Sculptures built from spoons, found objects make up new exhibit

By Forrest Sanders

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    NASHVILLE, Tennessee (WTVF) — Now, 33 new pieces of art are part of Cheekwood’s latest exhibit, on display through Oct. 27. Truly, there is even more to these pieces than meets the eye. A world renowned artist is sharing a Nashville story.

Inspirations for artist Ann Carrington’s newest exhibit include the Cheekwood botanical garden flowers that she has managed to capture as sculptures. Ann’s latest creations are now in Cheekwood Mansion. They invite a closer look. Several of the sculptures are partly made of spoons.

“I’m finding sculptures from found objects, recycled objects,” Ann said. “I’m telling stories with materials, really.”

“This is all welded together, mainly from cutlery, but it’s also got nails in it, door handles, corkscrews, all sorts of metallic objects,” she said, turning her attention to a piece sitting on a table. “I think of this as a cornucopia.”

“Up here we’ve got a spider’s web, and the spider’s web has been welded from steel,” Ann continued, turning her attention to another piece. “These are, like, old ash trays, old jewelry, old pennies, beads.”

Ann’s work is part of the Interventions arts initiative where Cheekwood invites renowned artists to create work inspired by the Cheek family who lived there.

“I wanted to tell a story through the Cheeks, through things you might have found in their house,” said Ann.

Ann started thinking of all the guests who would have attended lavish dinner parties around the era of the 1930s. That’s why she decided to use things like spoons.

“I could imagine the whole family coming in with their glamorous friends,” Ann said.

Then there are references to the Cheek family’s world travels, to their lives as equestrians.

“These are horse brasses,” Ann said, looking at another piece. “I’ve woven together this lovely curtain. They loved their gardens. I thought I would make the bouquets specific to the gardens here.”

Ann grew up a creative child in central England and went on to create pieces for Gwyneth Paltrow, Elton John, and the Queen. She said through all the adventures art has brought to her, there’s a joy that’s always the same. It’s the way people discover the things that have gone into her work.

“Every object has the potential to tell a story,” Ann said. “I just hope they’ll look at the world around them with fresh eyes and see beauty in the mundane.”

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