Galleries in the South Main District of Memphis

Many people are familiar with Memphis as a destination of choice for unique music, barbeque, and dive bars. But Memphis also has a thriving community of artists and art galleries. The South Main Historic District, located in downtown Memphis along the trolley lines, has re-invented itself as 'the Soho of the South.' With its charming atmosphere and the highest concentration of art galleries in the city, it is the first and best bet for those interested in visual art.

Jay Etkin Gallery
409 South Main, 901-543-0035
etkinart@hotmail.com, www.jayetkingallery.com
11am-5pm Tues-Sat or by appointment

The Jay Etkin Gallery, one of the Mid-South's largest galleries, is also one of the oldest galleries in Memphis and a cornerstone of the South Main District. Etkin's gallery specializes in paintings, sculpture, and works on paper, as well as vintage art from Africa, Peru, New Guinea, and Mexico. Stop by and you may be treated to a colorful story or two by the charming Etkin himself. The amazing architecture of the gallery building houses a lot of Memphis history as well.

Insider Tip: Etkin's gallery has a large stock of painting, sculpture, photography, and ethnographic works, besides what is currently on display. Don't hesitate to explore.

D'Edge Art & Unique Treasures
550 South Main, 901-521-0054 or 866-521-0054
dedgeart4@aol.com, www.d-edgeart.com
11am-5pm Wed-Sat 12-4pm Sun. Flexible hours on Mon.

The colorful D'Edge Art and Unique Treasures houses two floors of contemporary folk and blues art by regional and international artists. Also find many 'unique treasures,' such as collectible music prints and posters.

Insider Tip: D'Edge represents the famous Memphis folk artist, George Hunt. Make this your first stop if you are looking for the best in Southern folk art.

Hollis Arts Studio/Gallery
408 South Front Suite 104, 901-522-8300
11am-6pm Mon-Fri: weekends by appointment

Visit the studio/gallery of artist Mickey Hollis. Hollis Arts offers original contemporary artwork in a variety of mediums.

Joysmith Gallery
46 Huling Avenue, 901-543-0505
joysmithstudio@aol.com, www.joysmith.com
Tuesday- Friday 10 am -6 pm, Sat.- Sun. 11 am - 4 pm.

The Joysmith Gallery offers a wide selection of African-American artists such as John Biggers, Claude Clark and Brenda Joysmith; as well as ancestral and contemporary art from Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Latin-, Native-, and South America.

Insider Tip: Both Hollis Arts and Joysmith Gallery are located on Huling Row, a cross- street of South Main, filled with a variety of galleries and art studios. Be sure not to pass by on your way down South Main!

Jack Robinson Photography Gallery & Archive
44 Huling, 901-576-0708
www.jackrobinsonarchive.com
Wed - Sun 12-5pm

The only fine art photography gallery in Memphis is devoted to showcasing and maintaining the legacy of the late Jack Robinson. The collection of Mr. Robinson's work contains fascinating portraits of models, musicians, and actors from 50's, 60's, and 70's, as well as documentary photography and fine art.

Insider Tip: Every Thursday, the Jack Robinson Gallery hosts 'The Speakeasy,' a rotating showcase of local music and poetry and performance. Extremely small and intimate, this is a true Memphis insider event. Arrive at 8 PM.

SubSpaceSouth
502 South Main, 713-501-2881 or 800-519-5230
www.subspacesouth.com, kbender@subspacesouth.com

This new Memphis gallery focuses on a fresh selection of contemporary art. Rotating shows of painting, photography, sculpture, and video feature the best in local and national contemporary art. Look here for emerging talent, as well as exciting installation and video work.

The landscape of South Main is changing fast, and this is only a selection of the art you can find in the area. The wide variety of galleries on South Main offer local, regional, national, and international art at many different price points, so, no matter what your budget, you can find an original work of art to invest in and enjoy.

Check out www.southmainmemphis.org for a complete listing of galleries, businesses, and events in the area.

Insider Tip: On the last Friday of every month, South Main hosts the Art Trolley Tour from 6 PM to 9 PM. The galleries have special openings and refreshments and local artists do street demonstrations ranging from painting to throwing pots to glass working. Live musicians perform in the businesses and on the streets. The Trolley will take you up and down South Main for free during the event- hence the name- or you can stroll the sidewalks and people watch. This is a great way to enjoy some food, wine, music, and art for free. Many events are seasonal, such as the summer Fresh Air Flicks, an outdoor movie theater, but the Trolley Tour goes all year round, so be sure to stop by.