The Parthenon is the centerpiece of Centennial Park. The Greek inspired building is home to a re-creation of the 42-foot statue of Athena. The Parthenon was built in 1897 as part of the state's Centennial Exposition. This replica of the Parthenon in Athens serves as a monument to what many consider to be the pinnacle of classical architecture. The plaster replicas of the Parthenon Marbles found in the Naos are direct casts of the original sculptures, which adorned the pediments of the Athenian Parthenon dating back to 438 B.C.

The structure is a work of art in itself yet it also serves as an art museum. The Parthenon's permanent collection includes over 60 paintings by 19th and 20th century American painters. The majority are landscapes with a smattering of seascapes along with anonymous portraits. The collection reflects the diverse taste of its collector - James M Cowan - who donated it to Nashville.

The museum also has rotating exhibits. Currently, The Parthenon is featuring the works from a number of contemporary artists including the aforementioned Michael Weintrob and Martin Weinstein. Martin's "Moment to Moment" focuses on his unique three dimensional designs. Martin paints on multiple acrylics to create "successive layers of reality" based on the idea of time lapse images. Weinstein's flowers and landscapes were colorfully alive.

Inside at the INSTRUMENTHEAD exhibition.

Since 1998, Michael Weintrob has been shooting artist portraits and live performances. His pictures have been featured in Billboard, Jazz Times, Mojo, Rolling Stone, Spin and many more magazines. INSTRUMENTHEAD is a collection of Weintrob's surrealist images that look into the soul of a musician though his/her instrument. This "lightning bolt" came to Michael during a photo shoot where he approached the Derek Trucks Band with more creative ways to interact with the tools of their trade.

Since 2000, over 500 global artists have participated in this unique project which has turned into a publication and the photo exhibition at The Parthenon. Now available as a superior quality art book (Magnet Bound Press) - INSTRUMENTHEAD was printed in Italy on three different types of fine art paper by Grafiche Antiga. The full color book shows musicians as you've never seen them before, with three different cover options, featuring 369 artist portraits. Weintrob has grandly achieved his goal of telling tales through images.

"The first thing I tell the artist is that I'd like to tell their story through the photo, and include what makes them special as a musician," says Weintrob. "I also ask, 'How are your fans going to know that it's you without seeing your face?' So people show up with all the stuff that distinguishes them, and together we figure out how to incorporate it all into the portrait."

INSTRUMENTHEAD in Nashville features musicians from various genres who creatively expressed themselves with accessories, clothing and instruments. Some of our favorites were Fats Kaplin posing with 4 instruments. Wu Fei in a traditional Chinese dress playing the Guzheng, the McCoury brothers and Futureman with his zen drum and renaissance garb. There is still time to see INSTRUMENTHEAD at The Parthenon (thru 09/08/19) - plus Athena is worth the price of admission as she is dazzling in details and gold.

The goddess Athena towers above visitors inside The Parthenon in Nashville.

Related Links: For more information on INSTRUMENTHEAD and the other organizations mentioned please visit the following links -- Michael Weintrob.com | The Parthenon