41. Musica Sculpture

Since there was some buzz around town about this sculpture with the recent St. Patrick’s Day prank, I thought it would be a good idea to tell the story behind this sometimes controversial piece of art.

Musica is located in the middle of the Music Row round-a-bout and was built as part of an urban renewal project. All of the money raised was given by local art supporters to create a lasting gift to the city. The sculpture features nine dancing figures with a total height of thirty eight feet. Each figure is fourteen or fifteen feet tall and are all cast in bronze.

Alan LeQuire’s inspiration for Musica was “Dance is the physical expression of music and the piece is intended to convey that feeling to the viewer in a composition which is simple, exuberant and celebratory. The theme of the sculpture is music, because of the historical and economic significance of the site. This is the heart of Music Row, the area and the artistic activity for which Nashville is best known. The sculpture conveys the importance of music to Nashville, past, present and future, and represents all forms of music without reference to any one form or style. It is meant to provide a visual icon for the area and for the city as a whole.”

He continues, “The theme is music, but the sculpture represents artistic creativity itself. An artistic idea often seems to miraculously and spontaneously burst forth. This is what happens in the sculpture, and the title Musica suggests this since it refers to all the ‘arts of the muses.’ “

Musica is loved by some and hated by some, but it is definitely a tribute to the creativity of our city. If you have never taken the time to go see it then I suggest it.