Hiram Van Gordon Gallery
Hours: Monday - Thursday
9:30am - 2:30pm Location:
TSU Main Campus,
1108 37th Ave N
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About the Gallery
The Hiram Van Gordon Gallery offers approximately six exhibitions yearly that highlight the works of Tennessee State University students, faculty and alumni in the visual arts, African American and African artists, social and civic engaged work along with conversations regarding sustainable environmental practices in art.
Spring 2023 Gallery Schedule


Virtual Artist Talks
in Space for New Media (unless noted otherwise)
Our artists' talks and lectures are geared at creating forums for artists and students to talk about their work in a supportive open environment. In the process of creating a line up of artists and speakers that relate back to our exhibit schedule in the Hiram Van Gordon Gallery, Space for New Media, and M-SPAR, connecting what is learned in classroom courses and seminars to real-world applications. We will invite organizations and artists from a variety of perspectives to talk about their work. You can view previous lectures on our YouTube channel TSU Art and Design.
Spring 2023
Imagine A Place , podcast recording and networking session on how to build a career in design (Jobs, careers, transition out of school, etc.)
Tuesday, February 7, 2023 at Noon
Moderated by Cheryl S. Durst, IIDA EVP and CEO
Sofia Acosta, Associate IIDA, Designer, Gensler
Mike Johnson II, IIDA, Assoc Principal, Director of Interiors, Hickock Cole
Tonya Spry, Director of Human Resources at Gresham Smith
Intro to Craft Careers with Tennessee Craft
Professional artists will introduce craft careers and explore business skills for artistic career success with students. We will also share real-world experiences for students to further engage these speakers (coop, maker spaces, craft fairs, gallery shows, etc).
Each session is scheduled on a Wednesday from 12:30-2:00pm:
February 8: Marketing & Pricing with Olasubomi Aka-Bashorun and Renee Ford
March 1: Sales Opportunities with Wilson Lee, Jr. and Evan Brown (Black Futures Week)
April 5: Shared Creative Spaces with Danielle McDaniel and Jackie Schlicher
Organized by Professor Michael McBride
Black Futures Week
February 27 to March 3 2023
February 27 at 5 pm: Design Panel with Rick Griffith, Saki Mafundikwa, Kaleena Sales, and Omari Souza
February 28 at 3pm: Paint Panel with Samuel Dunson and TBA
March 1 at 12:30 pm: Intro to Craft Careers, Sales Opportunities with Wilson Lee, Jr. and Evan Brown
Sponsored by Kappa Pi
Past ART Talks
Fall 2022
Ann Johnson, Vanessa German, David Jon Walker
Spring 2022
Dreamworks Animation, Daisy Patton, Michael Coppage
Fall 2021
Forest Young, Art Sims, Eliane Lopez
Recent Exhibitions
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Early Works By Jean-Michel BasquiatHBCU Tour presented by The Bishop Gallery in collaboration with Hennessy, Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF), and Group Black.Nov 9 - Nov 16, 2022
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Rick GriffithOpen Sept 1 - Oct 27, 2022
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2022 Spring Graduating Seniors, Senior Art Exhibition A Guiding Light April - May 2022
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A Hidden Legacy Feburary - March 2022
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Light Of The Truth: Student Exchange And Exhibition
University of Tennessee, Tennessee State University, and Fisk University January - Feburary 2022
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StudentPrize (Based on Grand Rapids' ArtPrize) October - November 2021
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SPECTRUM: A show about gender identity (Supported by TSU GSA) September - October 2021
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Collection Connection: Tennessee State University's Department of Art and Design Art and Artifact Collection August - September 2021
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Graduating Seniors SPRING 2021, Game Changer/s: April 2021
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We Shall Overcome: Civil Rights and the Nashville Press, 1957–1968 from Frist Art Museum: March - April 2021
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People to People: Men-dong Daily Photograph from Nanjing, China by Zhengwen Xiong: January - February 2021
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Graduating Seniors FALL 2020, Renovations through Self-Reflection: November 2020
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I'M SO GLAD: An exhibition of Tennessee State University memorabilia and artifacts highlighting the university's legacy, culture, and history. - October 2020
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We Shall Overcome: Civil Rights and the Nashville Press, 1957–1968 Organized by Frist Art Museum: April 2020 - June 2020 (Rescheduled March 2021 due to Covid19)
Space for New Media
The Space for New Media gives students and artists a place to produce and display digital, experimental, and performance-based work, using our state of equipment to bring innovative ideas and images to campus.
Student Residency
Chaz Presents A Thin Line, by Chaz Baylin
February 17-18 2023
Friday 2-6 and Saturday 12-4
Interactive Multimedia Experience
Photography and Digital Presentation, Interactive Photo booths, and Music
McGruder Social Practice Artist Residency, M-SPAR
The McGruder Social Practice Artist Residency, M-SPAR provides artists opportunities to impact the social landscape and engage with McGruder Family Resource Center, local Historic Black College and University’s (HBCU), and the community of North Nashville. Artists engage with community through an artist’s residency. Artists are provided studio space in exchange for community activated work leading to the conception, development, and execution of viable, transformative art projects.
Art Collection
Over the years the art department has amassed a permanent collection of African and Alumni artwork in a few notable collections: the Art Eubanks Collection, the Ruth Witt Collection, and the Dr. Richard and Sharon Edwards Collection.
Directions
1108 37th Ave N
Elliott Hall is locate on the back side of Tennessee State University main campus. From I-40 East, take a Right on 28th Ave/Ed Temple then Left on Walter S Davis. Left on 39th Ave N, Left on John L Driver Ave, past the guard station, Left on 37th Ave N.
From I-40 West, turn left of Jefferson St. take a Right on 28th Ave/Ed Temple then Left on Walter S Davis. Left on 39th Ave N, Left on John L Driver Ave, past the guard station, Left on 37th Ave N.
From Charlotte Ave, take a Right on 28th Ave/Ed Temple then Left on Walter S Davis. Left on 39th Ave N, Left on John L Driver Ave, past the guard station, Left on 37th Ave N.
Parking is lots K and L. Enter Elliott Hall from front of building and proceed to back right side, enter Hiram Van Gordon Gallery.
Contact Us
Courtney Adair Johnson
Gallery Director
cjohn173@tnstate.edu
615-963-5921
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