Knoxville, Tennessee is a city whose stories are painted on brick and forged in metal. These works transform public spaces and improve access to art for everyone. I love exploring open-air galleries and getting a real feel for the spirit of the area. Below are some of my favorite public works.
To park downtown and have the time to walk around, we paid a $10 parking fee for two hours.
Greetings Murals
Greetings from Knoxville is part of the Greetings Tour murals across the country. Knoxville’s letters contain highlights from around the city like the river and Sunsphere.
Postcard from Knoxville is on the side of the Knoxville Visitors Center. As with the Greetings mural, Bobbie Crews filled the postcard with iconic images of the region.
Strong Alley
Strong Alley (Graffiti Alley) is sandwiched between Gay Street and Market Square. Like Luminous Lane in Charlotte, North Carolina, dozens of murals breathe light and life into the normally drab space. Local artists are prominently displayed, and many pieces are refreshed annually.
The portrait of Dolly Parton is a notable piece, but I also loved the ranger dog (Gared Luquet), flock together (Andi Brott), an astronaut (Cole Davis), a portrait with flowers and hummingbirds (Whit Herrington), and of course Downtown Knoxville (Megan Lingerfelt).
Krutch Park
Near Strong Alley, Charles Krutch Park is a small green space with sculptures, benches, gardens, and a water feature with a cascade and gentle stream. Crimson Ring (Glenn Zweygardt), Deep Red Core (Adam Walls), Sailor’s Warning (Duke Oursler), and Steampunk Babylon (Charles Pilkey) caught my eye.
The Oarsman
On the corner of Church and Gay Street, a rowing man sculpture by David Phelps peers into the distance. The Oarsman seems to have missed the Tennessee River by a couple of blocks.
World's Fair Park
This park sits on the former fairgrounds where Knoxville hosted the 1982 World’s Fair. A 266-foot Sunsphere towers over the park, one of two remaining structures from the fair. It is topped with a gold-colored sphere meant to represent the sun.
Kelsey Montague and her team painted the COVID-19 Memorial mural on one of the Clinch Avenue viaduct underpasses. It features a motif of brightly colored flying birds soaring into a brilliant blue archway. The team was passionate about wanting to help families hurt by COVID-19 to heal and celebrate their lost loved ones.
Rachmaninoff: The Last Concert statue pays tribute to Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff, a famous Russian composer. Victor Bokarev beautifully captured his last recital in 1943 at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.
From the park, visitors can walk toward UT campus. Weaving Rainbow Mountain is a stairway with 43 brightly patterned steps. Created by Jessie Unterhalter and Katey Truhn, this practical rainbow brought a smile to my face.
Swimming Koi
In the Bearden neighborhood, on the side of Jerry’s Artarama, Swimming Koi Fish is a vibrant sea of color. Curtis Glover captures every scale and splash as these fish explore the space.
The next time you find yourself wandering around Knoxville, remember to look up, down, and around. Don’t just walk through the city; experience the art that makes it unforgettable.
Amazing! For a downtown large city area, it is apparent they are a supporter of the arts! We remember seeing the last mural shown at Jerry’s Artarama. Next time we visit, we will make it a point to visit the Knoxville’s downtown area. Your blog will be with close at hand.