Travelers looking for immersive cultural experiences beyond the usual Music City must-sees will find a compelling reason to visit Nashville this spring. Opening February 21 at CASS Contemporary, “GLEAM” is a new group exhibition that explores how light, reflection, and surface materials transform the way paintings are perceived, sometimes dramatically, depending on where the viewer stands.
Located in the hip neighborhood of Wedgewood-Houston, CASS Contemporary has quickly become a destination for collectors, designers, and culturally curious travelers. “GLEAM” continues that momentum, presenting works by four acclaimed artists—Alex Bacon, Drew Merritt, Leon Keer, and Vance—whose practices invite viewers to slow down, move around, and experience art as an active, shifting encounter rather than a static image.
When Paintings Refuse to Sit Still
At the heart of “GLEAM” is a deceptively simple idea: paintings change. Through specialized materials, reflective surfaces, layered pigments, and optical techniques, the artists featured in the exhibition create works that respond to light and perspective. As visitors stroll through the gallery, colors subtly shift, shadows deepen, and previously hidden details emerge.
Unlike traditional exhibitions, where a single vantage point offers an ideal view, “GLEAM” rewards curiosity. A painting that appears restrained from one angle may feel luminous from another. Metallic elements catch ambient light. Gloss and matte surfaces play off each other. The experience encourages motion, prompting viewers to circle each piece, step closer, then pull back again.
This sense of movement makes each visit feel personal and slightly different. Morning light through the gallery windows will produce one effect; evening light will produce another. Even two viewers standing side by side may see something different, reinforcing the exhibition’s central theme that perception is never fixed.
Artist Leon Keer, Courtesy of CASS Contemporary
Four Artists, Four Approaches to Light and Perception
While united by a shared exploration of light and surface, the four artists in “GLEAM” bring distinctive visual languages to the gallery.
Alex Bacon is known for atmospheric paintings that feel suspended between realism and abstraction. His use of layered color and reflective sheen in murals and other large-scale pieces creates works that seem to glow from within, shifting subtly as the viewer moves.
Drew Merritt’s figurative pieces often draw viewers in with familiar forms before revealing unexpected distortions or reflective elements. His work plays with recognition and ambiguity, encouraging longer engagement as details emerge slowly.
Leon Keer, widely recognized for his street and illusion-based work, brings a trompe-l’oeil sensibility into the gallery setting. His paintings manipulate depth and perspective, challenging viewers to question what is flat and what appears dimensional.
Vance’s work leans into material experimentation, using surfaces that absorb and reflect light equally. The result is a body of work that feels tactile and alive, responding dynamically to its surroundings.
Together, the artists create an exhibition that underscores how contemporary painting continues to evolve beyond canvas and pigment alone.
Artist Alex Bacon, Photo Courtesy of CASS Contemporary
A Cultural Stop That Expands Nashville’s Creative Identity
Nashville’s reputation as a music capital is well earned, but its visual arts scene has been quietly expanding, particularly in neighborhoods like Wedgewood-Houston. Once an industrial area, the district now houses galleries, studios, design firms, and creative spaces that draw both locals and visitors looking for a deeper cultural experience.
CASS Contemporary has positioned itself at the center of this evolution, bringing national and international artists to a city still defining its identity in the contemporary art world. “GLEAM” follows the close of Tristan Eaton’s debut Nashville exhibition, “Lately,” further signaling the gallery’s commitment to presenting work that feels both globally relevant and locally transformative.
“We’re so honored to continue enhancing the Nashville cultural scene with types of art the city has yet to see,” said Jake Greatens, co-owner of CASS Contemporary. “One of the best parts of our job is introducing people to artists, works, and mediums they may not yet know. This exhibition does that while also encouraging reflection, something that feels particularly relevant at the start of a new year.”
For travelers planning a spring visit, “GLEAM” offers a distinctive alternative to more familiar attractions. It is an experience that fits neatly into an art-forward itinerary alongside local design shops, architecture tours, and Nashville’s growing culinary landscape.
Why “GLEAM” Is an Exhibition You Feel, Not Just See
What sets “GLEAM” apart is not just its roster of artists, but the way it reframes the act of looking. The exhibition asks visitors to be present. To notice how their own movement changes what they see. To recognize that perception is shaped by context, timing, and perspective.
In a cultural climate defined by fast scrolling and instant impressions, “GLEAM” rewards the patience of a slower pace, and it reminds viewers that art, like cities themselves, reveals more when explored from multiple angles.
The exhibition will be on display at CASS Contemporary from February 21, with a public reception, through the final Saturday in April. For travelers, collectors, and locals alike, it offers another reason to see Nashville in a new light—literally and figuratively.