Posted by vrcvanderbilt on Friday, September 7, 2018 in Events, Fine Arts Gallery, HART, Lectures, News, Vanderbilt University, VRC.

More than 200 people filled the Vanderbilt Fine Arts Gallery and atrium of Cohen Hall for the opening of I AM: Middle Eastern Women Artists and the Quest to Build Peace on Thursday, August 30.

“We fail to leave an impact on the world unless we broadly engage the many ways that people are experiencing it,” said Chancellor Nicholas Zeppos who hosted the event. “Vanderbilt and Nashville are uniquely positioned as a beacon for driving global understanding. We welcome all voices and all ways that lead to learning.”

Other special guests included The Rev. Paul-Gordon Chandler, founding president of CARAVAN, and featured Bahranian artist Sheikha Lulwa Al-Khalifa.

On view through October 10, the exhibit features the work of 31 premier Middle Eastern women artists from 12 countries, visually celebrating the pivotal contributions that women make to the enduring global quest for harmony and peace.

The next program scheduled in conjunction with the exhibit is a panel discussion on Wednesday, September 12, at 5 pm in Cohen 203. Free and open to the public, this panel will feature Nahed Artoul Zehr, executive director of the Faith and Culture Center; Maria Magdalena Campos-Pons, Cornelius Vanderbilt Endowed Chair of Fine Arts, and Joseph Mella, director of the Vanderbilt Fine Arts Gallery, as moderator. The exhibit and program are supported by the Office of the Chancellor.

The Fine Arts Gallery is located in Cohen Memorial Hall at 1220 21st Avenue South on the Peabody College campus. Gallery hours are from 11 am to 4 pm Monday through Friday, and from 1 to 5 pm weekends.