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Sylvia Hyman, “Opus 2006,” 2006, stoneware and porcelain, 10 by 24 by 9 inches. Courtesy of Cumberland Gallery.

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AT FRIST CENTER, ‘SYLVIA HYMAN: FICTIONAL CLAY’ w/1 cut

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NASHVILLE, TENN. — The Frist Center for the Visual Arts will open the exhibition “Sylvia Hyman: Fictional Clay,” Friday, June 22, in the Gordon Contemporary Artists Project Gallery and Education Gallery. Featuring 22 meticulously crafted trompe l’oeil sculptures created over the last eight years, the exhibition will coincide with the renowned clay artist’s 90th birthday. “Sylvia Hyman: Fictional Clay” continued through October 7, and is organized by the Frist Center.

After decades of working with clay in traditional ways, Hyman ventured in a new direction almost 15 years ago to a form of sculpture known as trompe l’oeil. In her sculpture, Hyman translates everyday objects that reflect her own interests and personal history — letters, maps, scrolls of sheet music and books — into stoneware and porcelain, and often screenprints these elements with text, symbols or images.

She places her clay objects in ceramic containers, which simulate the appearance of such things as berry baskets, cardboard and wooden boxes, even a faux alligator-skin violin case. The resulting sculptures inspired both delight and a sense of disorientation for viewers as they realize each object is created entirely with clay.

Hyman’s work was the subject of a recent documentary film, Sylvia Hyman: Eternal Wonder, which premiered at the Nashville Film Festival in April. The 23-minute film, produced and directed by Curt Hahn, Chief Executive Officer of Film House, provides an in-depth look at the artist’s body of work. An abbreviated version of Eternal Wonder will be featured in the Frist Center’s exhibition

Born in 1917 in Buffalo, N.Y. Hyman spent more than 30 years as an art teacher. In the early 1970s, she turned her focus entirely to creating art. In 1995, she was given a retrospective exhibition at the Tennessee State Museum, which featured 164 works created during a 30-year period. Following this exhibition Hyman concentrated on the creation of the trompe l’oeil works for which she is internationally known.

Hyman’s work is represented in many permanent collections around the world, including the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Renwick Gallery, Washington, D.C.; Museum of Decorative Arts, Prague, Czech Republic; Saga Prefecture Museum, Saga, Japan; and the Tennessee State Museum of Nashville. She is a member of the International Academy of Ceramics and is a founder and honorary lifetime member of the Tennessee Association of Craft Artists. Her numerous awards include the Lifetime Achievement Award in the Craft Arts from the National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, D.C., 1993; and the Tennessee Governor’s Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Arts, 1994.

On Thursday, July 19, at 6:30 pm, Frist Center Auditorium, Hyman and moderator Susan Knowles discuss the artist’s career longevity and her creative practices. Prior to the discussion, there will be a screening of Sylvia Hyman: Eternal Wonder. The event is free.

The Frist Center for the Visual Arts is at 919 Broadway. For information, 615-244-3340 or www.fristcenter.org.