Knoxville has a rich and diverse arts and culture calendar that ranges from annual traditions we know and love and to unique one-off events and exhibitions that fly beneath the radar. “The Eight Great” is our curated list of calendar highlights presented monthly with Hellmouth Magazine, a nonprofit arts organization dedicated to publishing quality cultural commentary. Vol. 2 is out now! Check it out: Website | Instagram
The Semiquincentennial Summer is hot, hot, hot. Here’s eight cool events that may or may not keep you from overheating.
FRIDAY, JULY 3
Temporal Angst @ Broadway Studios and Gallery • 5–9 pm • FREE •
Temporal Angst, opening at Broadway Studios and Gallery, focuses on states of fracture in architecture whether it is due to design, idleness, or chance. Taryn Ferro, a Knoxville based multidisciplinary photographer, focuses on capturing life from the perspective of a documentarian and journalist. Ferro presents a quiet, but demanding look at human choice to destroy, build, occupy, abandon, destroy.
FRIDAY, JULY 10
A Foothold, That Is All @ Relay Ridge Collaborative Artist Space • 6–9 pm • FREE •
“Painting is a long process of getting into and out of trouble,” says Chattanooga-based artist Judy Rushin-Knopf. Join her at Relay Ridge for the opening of her solo exhibition of weavings, A Foothold, That Is All. There will also be Open Artist Studios + printmaking demonstrations in the Community Printshop.
SATURDAY + SUNDAY, JULY 11 & 12
Tennessee Triennial Weekend @ Knoxville Museum of Art + Central Cinema • 10 am – 4 pm • Free for KMA members | $5 non-members •
The statewide Tennessee Triennial for Contemporary Art focuses on Tennessee’s contemporary art scene, while also fostering a connection to the wider contemporary art world. To celebrate in Knoxville, join and create a Mini Giant-Puppet Parade (courtesy of the Cattywampus Puppet Council and the Honkers & Bangers), experience Christmas in July hosted by artist Wayne White at Central Cinema (showing Pee-wee’s Playhouse Christmas Special and Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas), and enjoy a special interactive Musical Zoo presented by the Joy of Music.
THURSDAY, JULY 16
Declaration: I Am Tennessee @ East Tennessee History Center • 6:30–8:30 pm • FREE •
In this gathering of poems and short prose, 30 Knox County writers explore how Tennessee has shaped them. Initiated by Knoxville’s poet laureate, Linda Parsons, the Knoxville Writers Guild has partnered with the East Tennessee Historical Society to uplift these varied voices as a record of being in their place at this time, with all of its rolling green beauty, and equally of wrestling with the complexities of that place.
FRIDAY, JULY 17
Reflection: Between Surface & Self @ Lilienthal Gallery • 5–8 pm • FREE •
Artists Jimmy O’Neal and Martin Herbst inquire upon what happens when the mirror lies to the viewer with intention. Distorted, foggy mirrored paint and crumpled steel transform the world into a warped refraction. They dance on the teetering line between realms, inviting viewers to immerse themselves into the artwork and draw their own conclusions about the visions revealed.
JUNE 13 – JULY 31
Mystery Art League @ District Gallery • Open 10:00 am – 5:30 pm • FREE •
Every artwork contains a deeper message, but with a unique approach, the Mystery Art League imbues their pieces with literal hidden messages. This immersive art experience blends fine art, storytelling, and puzzle-solving. In Entry Earned: A Father’s Test, a determined young man must prove his worth before he can earn what he wants most. He’s asked for your help. The path forward isn’t obvious — the clues are hidden in plain sight, woven into the artwork on the walls.
SATURDAY, JULY 25
Exphrastic Poetry Performance | Beauford Delaney: Degrees of Separation @ UT Downtown Gallery • 1:30–3:00 pm • FREE •
Curated by Inaugural Poet Laureate, Orange County, CA 2022-2024, Dr. Natalie Graham will lead an afternoon of poetry to coincide with foundational artworks by Beauford Delaney.
The performance will feature readings by award-winning local and international poets. Beauford Delaney’s luminous paintings and magnetic character bridged the gap between everyday individuals and global icons, joining them in relationships that stretched from Knoxville to Paris.
FRIDAY, JULY 31
CHROMA Live Score Film Screening @ St. James Episcopal Church • 8 pm • FREE •
An evening of experimental film and music previewing the inaugural CHROMA: Image & Sound Film Festival. Featuring Anticipation of the Night, Stan Brakhage’s landmark exploration of movement, light, and perception, presented with a live improvised score by Jacob O’Donnell. Followed by Leviathan, an immersive journey into the world of commercial fishing that transforms the sea into something beautiful, chaotic, and otherworldly, accompanied by a live improvised score from Slow Blink.
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