the East Bank to the adaptive reuse of a small single building. It is a necessary step in passing the place along better than we found it.
