I’ve been told by several people, several times that I needed to visit the Hunter Museum of American Art. This week I trekked over to the beautiful Bluff View Arts District and did just that.
First, I didn’t realize just how big the museum is. I thought it was just the Hunter Mansion, but the museum additions throughout the years are far more impressive.
To see that historic mansion next to this modern, industrial style museum entrance with outdoor terraces providing visitors with a breathtaking view of the Tennessee River floored me.
The final renovations and additions were part of the 21st century Waterfront Plan and included 28,000 square feet of museum space as well as the renovation of 34,000 square feet of the historic 1905 mansion.
The mansion was originally built for wealthy broker Ross Faxon and his family. Later, it was bought by the widow of Benjamin F. Thomas, one of the founders of the Coca-Cola bottling Company. Years later it was donated to the Chattanooga Art Association so they could create an art museum.
You’ll know you’re standing in an old building when you tour the mansion portion of the museum. Those wooden floors will creak and groan under your steps. The interior of the mansion is grand and opulent. The art there is older and more reflective of American history. A painting of America’s first President, George Washington, is at the forefront of one of the galleries in the mansion.
I specifically came to see a new exhibit which opened August 14, and runs through March 6, 2028, called Upcycled Garden, a vibrant site-specific installation by Daniel “Attaboy” Seifert. The artwork was constructed entirely from discarded cardboard and found materials. The vivid colors were created from leftover house and spray paints, reinforcing the artist’s commitment to conservation.
What I didn’t expect was to walk into an exhibit of vibrant green, yellow, blue and pink shaped objects that looked like fruits and plants placed in a manner to resemble an outdoor garden. He took discarded objects and repurposed them to give us a better understanding of preserving nature.
According to the original release the project began during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown, when Seifert started collecting and repurposing discarded items—from prescription bottles and pizza boxes to COVID test packaging. For Seifert, who developed post-traumatic stress disorder and neurological symptoms after a serious car accident, the process became a form of art therapy.
I sat in that room for a few minutes in the stillness and quiet and it reminded me that we need to do a better job of taking care of our environment. His work gave me a sense of purpose and the knowledge that we can all do better.
Later I went to the second floor where a feature exhibit called Saya Woolfalk: Empathic Universe was being exhibited. I stood there in awe of the mixed media use of mannequins, cloth, textiles, sound and colors. According to the artist’s bio, the New York based artist uses science fiction and fantasy to re-imagine the world in multiple dimensions. Woolfalk created the world of the Empathics, a fictional race of women who can alter their genetic make-up and fuse with plants.
One piece, The Empathic Universe Opening features several mannequins sitting in a circle with their heads together as if they’re sharing one mind and one thought, unity. Another shows the Empathics as if in a dance. I’ve never seen anything like this before. Three-dimensional larger than life artwork not only unique but awe-inspiring.
Back on the first floor, I ventured into another wing of the museum and black and white photographs caught my attention. One was a photo of Andy Warhol with his dog. Another was the band Nirvana with Kurt Cobain. The artist, world renowned photojournalist Donna Ferrato. She is a champion in the fight against domestic violence and an advocate for women’s rights. As it says on her bio, Ferrato continues her lifelong mission of wielding the camera as a tool for justice.
There are so many great artists being exhibited at Hunter. Among the paintings one by Thomas Hart Benton done in 1943 called The Wreck of the Ole 97 caught my eye because of the brightness and story being told.
A horse carriage careening toward a roaring train. The two men seated up front trying to stop the inevitable while a young woman passenger in the back of the carriage falls to the ground.
According to his bio, Benton was a leader of the American Regionalist art movement. He painted large, flowing public murals and energetic scenes of everyday people, farmers, and factory workers in the Midwest and rural United States.
Benton was born into political aristocracy, and though he lived a life of privilege, he was most comfortable finding himself within the working-class communities of rural America.
I spent a few hours walking around the museum and learned a lot while also seeing incredible works of art. If you’ve never been to Hunter Museum, you’re missing out on art, culture, history and wonder.
The art doesn’t stop after you leave the building. On the outside terrace and around the plaza is an outdoor sculpture garden. There are 15 sculptures and the map to guide you is provided when you enter the museum.
Hunter Museum of American Art
- 10 Bluff View Street, Chattanooga, TN
- (423) 267-0968
- www.huntermuseum.org
After you pay your entrance fee, enter your car tag in the computer to receive three hours of free parking.