NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Sculptor Alan LeQuire's work has been on display around Nashville for more than three decades — from installing "Athena" at the Parthenon 35 years ago, to his "Musica," which graces the Music Row Roundabout.
His latest creation is moving into place outside the Parthenon in Nashville.
"It's very emotional. The whole process is very emotional," says LeQuire.
35 years after unveiling "Athena Parthenos," Nashville sculptor Alan LeQuire is getting set to debut his two new exhibitions, inside.
"A lot of it was imagining the finished work in this space, because the Parthenon itself is part of the exhibit. Each sculpture had to work and respond to the architecture that it's going to be placed in," says LeQuire.
With the help of a dozen assistants, LeQuire has created 32 pieces in just 18 months.
"It's extremely quick. All larger than life, all heroic scale or monumental scale," says LeQuire Studio manager, Amber Lelli. "It's a huge feat to make this happen. So the inception is 18 months from actual fabrication and build out — it's been a year, it's been 12 months, so you're looking at a turnaround of a couple of weeks for some of these pieces."
One of the exhibits showcases the construction of "Athena Parthenos," and the main room will feature 24 of the new works entitled "Monumental Figures," which focus on strong women in different roles.
"Most of the figures are twice life size — they really needed to be that large to compete with Athena in this space," says LeQuire. "I'm just now seeing them for the first time next to Athena, and so far, I'm really pleased with how it is working out."
LeQuire looks forward to the reaction to his work from visitors to the Parthenon over the next few months.
"I'm hoping that the viewer will feel the presence of a living person, even though it's an inanimate material," says LeQuire.
"I hope that people ultimately feel inspired and empowered. The other takeaway I think would be that people will honor Alan and his career; all this work that you see today is, really, his aesthetic that's been honed over the years and just shows how much he's grown and evolved as an artist," says Lelli, who wants others to understand and appreciate the impact LeQuire has had on Nashville's artistic community.
LeQuire's new exhibit will be on display until September 21.
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