NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Nashville sculptor Alan LeQuire is honoring the 100th anniversary of women's suffrage by displaying sculptures of important women in history.
"I hope the exhibit will give people that sense that all women should be honored in this way," said Alan LeQuire.
The artist has sculpted roughly 20 portraits of Tennesseans who made their mark on history, including suffragettes.
LeQuire is one of the nation's leading sculptors and the majority of his creations are of women.
"The statutes of men, historical statues, outnumber the statues of women by 90 percent. When I was starting out, it just seemed like a natural progression to make portraits of real women not idealized women, but real women," LeQuire said.
"Monumental Women" features portraits of Ida B. Wells and Carrie Chapman Catt, as well as Cornelia Fort, an aviator and Nashville native who became the first female pilot in American history to die on active duty.
"We wanted to make the whole year of 2020 a year of honoring women and I've been doing that my whole career by making portraits of women," he said.
The exhibit runs through December 19. LeQuire Gallery is on Charlotte Avenue between 43rd N and 44th N Avenues. Appointments are required.
