We Are The Parthenon

Ancient Greece meets moving truck outside Nashville Parthenon

Hello Again, Susan O'Malley here.

The first time I visited the Parthenon at Centennial Park I was floored - a building with the same specs as the Greek Parthenon! A gorgeous gilded Athena by local Nashville artist Alan LeQuire that took my breath away. I wondered how this replica building has shaped Nashville's identity as the sister city to Athens. I also thought about what it means to bring to life this structure that was built and destroyed hundreds of years ago in a distant land. So I spent a good amount of time taking in the building during my visit.

The first time I saw the Nashville Parthenon. You may not feel it in this photo but I assure you It was exciting.

If you are a tourist in Nashville, you will most certainly visit the Parthenon. If you are Nashville resident, you have probably come to the Parthenon or Centennial Park to hangout in the shade, walk along its paths or play on its field.

Artist and Nashville resident Kayla Saito stretches her arms as wide as the Parthenon.

It's tricky to try to find new ways to look at a popular building and park like this. But with the help of local student and artist Kayla Saito, we set out to explore the Parthenon as research for Your Body is the Architecture, the project commissioned for the Parthenon's upcoming FLEX IT! exhibition.

Here are a few things we did and observed.

How to imprint yourself on the Parthenon:



Nashville Shadows from Susan O'Malley on Vimeo.

How to reach your arms as wide as the Parthenon:

Nashville Arms from Susan O'Malley on Vimeo.

What are your observations of the Parthenon? How does your body relate to this building?

In my next post, I'll share some more how-to videos as well as the update for the sign installation. Thanks for reading!