Find more Memphis Brooks Museum of Art Events
Description
This summer, Karen Carrier sets the table and invites you to celebrate Memphis art.
Across three intimate evenings, the Memphis food artist — whose career began here, took shape in New York, and brought her back to build some of the city's most distinctive restaurants — will honor the artists who have shaped Memphis's creative life, and whose influence is seen today in museums, restaurants, studios, and galleries in the city and beyond.
Each menu is drawn from the people and places that shaped her work, and each evening takes its theme from a chapter of Memphis College of Art's history — the school where Carrier, like generations of Memphis artists, got her start. Wine included with every ticket.
Legacy at the Table runs alongside Memphis College of Art, 1936–2020: An Enduring Legacy.
We invite you to reserve your seat at the table. Spots are limited.
A New Home, A Growing Influence: The Rust Hall Years on June 24 is generously sponsored by Milton & Maggie Lovell and Patrick Blankinship & Jonathan Hancock. Creative Momentum: Memphis College of Art’s Contemporary Era on September 23 is generously sponsored by Milton and Maggie Lovell.
May 20, 2026 – The Founding Vision: James Lee Memorial Art Academy
Carrier begins at the beginning. The first evening is her tribute to the founders — the small group of artists and educators who, in 1936, believed Memphis deserved a serious art academy and built one through mentorship, vision, and personal commitment.
Menu
Espresso honey glazed lamb chops, rosemary za’atar spiced pecan dust, pineapple papaya butter, pickled cucumber beet petite herb salad
Tuna agua chile, Hawaiian tuna, heirloom tomato lime, Persian cucumbers, cocoa spice, crisp prosciutto, sesame, lime, shiso, mint, wasabi tobiko caviar, EVOO, wonton crisp
Cooper Young Farmers Market grilled spring vegetables, sesame sage dipping sauce
Sugar and spiced crispy duck lettuce wraps, almond skordalia, buttered jasmine rice, crisp shallots, cucumber, celery, Asian pear, shiso, rau ram, Thai basil, palm sugar lime nuoc mam vinaigrette
Heirloom tri-color cherry tomato, pomegranate, sweet pepper salad, Jasper Hill Blue, petite herbs, pomegranate molasses vinaigrette
Rice Krispie sharp cheddar pecan shortbread
Sesame and spiced pecan chicken spring rolls, arugula, red and green cabbage, radish, mint, carrot slaw, ginger mandarin juice, Ms. Cindy’s dipping sauce
Dessert: Vietnamese Café du Monde coffee pots de crème, whipped vanilla bean cream, spiced cocoa dust
June 24, 2026 – A New Home, A Growing Influence: The Rust Hall Years
The second evening is her tribute to MCA's growth years — the decades after its 1959 move to Rust Hall, when the school settled into Overton Park and became a cultural anchor for the city.
Menu
Nectarine, Manchego, Pomegranate Arugula Salad | Marcona Almonds | Candied Citrus | Arbequino Olive Oil
Applewood Grilled Faroe Island Salmon | Creole Mustard, White Wine, Honey Parsley Glaze + Blueberry Apricot Orange Relish | Citrus Gremolata | Toasted Pine Nuts
Tempura Snap Beans | Ponzu Dippin’ Sauce
Pork Loin | Coriander Mustard Fennel crust | Flo’s pickled Kirby’s & Carrots | Papaya Peach puree | Avocado | Cilantro | Arugula Oil | Queso Fresca | Shoestring Fries
Grilled Sweet Silver Corn Elote | Cotija Aioli | Spiced Salt
Ricotta Herb Fritters | Pea Mint Dippin’ Sauce | Lemon
Dessert: Buttery Peach Cobbler a la Mode
Sept. 23, 2026 – Creative Momentum: Memphis College of Art’s Contemporary Era
Carrier closes the series with MCA’s later decades, when experimentation, collaboration, and creative risk-taking shaped a new generation of artists. This evening celebrates the artists who carried MCA’s influence into studios, classrooms, galleries, businesses, and communities across Memphis and beyond.
Menu
Heirloom Red, Green & Golden Tomato Salad | Maple Glazed Prosciutto Parma | Vidalia’s | Shitake Bacon | Jasper Hill Blue | Torn Mint, Shiso, Rau Rum Mint & Thai Basil | Micro Greens and Buttermilk Scallion Dressing
Skillet Jalapeno Muenster Ms Lilly’s Cornbread | Herb Honey Butter
BBQ Grilled Steaks | Smoky BBQ Worcestershire Honey Orange Relish | Cocoa Spice Dust | Oaxacan Avocado | Tenn. Peaches with KBC’s Plums
Hickory Grilled Fingerling Potato Salad + Mustard Aioli, Celery, Red Onions and Dill
Grilled Summer Squash Carpaccio | Toasted Almonds | Extra Virgin Olive Oil | Candied Lemon Zest | Cotija | Basil | Brazil Nut dust
Tuna Pizzette- Grilled Flour Tortilla | Japanese BBQ Sauce, Red & Green Cabbage |Heirloom Tomato | Cucumbers | Red Onion | Hawaiian Tuna | Avocado | Sirachi & Wasabi Aioli | Toasted Sesame
Dessert: -Chocolate Yum Yum | Pecan Shortbread, whipped Cream Cheese with Silky Chocolate Puddin’ | Whipped Vanilla Cardomon Crema| Dark Chocolate Shavings
Sweet Red & Golden Watermelon | Lime | Maldon Salt
Why Attend?
This is a gathering for people who care about Memphis, its artists, and the creative communities that have shaped this city. If that’s you, you won’t want to miss it. Dinner will be served family-style to encourage conversation and connection, with every detail shaped by the spirit of the era being honored. Seating is intentionally limited to keep each dinner intimate.
A limited number of VIP experiences include:
A private pre-dinner tour of the exhibition led by an MCA alum featured in the show
A welcome reception inside the exhibition
Exhibition & Series Support
Memphis College of Art, 1936–2020: An Enduring Legacy is presented by Raymond James, with supporting sponsorship from Henry Luce Foundation, Grinder Taber Grinder, and Formanek Foundation. The exhibition is sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Wyeth Foundation for American Art, Anonymous, The James Lee House, Ellen and Brig Klyce, KC and Jeff Warren, Doug Carpenter + Associates, Kaywin Feldman and Jim Lutz, and the Art Now Collective.
The exhibition is part of the 2026 Tennessee Triennial, a statewide initiative celebrating contemporary artists and highlighting the strength and diversity of Tennessee’s visual art scene. The museum is proud to join the Frist Art Museum, the Knoxville Museum of Art, and the Hunter Museum of American Art in Chattanooga in this important collaboration.
All exhibitions at the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art are underwritten by the MBMA Exhibition Fund: Lead support provided by Kay Clark, and Maggie and Milton Lovell, with additional funding from Anonymous, Irene and Ron Ayotte, Gloria and Kenneth Boyland, Deborah and Bob Craddock, Susan and James Edelman, Debi and Galen Havner, Sally Hergenrader, James R. Humphreys, Barbara and Pitt Hyde, Betty and George Johnson, Kristen and Jay Keegan, Valerie and Carl Person, Deborah D. Tipton, Bill Townsend, and the Doris S. and Hubert Kiersky Charitable Remainder Trust
Members Save More—And Get More
Museum members receive special pricing and exclusive access to more than 400 events each year. Members also enjoy unlimited free admission to the galleries and 10% off purchases at the Museum Store and Café.
Don’t miss out—join today to experience more and help fuel our mission to create joy through the power of art.
Date & Time
May 20 - Sep 23, 2026
Venue Details
Memphis Brooks Museum of Art
1934 Poplar AvenueMemphis, Tennessee 38104
