NASHVILLE, TN - (June 27, 2024) – The Parthenon and Centennial Park Conservancy announced today David Gootnick: Contemporary Kumiko, an exhibition of works inspired by Kumiko, an ancient Japanese woodworking technique. The show will be on display in the East Gallery of the Parthenon from July 26 to December 1. A free opening reception will take place July 25 at the Parthenon from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Kumiko was developed roughly 1,400 years ago as Buddhist-influenced architecture was brought from mainland Asia to Japan. Traditionally, Kumiko has most commonly been used on ornamental shoji screens and decorative features of traditional Japanese homes.
Kumiko works are made by arranging many narrow pieces of wood into intricate geometric designs and patterns. The tiny pieces are often fitted together with tweezers and held in place through the use of angles, grooves, and tension. Traditional kumiko is made with Japanese cedar and cypress, and Gootnick mostly uses yellow cedar from Alaska, which he says is one of the closest analogs in North America to the traditional woods. The design motifs are often linked to nature and have symbolic meaning, inspired by science. Gootnick has built upon this tradition, with three new works: RNA, Mitochondria, and DNA.
“David Gootnick’s work is a harmonious blend of the ancient and the contemporary,” said Parthenon Curator Jennifer Richardson. “While this art form developed without any direct connection to ancient Greek art, there are several shared ideals such as attention to detail, striving for perfection, and symmetrical balance. His newest work, Meandros, uses a motif we often recognize as the Greek key or meander but it has been in use since prehistoric times. We are excited to host this exhibition at the Parthenon, where visitors can explore the similarities between these art forms, which sprang from very different cultures but reflect a common aesthetic sense and passion for precision.”
While Gootnick was pursuing his BFA at Harvard University in the mid-1970s, he held a life-transforming apprenticeship with Donald Warnock, helping the master luthier restore a Baroque-era instrument for the Renwick Gallery in Washington D.C. and helping teach instrument-making at Boston University. This experience fired Gootnick's love of woodcraft, and he went on to pursue additional internships with master luthiers Bernie Lehman and Curtis Bryant.
Gootnick began studying Kumiko in 2015, falling in love with the intricate patterns and the emphasis on geometry and symmetry. He pursues his craft from a serene, self-built studio at his home in Washington D.C.
A free opening reception will be held on July 25 at the Parthenon from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Guests may RSVP via the website.
For more information on the exhibit, please visit www.nashvilleparthenon.com/events/david-gootnick. For more information on Centennial Park Conservancy, please visit conservancyonline.com.
Exhibitions and educational programming at the Parthenon are underwritten by the Centennial Park Conservancy and its generous partners, including: Amazon, Advance Financial Foundation, Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, Dettwiller Foundation, HCA Healthcare Foundation, Jackson National Life Insurance Company, Old Town Trolley, Pinnacle Financial Partners, Sandra Schatten Foundation, The Memorial Foundation, and the Tennessee Arts Commission. Subject matter of Parthenon exhibitions does not necessarily represent the opinion of partners or sponsors. For more information, please visit conservancyonline.com.
PARTHENON HOURS & ADMISSION The Parthenon is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Sunday from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. Admission to the Parthenon is $10 for adults; $8 for seniors 62 and over; and $8 for children 4 to 17. Children under 4 are admitted free. Centennial Park Conservancy members receive free museum admission.
ABOUT CENTENNIAL PARK CONSERVANCY
Centennial Park Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that sustains the vibrancy of Nashville’s Centennial Park, home to the historic Parthenon, by supporting Metro Parks in revitalizing and activating this public green space to ensure the Park remains a welcoming destination for recreation, culture, education, and community connection for all. The organization works to protect and revitalize the Park’s green space, underwrite the Parthenon’s exhibition and educational programs, and present accessible and inclusive community programming in the Park for the enrichment of the community.
ABOUT THE PARTHENON
The Parthenon, owned and operated by the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County’s Parks and Recreation Department, is the city of Nashville’s longest-lived art museum. Opened as a museum in 1931, its galleries are the home of the distinguished Cowan Collection of American art and feature several temporary exhibitions per year. The galleries are housed on the lower level of the Parthenon, the world’s only full-scale replica of the fifth-century BCE temple in Athens, Greece. Beloved symbol of civic pride to Nashvillians since its original manifestation as the art building for the Tennessee Centennial Exposition in 1897, it welcomes hundreds of thousands of Nashvillians and visitors to the city per year.
ABOUT METRO PARKS AND RECREATION
The Parks and Recreation Department offers a variety of facilities and programs throughout Davidson County. Currently, Metro Parks oversees 15,114 acres of open space, including 184 parks and 85 miles of greenways. It is the department’s mission to sustainably and equitably provide everyone in Nashville with an inviting network of parks and greenways that offer health, wellness, and quality of life through recreation, conservation, and community.
The Metro Board of Parks and Recreation does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, sex, color, national origin, or disability in admission, access to, or operations of its programs, services, or activities. For TTY (relay service), call 1-800-849-0299. For questions, concerns, or requests regarding the American Disabilities Act call 862-8400.
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