Upcoming events.
SHABAZZ LARKIN
The Forge Presents Shabazz Larkin: The Flowers Have Something to Teach Us
The Forge is proud to present Shabazz Larkin: The Flowers Have Something to Teach Us, opening with a public reception on May 1st from 6pm to 9pm, and continuing through May 25th, 2025. This immersive exhibition by Nashville-based artist Shabazz Larkin invites audiences to confront the fragile, fleeting nature of beauty, violence, and fear. Through a deeply personal and ephemeral exploration, Larkin draws parallels between the transience of flowers and the impermanence of the fears that hold us captive—suggesting that in order to transcend them, we must face them, call them by name until their power fades.
Larkin’s exhibition brings together sculptural works, paintings, an installation of over 100 intimate drawings, and an interactive gallery experience. Flowers in Larkin’s world are not just symbols of beauty and growth but also harbingers of impermanence. Like life itself, they bloom, wither, and transform. They are as fragile and fleeting as the fears that plague us. But flowers also possess a quiet power—the kind that grows through vulnerability, confronting what scares us long enough to nullify its threat.
The exhibition features a series of “Deamon Paintings,” surreal and unsettling figures that embody uncomfortable, often dark thoughts—thoughts that, when faced and understood, lose their power. These works speak to the necessity of confronting the unsettling and the unknown, of staring down what we fear most, so that it loses its grip on us. Through this process, Larkin reveals how beauty and discomfort, strength and fragility, can exist in a fragile balance.
The sculptural works further explore the relationship between fragility, inner and outer harm. Wooden figures, adorned with roofing nails each painted with small flowers, twists the familiar imagery of defense and aggression into something unexpectedly delicate. The act of hammering these nails into the wood becomes a meditation, turning the creations into destruction, and vice versa. Through these objects, Larkin asks viewers to consider: What happens when we confront change, inner harm or outer harm with beauty? Or when something precious is threatened by something violent?
The Flowers Have Something to Teach Us challenges viewers to reflect on the nature of impermanence—not only in the natural world, but in our own lives. It’s an invitation to sit with the transient, to embrace the fragility of beauty and fear, and to confront that which is fleeting until it loses its power over us. Love, loss, beauty, anger, tenderness, danger, and empowerment all interweave to create an experience that is as much about reflection as it is about release.
Shabazz Larkin is a multifaceted artist, poet, sculptor, and mindfulness ambassador based in Nashville, TN. Originally from Norfolk, Virginia, his work celebrates Black culture and explores themes of justice, history, and spirituality through vibrant figures, portraits, and monuments. Shabazz is also the founder of The Museum of Presence, a unique platform spotlighting mindfulness and creativity through BIPOC-led podcasts, newspapers, and events.
In his own words: "My themes circle around the volatility of the human heart and the profound truth of impermanence. Everything we cling to—names, roles, identities, even memory—will slip away. And in that slipping, there is something sacred. There is beauty in the groundlessness. My work is not here to preserve the illusion of solidity. It is here to show us how to let go."
For more information, images, or to inquire about pricing and availability, please contact Alyssa Beach at alyssa@theforgenashville.org. Thank you and see you at the show!
Shabazz Larkin: The Flowers Have Something to Teach Us
Opening: Thursday, May 1st 6pm to 9pm
Exhibition Run: May 1st - May 25th
The Forge Nashville 217 Willow St Nashville TN 37210
Disclaimer - Explicit Content: This exhibition is graphic in nature and grapples with mature content.
IndigeNash 2025: Native Arts Festival
Join us for the second annual IndigeNash Arts Festival! Details to come, watch this space!
BECKONING: ALAINA MILLER
This February, The Forge is proud to present Beckoning, a solo exhibition by multidisciplinary artist Alaina Miller. Bringing together works in clay, concrete, two-dimensional media, and sculpture, Miller’s latest body of work is a meditation on the transience of life, the weight of grief, and the search for beauty within the impermanent.
Through a diverse range of materials, Miller constructs a dialogue between the physical and the philosophical, probing the tension between human fragility and existential endurance. The works in Beckoning wrestle with questions that have persisted through time: Are we bound together or separated by our shared fate of mortality? Can the inevitability of death be confronted without fear, but rather with reverence for the unknown?
Miller’s practice is deeply informed by personal experience—by a life marked with grief both anticipated and sudden. The death of a loved one, the specter of loss, and the quiet but ever-present erosion of time inform each piece, making the exhibition a deeply intimate yet universally resonant reflection on what it means to persist in the face of the inevitable.
“There is no escaping death; it is the consequence of life,” Miller reflects. “Grief is collective, yet it is isolating. It alters your perception of time, of meaning. You find yourself preparing for losses that have yet to come, reliving those that already have. It is both an anchor and an abyss.”
Pivotally, the exhibition invites its viewers to collectively and individually inhabit the space between knowing and unknowing. By working with materials that bear the marks of both fragility and resilience, Miller crafts an experience that is as haunting as it is cathartic.
Alaina Miller: Beckoning opens February 20th, with a public reception from 6pm to 9pm. The exhibition will be on view through March 17th.
For more information, please contact alyssa@theforgenashville.org.
About the Artist:
Alaina Miller is an interdisciplinary artist whose work interrogates themes of mortality, grief, and the impermanence of human existence. Working across sculpture, painting, and mixed media, Miller constructs evocative pieces that blur the boundary between the material and the metaphysical. A recent graduate of MTSU, she currently lives and works in Murfreesboro, TN. Alaina is also a part of The Forge Studio Residency Program, under which six artists receive free studio space for one full year, mentorship throughout their tenure and a solo exhibition.
We look forward to sharing this exciting new work with you on February 20th; see you at the show!
Beckoning: Alaina Miller
The Forge Nashville, 217 Willow St 37210
Opening Reception: February 20th, 6pm to 9pm
Exhibition: February 20th - March 17th
Get in Touch: alyssa@theforgenashville.org
CURATED AT THE FORGE
Curated at The Forge - A group exhibition of artwork, artisan craft items, and sculptural pieces, opening December 12th with a reception from 6pm to 10pm!
INDIGENASH FESTIVAL
This November, The Forge is proud to host the inaugural IndigeNash, a landmark Native-led arts festival created by a local team of Indigenous artists, producers and collaborators. Occurring November 22nd, 23rd and 24th, 2024, this vibrant celebration will showcase Native artists across diverse creative disciplines, including art, music, film, fashion, culinary, dance, and installation.
IndigeNash aims to honor the invaluable contributions of Indigenous peoples while raising awareness of Nashville’s rich cultural fabric. This first-of-its-kind event for the city serves as a platform to celebrate and recognize the artistic and cultural contributions of Indigenous peoples, which have historically been vastly underrepresented and critically overlooked. IndigeNash is a step toward necessary social change and artistic inclusivity.
Festival highlights will include traditional and modern dance and music performances, a group exhibition of Indigenous artists, a Native artisan market, film screenings, panel discussions, cultural craft demonstrations, and traditional ceremonies. IndigeNash not only empowers Indigenous voices but also provides opportunities for the broader community to engage with and learn about Indigenous traditions and contemporary issues. Featured artists include but are not limited to: Shayna Hobbs, Trenton Wheeler, Jeffrey Brant, Joe Clemons, Mozart Gabriel, Aaliyah Alberts, Justin Miller, Tahila Moss, Ryan Toll, Bill Miller, Alicia Wildcat, Jennifer Gouge, Michelle Solomon, Dhalton Horseman, and more.
Funding raised in support of the festival serves to directly compensate the creatives involved in the facilitation of IndigeNash. Artists are compensated to exhibit, perform and participate via funding from community partners, individual donors, in-kind supporters and The Forge Nashville. A portion of proceeds from IndigeNash will also contribute to the construction of the NAIA's Cultural Center, as well as future events for the IndigeNash Collective.
IndigeNash and The Forge are generously supported by community partners and sponsors including KGV Studios, The TN Arts Commission, The Shoba Fund, TPAC, Ensworth, Contrast Cine, Nashville Predators, Native Audio, New Athenian Publishing, The TN Titans, Bearded Iris, The Whiskey House, Jaan’s House, Fellavision, Off Hours Bourbon, CaliSober, Parnassus Books, Ragana Creative, and more.
Join us for this landmark celebration and help us raise awareness of Indigenous culture in Nashville!
TICKETS HERE:
FRIDAY:
https://www.theforgenashville.org/events/indigenash-friday
SATURDAY:
https://www.theforgenashville.org/events/indigenash-saturday
SUNDAY:
https://www.theforgenashville.org/events/indigenash-sunday
WEEKEND PASS:
https://www.theforgenashville.org/workshops/p/indigenash-weekend-pass
ART OF LIFE: HELEN LAFRANCE
HELEN LAFRANCE
Art of Life: Helen LaFrance and The American South
This October, STATE Gallery and Studios at The Forge is thrilled to present a landmark exhibition dedicated to the extraordinary work of Helen LaFrance. The exhibition, titled Art of Life: Helen LaFrance and the American South, will open with a public reception on Saturday, October 12th from 6pm to 9pm, and will run through Saturday, November 16th, 2024. This pivotal showcase is brought to The Forge through the esteemed collection of Bruce Shelton, a Nashville-based patron and advocate for LaFrance’s work.
Helen LaFrance (November 2, 1919 – November 20, 2020) was a celebrated self-taught Black American artist from Graves County, Kentucky, renowned for her evocative portrayals of rural Southern life. LaFrance, often referred to as "the Black Grandma Moses," captured the essence of a vanishing world with her vivid memory paintings. Though lacking formal art training, LaFrance’s work transcended the label of outsider art, establishing her as a poignant chronicler of personal and cultural history.
LaFrance’s memory paintings, created with oil on canvas, are a vivid testament to her life's experiences. Her artworks vividly depict scenes of family gatherings, church ceremonies, and daily activities, seamlessly weaving personal memories with broader historical contexts such as the Great Depression, the Vietnam War, and the Civil Rights era. Through her work, LaFrance illuminated the significance of everyday moments and traditions, reflecting a deep connection to her community and heritage.
In addition to her memory paintings, LaFrance’s artistic accomplishments extended into quilt making, wood carving, and crafting articulated dolls. Her religious artworks, marked by vibrant colors and dramatic themes, offer a unique departure from her usual style of ‘Memory Painting’, and demonstrate her profound spiritual engagement and visionary interpretation of biblical stories.
LaFrance’s influential work has been featured in numerous reputable collections, including those of Oprah Winfrey, Gayle King, and the Saint Louis Art Museum. Her work has been celebrated across the U.S. and Europe, gracing venues from county fairs and local banks to the Speed Art Museum and the National Black Fine Arts Show in New York City. In 2011, she was honored with the Folk Heritage Award by the Kentucky Arts Council, underscoring her lasting impact on American folk art.
Helen LaFrance once said, "My memories tell stories about a vanished time and place.” With this exhibition, we hope to demonstrate the power in her pastoral narratives. Join us at STATE Gallery and Studios at The Forge to explore and celebrate the profound legacy of Helen LaFrance, whose art continues to resonate deeply with audiences and preserve a significant part of American history. For more information on the exhibition and events, please visit our website or contact our gallery.