Andre’ Henderson exhibition ‘Journey & Clotilda – The Final Journey’

The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs’ Gallery 72 opens “Journey & Clotilda – The Final Journey”, a collection of paintings, by artist Andre’ Henderson, spanning the past decade and including debuting new works.

November 17th, 2022, through February 17, 2023

Artist Talk December 15th, 2022, from 7pm t0 8pm

Henderson states that he is continuously being guided through the storytelling of his ancestors through the works of Journey & Clotilda – The Final Journey.  “As an African American artist, I feel that it’s not only my mission but also my calling to speak the truth especially in a time where society feels that it is okay to erase history as though it never existed. To date there are many historical books that have been written about the Clotilda but I feel it necessary to honor its descendants with a collection of work, paintings that will last a life time and beyond solidifying their place in history.” said Henderson.

While both series are connected as they chronicle the history of the Atlantic Slave Trade, the Journey series was painted on canvas were as the Clotilda series is painted on wooden panels of pine. This was intentionally done to elicit reference to the wooden vessel that brought the final African captives to the United States.

“My personal goal is to share what I believe to be an intrinsic message delivered to me through the collective voices of millions of African ancestors as channeled through my art. It all originates from and exists within a place of certainty and fact. Not all the subjects I paint are meant to be beautiful. Sometimes art hurts, even to paint it. But what is certain is that they will create dialogue where perhaps there was none. My inspiration for creating the Clotilda the last slave ship series was based on seeing a documentary on the subject. As it goes with all my work, I researched further to gain more knowledge on the actual historical facts surrounding the story.”

Gallery 72 is located at 72 Marietta Street, Atlanta, GA 30303.

Lisa Tuttle’s Postcolonial Karma Now Open at Gallery 72

Atlanta, GA — Lisa Tuttle’s postcolonial karma exhibition at Gallery 72 takes viewers on a journey that has been both complicated and enlightening for the Atlanta-based conceptual artist whose work addresses issues of gender, race and class. As a white woman born and raised in the South, descended from white Southerners, living in a progressive, multicultural Atlanta – Tuttle’s multi-media art practice has often reflected on the relationship, and conflict, between the races. postcolonial karma shares some of these observations. The exhibition opened on Friday, October 8 and will be on view through January 31, 2022. Gallery 72 is located at 72 Marietta Street, Atlanta, GA 30303. Admission is free and open to the public.

“We are excited to present this timely and thought-provoking artwork by Atlanta artist Lisa Tuttle,” states Kevin Sipp, Manager of Gallery 72 for the City of Atlanta – Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs. “We hope the work encourages conversation.”

postcolonial karma is a focused retrospective of Tuttle’s artworks, created over the last 25 years, whose topic has been a personal exploration of the interaction of black and white cultures in the American South, and in the world, including Belgium and South Africa. These works have been shown in previous solo and group exhibitions, but never collectively.

Tuttle has created new artwork for this exhibition, focusing on alternative proposals to address the carving of the three Confederate leaders at Stone Mountain. In considering the current efforts to remove Confederate iconography from public space, the trajectory of her work shifted – focusing specifically on women’s roles in the erection of Confederate monuments and the construction of the myth of the “Lost Cause”.

Approximately 30 artworks are featured in postcolonial karma, including fabric works, photographs, mixed media constructions, and works on paper. *Artwork featured in this release is Klan Ghosts on Stone Mountain.

Gallery 72 is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm. Guests are required to wear masks and abide by COVID protocols when visiting the gallery.

This exhibition is part of this year’s ELEVATE Atlanta Art Festival and the project is funded by the City of Atlanta – Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs.

MEDIA: For artwork for this release, go to the ELEVATE media Dropbox https://bit.ly/ELEVATE-ATL-2021 and click on the Lisa Tuttle folder. To set up interviews, or for more information, contact Karen Hatchett at Hatchett PR, karen@hatchettpr.com.

Elevate 2021 Exhibitions at City Galleries

Gallery 72 exhibition Set for ELEVATE–September 19^th / November 31^st

Postcolonial Karma will be a focused retrospective survey of Lisa Tuttle’s artworks, created over the last 25 years, whose topic has been a personal exploration of the interaction of black and white cultures in the American South, and in the world. These works have been shown in several previous solo and group exhibitions (but never collectively):

Color, Culture and Complexity – MoCA GA

Inheritance – Sandler Hudson Gallery

Belgian (Congo) Diary – Sandler Hudson Gallery

Palimpsest: A Sea Island Cotton Plantation – City Gallery East, Clark-Atlanta University and Atlanta Contemporary

Haunted – Chastain Gallery

Journey – Caversham Press, South Africa

Fence – Agnes Scott College

Mock Proposal  – Poem88

Tuttle is also creating new work for this exhibition, focusing on alternative proposals to address the carving of the three Confederate leaders at Stone Mountain.

Approximately 30 artworks will be exhibited, including fabric works, photographs, mixed media constructions, and works on paper. Community conversations/engagements will be presented, artist talks and panels – and a modest companion catalogue raisonné (print on-demand) will be produced.

…

New Acquisitions- Showcasing City of Atlanta Recent Art Purchases

Chastain Art Center Gallery and The Mayor’s Gallery at City Hall -September 18th/October 31^st ,2021

During the Pandemic the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) understood that the best way to support artists was to support their artistry. After promoting a public call for submissions, we received overwhelming responses from each creative category.  We convened expert panels to select a final list of poets, short story writers, photographers, painters, and choreographers for the creation of new works and the purchase of existing works. The exhibition New Acquisitions highlights the works of art that are now part of the City of Atlanta’s permanent art collection. Eventually each of these works will be displayed in public spaces owned and administered by the City of Atlanta. This exhibition will feature 30 + artist and their distinctive works.

Gallery 72 at 2 City Plaza, is a municipal gallery operated by the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs dedicated to presenting stimulating and thought provoking contemporary art and programs that focus on advancing Atlanta’s arts offering. The gallery is located at 72 Marietta Street NW; Atlanta, GA 30303.

Chastain Arts Center is an educational facility that offers classes, workshops, and exhibits in a variety of creative mediums. Established in 1968 as an arts center, Chastain Arts Center is the oldest Arts Center in Atlanta.

Chastain Art Center is located at 135 Chastain Park Ave.; Atlanta, GA 30342.

The Mayor’s Gallery at City Hall gives rising and established artists an unparalleled showcase and seeks to establish itself as a launching pad for underrepresented Atlanta art professionals, as well as new Atlanta arrivals deserving of exposure.

The Mayor’s Gallery is a municipal art gallery located at 55 Trinity Ave SW; Atlanta, GA 30303 on the 2^nd floor of the City Hall Annex in the foyer of the Mayor’s Suite.

City of Atlanta, OCA, and Hartsfield-Jackson Honors Atlanta Child Murder Victims with Portrait Art Exhibit

Portrait of Clifford Jones by artist Dwayne Mitchell, one of a series of portraits that will be apart of the Atlanta Children’s Memorial Portraits collection.

Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, the Atlanta Children’s Memorial Taskforce, the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) announces the exhibition of the Atlanta Children’s Memorial Portraits at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, opening Wednesday, June 30, 2021 at 3:30 p.m.

“This Atlanta Children’s Memorial Portraits exhibit at Hartsfield-Jackson, one of the busiest airports in the world, will honor these kids and be of great comfort to many of the families and residents of Atlanta,” said Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.

Selected from a competition of over 100 regional visual art professionals, artist Dwayne Mitchell was commissioned to create 30 portraits memorializing each victim of the Atlanta Child Murders.

The OCA will exhibit Mitchell’s completed portraits at Hartsfield-Jackson in the Domestic Terminal atrium with a companion catalog. After the exhibit, the artwork will transition into the City’s Public Art Collection.

The Atlanta Child Murders were a series of killings committed between 1979 and 1981. At least 30 African Americans—mostly children and adolescents—were targeted.

“I want to thank Mayor Bottoms, the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, The Atlanta Children’s Memorial Taskforce, and our award-winning art program for honoring the lives that were lost during this horrific time with the Atlanta Children’s Memorial Portraits at Hartsfield-Jackson,” said Airport General Manager Balram “B” Bheodari.

In 2019, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms issued an administrative order to establish the Mayor’s Advisory Committee: Atlanta Children’s Memorial Taskforce. The Taskforce, comprised of mayoral appointees from the community, was charged with determining an appropriate acknowledgment of the lives cut short during the Atlanta Child Murders. The Atlanta Children’s Memorial Portraits was one of two projects determined by the taskforce to acknowledge the memory of the lives lost. The second project, the Atlanta Children’s Memorial Eternal Flame, is currently under review and will reside on the grounds of Atlanta City Hall once complete.

The City of Atlanta thanks artist Dwayne Mitchell for sharing his artistic vision with us as we work to memorialize

the lives lost during one of the City’s darkest hours. To learn more about Dwayne Mitchell and his art, visit www.dartportraits.com.

OCA Launches First-Ever Virtual Exhibition with Sara Hornbacher’s “PRECESSION OF THE SIMULACRA”

Photo by Bermix Studio on Unsplash

The City of Atlanta – Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs is pleased to share Sara Hornbacher’s “The Final Flag,” an excerpt from “PRECESSION OF THE SIMULACRA,” in our first-ever virtual exhibition.

Premiering digitally on the OCA’s Facebook page on Monday, November 2 at 3 PM, the virtual and social-distanced installation features remixed video work created by pioneering video artist Sara Hornbacher. The exhibition will also be on view at Gallery 72 (72 Marietta St. NW, Atlanta, GA) through the exterior gallery window from Monday, November 2, 2020, to Wednesday, January 21, 2021.

Created in 1988, the excerpt is the final leg of a 22-minute video responding to attempts to abridge artistic or political use of the American Flag.

The Flag Finale represents the third order of the simulacra, where reality is immediately contaminated by the simulacrum. The stabilized form of the code is corrupted and separated.

At this stage of representation, the conventions of individuality and community are experienced as by-products of ‘memory’ (both human and technological), as the socializing power shapes the immediate sense of self within the techo-luminous spectacle.

The soundtrack, composed by the artist in collaboration with Brooks Williams at Harmonic Ranch, builds to a telemetric electro-frenzy, incorporating fragmented melodic strains of American patriotic songs along with Shelley Hirsch’s near-hysterical vocals as the image of the flag ‘whites out.’

To experience this virtual exhibition, watch the video below.

The Mayor’s Gallery Showcases the Vibrant Art of Melissa Mitchell

Opening on February 21 at the Mayor’s Gallery at City Hall, “Views From My Kaleidoscope: Volume II” is the sequel to artist Melissa A. Mitchell’s original compilation of quotes, mantras, and beliefs that fuel her art, spirit and optimistic outlook.

A self-taught artist, entrepreneur, author and motivational speaker, Mitchell was born and raised in Miami, where her love for the vibrant colors, unique shapes, and bold dark lines that adorn her artwork took root. She attributes her artistic aesthetic to her music-filled and vibrant Bahamian heritage and upbringing.

In 2014, she founded Abeille Creations and began her journey in the world of abstract art. Since then, Mitchell has gone on to create more than 500 original artworks and 40 large-scale murals. She has also been featured in publications such as Forbes, Vogue, ESSENCE, SHEEN Magazine, Rolling Out Magazine and The Huffington Post.

Most notably, she is known for turning her lively artwork into textiles, specifically head wraps named after influential women in her life. Her head wraps have been seen on the likes of Lupita Nyong’o, Amara La Negra, Yandy Smith, Karen Civil, Rebecca Gross and more. She is also the author of a coffee table book, “Views from My Kaleidoscope”.

Her unique artistry has made her a highly sought-after creative, who has worked with major brands for exclusive collaborations and commissioned artwork. She was a featured artist for Champs Sports and Nike’s “Ill-ustrated” sneaker exhibition during Miami Art Basel, Jack Daniel’s Art, Beats and Lyrics showcase and ESSENCE’s “My City, 4 Ways” tour stop in Atlanta.

The Mayor’s Gallery at City Hall is a municipal gallery operated by the City of Atlanta – Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs. The gallery is dedicated to exhibiting the works of accomplished Atlanta-based artists who have yet to garner gallery representation or receive major recognition for their artwork.

The Mayor’s Gallery resides on the second floor of City Hall near the entrance of the Mayor’s Executive Suite. The gallery is open Monday through Friday from 10 am to 5 pm.

Gallery 72 Opens Exhibition Celebrating Southwest Atlanta Photographer

A portrait of the former City of Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young and his family from the collection of Thomas Dorsey.

Revered local photographer Thomas Dorsey has spent more than 30 years capturing the family portraits of Southwest Atlanta’s residents.

In “Family: Pride, Dignity and Togetherness II”, hosted at Gallery 72 from Monday, Feb. 10 to Friday, April 3, 2020, we explore Dorsey’s long career as a portrait photographer through select images that highlight the rich history and tight-knit families of Southwest Atlanta.

Dorsey made a name for himself, first in Chicago and then in Atlanta, with his authentic and loving family portraits. Dorsey’s images not only capture moments in time but the pride and love that bonds families together.

The exhibition showcases families of Southwest Atlanta taken between 1978 and 2002 and will feature photos from families including the Youngs, Vivians, Spriggs, Hills, Aarons, Arringtons and more.

Join us on Thursday, Feb. 13, 2020, for the opening reception at Gallery 72, 72 Marietta St. NW, Atlanta, GA, from 6 pm to 8 pm. The reception is free and open to the public.

Gallery 72 is a municipal gallery operated by the City of Atlanta – Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs. The gallery is dedicated to presenting stimulating and thought-provoking contemporary art and programs that focus on advancing Atlanta’s arts offerings.

Gallery 72 is open Monday through Friday from 10 am to 5 pm.

City of Atlanta Hosts Reception for the Atlanta Children’s Memorial Project

On display until February 6, 2020, in the Mayor’s Gallery at City Hall, the curated exhibition showcases artworks from the more than 100 submissions by Atlanta-area visual artists for the Atlanta Children’s Memorial Portraits Artist Call released in November 2019.

In addition, Dwayne Mitchell was announced as the commissioned artist for the project during the reception. Mitchell will create portraits memorializing the 27-plus victims of the Atlanta Child Murders. Once completed, the portraits will be displayed in the Atrium of Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport from May 28 to July 22, 2020.

Thanks to everyone who joined us in remembering the lives lost during this tragic time in our City’s history and helped celebrate the talent and passion of the amazing artists who participated in this call.

Watch the video below to see the digital gallery highlighting some of the portraits of Clifford Jones submitted for the project.

Gallery 72 Hosts Artist Talk Celebrating Latinx Artists in Atlanta

Join us at Gallery 72 on Saturday, Jan. 18, at 1 pm, for “Latinx Voices in Atlanta’s Contemporary Art Scene: A Conversation with Contrapunto”.

In this artist talk, artists Pedro Fuertes (Peru), Jorge Arcos (Mexico), Graciela Nunes-Bedoya (Peru), Dora Lopez (Peru), Catalina Gomez (Colombia), and Carlos Solis (Venezuela), collectively known as Contrapunto, will explore the contributions of Latin artists in Atlanta.

The collective will also share insights and their inspiration behind their current exhibition at Gallery 72 “Contrapunto: A Latinx Visual Artists Collective in Metro Atlanta”, which will be on display until Wednesday, Feb. 5.

Gallery 72 Hosts Exhibition Showcasing Atlanta’s Latin Artists

Artwork by Carlos Solis “Negro Primero” -Oil Painting on Canvas 30×26 (2011)

Started in 2008, Contrapunto was created to address the lack of a Latin presence in Atlanta’s arts community at the time.

Hailing from various Latin American countries, the collective of artists strive to showcase Latin culture, folklore, and history through their artistic works.

In “Contrapunto: A Latinx Visual Artists Collective in Metro Atlanta”, exhibiting in Gallery 72 from Thursday, Dec. 5 to Wednesday, Feb. 5, artists Pedro Fuertes (Peru), Jorge Arcos (Mexico), Graciela Nunes-Bedoya (Peru), Dora Lopez (Peru), Catalina Gomez (Colombia), and Carlos Solis (Venezuela) showcase their art while building awareness of the artistic contributions of Latin artists.

Having already shared their works in multiple cultural institutions across the United States, Contrapunto hopes the exhibition helps exchange ideas and points of view across our society to those who still do not have a full understanding of Latin artistry.

In describing the collaborative nature of the group, member Carlos Solis states, “The best way to describe our collective is that we have connected and worked together harmoniously in a supportive and uplifting way, hence our name ‘Contrapunto’.”

In music, Contrapunto, which in English translates to the musical term Counterpoint, is the technique of combining two or more melodic lines in such a way that they establish a harmonic relationship while retaining their linear individuality.

Much like the musical term that inspired its name, Contrapunto recognizes that it is important to work with other people in harmony to make the presence of Latin American artists, both individually and as a community, stronger and more recognizable.

Gallery 72 at 2 City Plaza, a municipal gallery operated by the City of Atlanta – Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, is dedicated to presenting stimulating and thought-provoking contemporary art and programs that focus on advancing Atlanta’s arts offerings.

Gallery 72 is located at 72 Marietta St. NW, Atlanta, GA 30303 and is open Monday through Friday from 10 am until 5 pm.

The Mayor’s Gallery at City Hall Announces New “SANKOFA” Exhibition

Correction: On November 1, 2019, the opening date of the “SANKOFA” exhibition was accidentally listed as Sunday, Nov. 10 in the OCA Newsletter. The actual opening date of the exhibition is Thursday, Nov. 14. We apologize for the confusion.

Born in the West African country of Ghana to a family of artists, Addo has been exposed to art since infancy. His primary inspiration came from his father, who exhibited his work regularly and challenged Addo to produce unique artwork. Although Addo was passionate about art, he also possessed a keen interest in the physical sciences, a field he found satisfyingly challenging. He was torn between going to college to study medicine and pursuing his passion to be a professional artist. In the end, he chose to follow his passion and pursue art full-time.

Since then, Addo has specialized in sculpture as his core medium. Interestingly, his physical science background led him to experiment with different materials, including sawdust, which he played with as a child in the sawmill where his father bought and cut wood for his sculptures. Naturally, Addo grew up loving this medium and decided to make it the main material he uses in all his artwork. Passionate about the sustainability of the earth, Addo perfected the method of recycling sawdust and waste materials to create various types of sculptures and relief works.

Addo has successfully participated in many international art exhibitions throughout Johannesburg; Cape Town; New York; Chicago; Washington D.C.; Miami; Santa Fe, New Mexico; Atlanta; San Diego, CA; Martha’s Vineyard, and of course in his home city Accra, Ghana.

A true island girl, Andrea Mckenzie comes from one of the most culturally diverse nations in the world, Trinidad and Tobago. Mckenzie’s natural aptitude for creativity was nurtured at an early age because of her family’s involvement in the nation’s world-famous Carnival.

She attributes her extraordinary creative ability to her family’s creative legacy. The art of painting quickly bonded with her identity, making her a household name on the island by her mid-20s. Mckenzie’s fascination with contrast, textures, and fabrics was the fuel behind her kaleidoscope-like pieces. She uniquely infused glass, acrylic, and other materials on varying canvas, which propelled her into achieving a viable international clientele.

Throughout her young career, she has exhibited works in multiple nations including Trinidad and Tobago, and neighboring Caribbean islands. Mckenzie’s art has also been exhibited in New York, Washington D.C., Atlanta, Philadelphia, Seattle, London, and Australia.

In 2019, Mckenzie was honored with The Black I Am “Power, Art & Creativity” Award.

Gallery 72 Explores Gentrification with BlandTown Exhibition

Opening on October 10, artist Gregor Turk explores the maligned neighborhood of Blandtown through “Reclaim /Proclaim [Blandtown]”, an exhibition at Gallery 72. Through a combination of sculptural installations, works on paper, and photographs. Turk provides insight into the community’s obscured history, playfully skews the neighborhood’s derided name, and raises a critical eye on the area’s rapid transformation.

In 2003, Turk purchased a house in the neighborhood and repurposed the cinderblock building as his studio. Today, that structure remains as one of the last four original houses still standing in Blandtown. The exhibition focuses on the demise and resettlement of the residential core of the neighborhood, exploring the shapes of both the original and newly-constructed building footprints. Turk produced several series of artwork in response. Much of this work was fabricated with reclaimed building materials from the new residential development surrounding his studio.

Through wit, lamentation and artistic probing, this one-man chamber of commerce provides options to proclaim Blandtown’s existence. Turk presents an exhibition that is part history lesson, part manifesto, and part civic rousing, with interviews of former residents providing historical context. Dubious propagandistic posters manipulated images of local signage, and unofficial merchandise rounds out the exhibit.

As the title indicates, Turk’s exhibition serves to raise awareness of the Atlanta neighborhood with its often-disparaged name. Better known as part of the Westside, Midtown West, and/or West Midtown. The area has a bit of an identity complex, further complicated by developers applying additional monikers to rebrand sections of the neighborhood (Huff Heights, Huff Trail, West Town, etc.) all while avoiding incorporating the proper name, Blandtown, which was named after freed slave Felix Bland.

Originally an African-American community comprised of two to three hundred homes, the neighborhood was strategically forced into decline through rezoning to an industrial district in the mid-twentieth century. Turk presents Blandtown as a case study for current development issues relating to the greater city: legacy housing, gentrification, and conflicts resulting from the proximity of residential and industrial land use.

The exhibition will open October 10, 2019 and run through November 22 at Gallery 72, a municipally owned art gallery located in the heart of downtown Atlanta at 72 Marietta Street. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday from 10 am to 5 pm. For more information, please contact the gallery curator, Kevin Sipp, for more information at 404-546-3220 or KSipp@AtlantaGa.Gov.

About the Gregor Turk:

Known for his public art installations, sculpture, photography, and mixed-media constructions, Gregor Turk often incorporates mapping imagery, signage, and cultural markings into his artwork. He has permanent public art installations at the Atlanta and Jacksonville airports as well as at the Metropolitan Library in Atlanta. His work is in the JPMorgan Chase Art Collection, High Museum, MOCA-GA, and numerous other public and private collections. Turk grew up in Atlanta, received his B.A. from Rhodes College in Memphis and his M.F.A. from Boston University.  Between degrees he served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Liberia.

Previous temporary projects include a set of five inwardly facing billboards emblazoned with tightly cropped images of General Sherman’s eyes (Atlanta BeltLine, 2014); a pop-up store stocked with over a hundred rubber wrapped objects including furniture and globes (Ponce City Market, 2016); a set of 17 convex security mirrors absurdly placed along the GA/NC border adjacent to a hiking path (Hambidge Center, 2017). Additional information and images at: www.gregorturk.com

For more information contact Gregor Turk: info@gregorturk.com

Gallery 72’s Opens New Exhibition Featuring the Work of Artist Michael Scoffield

“Deep Crevice with Anomalies” by Michael Scoffield – Acrylic and texture on canvas – 60”x 48” – 2019

The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs is excited to host artist Michael Scoffield’s exhibition, “When Shallow is Deep and Other Musings”, Thursday August 8, 2019.

Scoffield’s artwork takes a critical view of social, political, and cultural issues. Often referencing professional sports, his work explores the varying relationships between the Black community, sports media, and its industry. Scoffield art reproduces familiar visual signs such as objects, drawings and paintings, while using a variety of materials and processes in each project.

Although there may not always be material similarities between the different projects, the works are linked by recurring formal concerns and through subject matter. Scoffield’s subject matter is determined by the materials and forms of the work. Multiple works are often produced consisting of different media, centered around specific themes and meanings.

Please join the City of Atlanta in celebrating this unique and talented artist. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday from 10 am to 5 pm. For more information, please contact the gallery curator, Kevin Sipp, for more information at 404-546-3220 or KSipp@AtlantaGa.Gov.

About the Artist

Michael Scoffield is a native of Tennessee, where he attended Fisk University and received a Bachelor’s of Arts in Fine Art. While at Fisk, he studied under such noted artists as Aaron Douglas, Martin Puryear, and David Driskell. Later, he attended Georgia State University where he received a Masters in Fine Art.

Gallery 72 Hosts Artist Talks with World Renown Sculptor Basil Watson

Gallery 72 Unveils “SACRED GROUND” Exhibition From Artist Basil Watson

The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs is proud to host Basil Watson’s exhibition “SACRED GROUND”, opening on Thursday, June 13, 2019. The exhibition will be the artist’s meditation on the transcendent,  present and eternal power, beauty and sacredness of the female body.

On Thursday, June 20, join us for a public opening reception from 6 pm to 9 pm at Gallery 72.

For more than 40 years, artist and sculptor Basil Watson has been translating life’s most important attributes – positive emotions and attitudes, the spirit of freedom and spontaneity, strength, beauty, energy and vigor – into finely crafted works of art.

Born in Kingston, Jamaica, the son of internationally renowned painter Barrington Watson, it was a natural progression for Watson to study at the Jamaica School of Art. He then went on to establish a successful career as Jamaica’s leading sculptor. The most notable of his achievements include having monumental works on the campuses of the three primary universities in the island, as well as signature works at the two major Stadia.

In 2016, the Government of Jamaica awarded Basil the “Order of Distinction” (Commander) in recognition of his contributions in the field of Art.

Emigrating to the United States in 2002, Watson established his home and studio in Lawrenceville, GA.  Having continued the steep climb to international recognition, he has completed major works in China, Guatemala, and in various States within the US.

Please join the City of Atlanta in celebrating this unique and talented artist. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday from 10 am to 5 pm. For more information, please contact the gallery curator, Kevin Sipp, for more information at 404-546-3220 or KSipp@AtlantaGa.Gov.

“SACRED GROUND”

Thursday, June 13  – Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Gallery 72

72 Marietta St. NW, Atlanta GA.. 30303

Opening Reception: Thursday, June 20, at Gallery 72, from 6 pm to 9 pm.

OCA Hosts Gallery Exhibit by TILA Studios’ Garden Fellows at Mayor’s Gallery

The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs is pleased to present the exhibition of “Daisy Chain” at the Mayor’s Gallery at City Hall from Thursday, May 2 to Friday, June 21. The exhibition celebrates the homecoming of the inaugural Garden Fellows who represented a branch of the Atlanta creative community and TILA Studios during Art Basel Miami 2018.

Curated by Daricia Mia DeMarr, this exhibition will feature energetic, vibrant works from 10 female artists of color, whose art evokes the celebration of sisterhood and unity. An opening reception will be hosted Monday, May 20 at 4:30 at the Mayor’s Gallery at City Hall. The reception is free and open to the public.

The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs and TILA Studios Present: Daisy Chain

Thursday, May 2 – Friday, June 21, 2019 (New Date)

The Mayor’s Gallery at City Hall, 55 Trinity Ave SW, Atlanta, GA

Opening Reception: Monday, May 20, 2019 at The Mayor’s Gallery at City Hall, from 4:30 pm to 6 pm. (New Date)

Please join the City of Atlanta in celebrating these amazing and talented artists. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday from 10 am to 5 pm. For more information, please contact the gallery curator, Kevin Sipp, for more information at 404-546-3220 or KSipp@AtlantaGa.Gov.

Artist Featured in the “Daisy Chain” Exhibit:

Grace Kisa
Evelyn Quiñones
Angela Davis Johnson
Shon Pittman
Ebony Black
Ariel Dannielle
Jasmine Nicole Williams
Ayanna Smith
Sachi Rome
Christa David

Atlanta Jazz Festival and Gallery 72 Hosts Exhibition Celebrating Jazz and African Traditions

African Jazz #10 ©1990 Michael A. Cummings Artist Collection, 1990 72×108 cotton blends, cotton fabric

The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs is pleased to present the exhibition of “The African Jazz Quilts of Michael A. Cummings” at Gallery 72 to celebrate Jazz Appreciation Month. The exhibition opens to the public on Thursday, April 18 and runs until Thursday, June 6, 2019. An opening reception for the installation will be hosted at Gallery 72 on Thursday, April 18, starting at 6 p.m.

The exhibition coincides with 42nd Annual Atlanta Jazz Festival hosted in Piedmont Park, Memorial Day Weekend, May 25 and 26.

Michael A. Cummings, a native of Los Angeles, is a world-renowned quilt maker. Cummings uses reclaimed fabric to create new art and narratives that evoke engagement from its viewers. He has had solo exhibitions with Bates College in Maine, Hallmark Cards, New York City’s Cinque Gallery and Studio Museum in Harlem, among others.

Concerning the quilts of Mr. Cummings, Michael James, Professor of Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln says “Michael Cummings has been working with the quilt form since the early 1980s. Cummings has successfully synthesized aesthetic qualities found in folk art, in African and African American art, in music (specifically, jazz), and in diverse textile and non-textile narrative traditions, to arrive at a unique and sincere expression… He’s committed to telling the stories of African-Americans across a broad historical, social, cultural, philosophical, and mythological spectrum”.

As observed and stated by author and curator Martha Sielman ‘the energy of Michael A. Cummings central applique images threatens to escape the boundaries set by his traditional pieced borders, combining elements from his African American heritage, Yoruba Mythology, and formal art training his narratives focus on subjects such as Jazz musicians, historical heroes, and the Yoruba water goddess. Cummings has produced a body of work filled with energy edginess and excitement.“

Please join the City of Atlanta in celebrating this unique and talented artist. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday from 10 am to 5 pm. For more information, please contact the gallery curator, Kevin Sipp, for more information at 404-546-3220 or KSipp@AtlantaGa.Gov.

The Atlanta Jazz Festival Presents: The African Jazz Quilts of Michael A. Cummings

Thursday, April 18 – Thursday, June 6, 2019

Gallery 72, 72 Marietta St. NW, Atlanta GA.. 30303

Opening Reception: Thursday, April 18th 2019 at Gallery 72, from 6 pm to 9 pm.

About Gallery 72

Gallery 72 at 2 City Plaza, is a municipal gallery operated by the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs dedicated to presenting stimulating and thought provoking contemporary art and programs that focus on advancing Atlanta’s arts offering. Gallery 72 is located at 72 Marietta Street NW Atlanta Ga. 30303 and is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 am until 5:00 pm.

NEARBY PARKING FOR GALLERY 72:
104 Marietta Street Parking Garage (176 feet NW), 79 Marietta Street Parking Garage (245 feet NE) Centennial Tower Parking Garage (332 feet NE), Paid street parking is available near the gallery.

NEARBY MARTA RAIL STATIONS: Take the Gold line to Five Points Station. Exit the station on the Forsyth street side and turn right, walk northeast on Forsyth Street, and turn left on Marietta Street. Walk one block to Fairlie Street. After crossing Fairlie Street the gallery will be on the left.

Gallery 72 Exhibits New Immersive Installation from Local Artists

“Away from the Noise/Welcome to Atlanta” runs from March 1 – April 12 at Gallery 72

The City of Atlanta’s Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs is pleased to present “Away from the Noise/Welcome to Atlanta”, a collaborative installation from multimedia artists Carolyn Carr and Michael Gibson at Gallery 72.

In this dual artistic exhibition, Carr and Gibson explore the complicated nature of Atlanta and their shared southern heritage.

The artists share the fruits of their exploration through an immersive installation, which seeks to embed gallery visitors into a welcoming space while delivering a transformative and participatory public art experience.

“Away from the Noise/Welcome to Atlanta”, runs from March 1 – April 12 at Gallery 72 on 72 Marietta St. NW.

An opening reception will be held Thursday, March 14, starting at 6 p.m.

The exhibition is free and open to the public.

Contact Gallery Supervisor, Kevin Sipp, for more information at 404-546-3220 or KSipp@AtlantaGa.Gov.

Gallery 72’s Curator Discusses City’s Art on Loan Program

With more than 400 pieces in the City’s Collection, art is infused into the DNA of Atlanta.

Kevin Sipp, Gallery 72 Project Supervisor and Co-Public Art Manager for the “Art On Loan” Program, recently shared some of the artistic gems lining the walls and hallways of the City of Atlanta’s various offices.

OCA Presents Joint Art Exhibitions at Gallery 72

Artwork by Yanique Norman (Left) and Namwon Choi (Right)

Gallery 72 is proud to present the dual exhibitions of artists Yanique Norman and Namwon Choi from November 29 to January 31, 2019.

Housed in the gallery’s South Gallery, Yanique Norman’s exhibition, “Lesson on How to be a More Interesting Woman”, is a visual exploration of Safiya Sinclair’s poems “Notes on the State of Virginia, I-III”, where Sinclair’s surveys Thomas Jefferson’s denigration of the black woman.

Norman follows a similar vein by uniting drawings and film to create a radical re-imagining of how one can further construct a more complex and nuanced internal black narrative.

Fellow artist Namwon Choi’s exhibition “In-Betweenness”, on display in the North Gallery, investigates the concept of “migrancy” through its movement in both space and time. 

According to Choi, “Since [relocating], the idea of transitional states and the notion of ‘in-betweenness,’ have led me to [become] interested in the network of spaces…”

Throughout both of these works, the two artists provide dynamic and thought-provoking artistic voices that explore the importance of an internal narrative and its role in constructing a resilient self-identity in a changing world.

Gallery 72 encourages you to stop by the gallery and experience the engaging narratives Norman and Choi are sharing in their respective exhibitions.

Gallery 72 Hosts Artist Talk with Street Photographer Ken West

Image Courtesy of Ken West

The Beauty of Everyday Thangs Artist Talk
Thursday, Nov. 15 at 7 pm

Gallery 72, 72 Marietta St. NW, Atlanta, GA

About the Artist Talk:
Images are often time capsules to days long forgotten, but the keepers of memories and moments in history we oftentimes forget to appreciate. Ken West’s “The Beauty of Everyday Thangs” is an exhibition his documentary photographs that seek to illustrate the natural beauty and power of these everyday moments. West’s series of images capture life in its purest form, unstaged and free of social influences.

During his talk, West will discuss his artistic influences, the creative process behind his work and the journey that helped produce this exhibition.

To learn more about Ken West and his work, visit www.kenjajawest.com.

Gallery 72 Presents Dual Exhibits from Photographer Ken West

Ken West  

“The Beauty of Everyday Thangs” 

A-side:  October 18 – November 16, 2018, at Gallery 72  

B-side:  October 18 – December 31, 2018, at The Mayor’s Gallery @ City Hall

Opening Reception – Thursday, Oct. 25, 6 p.m. at Gallery 72  

The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs is pleased to announce a dual exhibition by photographer Ken West at Gallery 72 and The Mayor’s Gallery @ City Hall.

“The Beauty of Everyday Thangs” is an exhibition of documentary photos that illustrate the natural beauty and power of normalcy.

This series of images seeks to display a sliver of the emotional truth and power of our world as it is. Shot almost entirely using film cameras and captured over the past decade, these images speak to the values of simplicity and beauty that exist in all of us.

The photos cast aside the stereotypes associated with marginalized members of our society. Instead, the exhibit encourages audiences to appreciate the intricate realities of who we are and how we choose to live. Each image is the product of West’s conscious awareness of the importance and beauty of Now.

This exhibition will be exhibited in two City’s galleries. Part one will display at Gallery 72 on 72 Marietta St. NW with an opening reception on Thursday, Oct. 25, 6 p.m., at Gallery 72.

Part two of the exhibition will be at The Mayor’s Gallery @ City Hall located on the second floor of Atlanta City Hall Annex in the Mayor’s Executive Suite Foyer. Both exhibits are free and open to the public.

Please contact Gallery Supervisor, Kevin Sipp, for more information at 404-546-3220 or KSipp@AtlantaGa.Gov. 

Gallery 72 Hosts Panel Discussion with Renowned Artist Deanna Sirlin

Respected artist will discuss her latest exhibit on Thursday, Sept. 13 at 7 p.m.

Image courtesy of ArtsATL.com

Gallery 72 Hosts Arts and Culture Podcast “Today Maybe Forever” 

Today Maybe Forever, a podcast hosted and produced by arts and cultural journalist Floyd Hall, will record a series of podcasts in Gallery 72 in the month of August, starting August XX

Featuring compelling ideas and discussion with extraordinary people, Today Maybe Forever discusses the importance of context and cultural memory in the arts, sciences, design and pop culture.

Subscribe and Listen to the newest episode on SoundCloud and iTunes.

Artist Deanna Sirlin to Exhibit New Artwork at Gallery 72

The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs is pleased to announce an exhibition of new works by Deanna Sirlin opening Thursday, August 16 at Gallery 72

This exhibition features 21 of Deanna Sirlin’s new works, including mixed media collages that incorporate both traditional art materials and pieces of her own works alongside elements of recycled and found objects. a site-specific large-scale window installation created exclusively for Gallery 72, and paintings on canvas.

Sirlin is well-known as a pioneer of using digitally printed transparent materials as a vehicle for her intensely colored abstract imagery. She has completed eight such installations around the world; this will be her first, new installation exhibited in Atlanta since 2006. Sirlin will also present a video work that she made in collaboration with New York artist Matthew Ostrowski.

As the artist herself states,

“My works employ collage because of a desire to hold a color in my hand and place the color into the composition.  The works are made by creating and finding color shapes that are cut into particular forms. My interest is in the interaction of color and shape; the structure is based on affinities and inclinations between and among the elements that are found, made, and rescued. Forms and shapes overlay each other–sections are embedded into the surface as a response. Elements conceal and reveal the underpinnings of the structure of map-like compositions that are also a kind of plan view. As I place each piece on each color in the composition, all is in response. I replay, reply and reaffirm with each piece in the individual conversation to create a place, a thought, and a pictorial idea.

I am repurposing my paintings and drawings into new works. With each piece of a former work that I hold in my hand and place within the new work, a new history is created that calls upon my past. I also create new pieces of color and add found images to this visual dialogue. Forms overlay, overlap, reveal and conceal as they are placed in the work.”

Opening Reception
Thursday, Aug. 16. from 6  p.m. to 9 p.m.

RSVP for the reception here.

11Alive Shines Light on Atlanta’s “Forgotten” History and Faces

11Alive’s Liza Lucas reported on Rusty Millar’s “The Compassionate Eye in Forgotten Atlanta” exhibit, currently on display at Gallery 72.

The story highlights the history of the photos, which documents the lives of Old Fourth Ward, Vine City, and Buttermilk Bottom residents, and the search to find the people in these half-century old photos.

Click the video above to watch the story. If you recognize any of the people in the photos, contact the exhibit’s curator, Susan Todd-Raque, at info@SusanTodd-Raque.com.

Visit Gallery 72 at 72 Marietta St. NW, Atlanta, GA to view the exhibit for yourself. The exhibit ends on Friday, August 10.

Gallery 72 Hosts Panel Discussion on Development, Economics, and Race in Atlanta

Gallery 72 Showcases “Forgotten Atlanta” in New Exhibit

The City of Atlanta’s Gallery 72 is honored to present the first solo exhibition of Rusty Miller’s vintage and later photographs of Atlanta, circa 1960s to 1970s, in “The Compassionate Eye in Forgotten Atlanta.”  The exhibition, in collaboration with curator Susan Todd-Raque, features a selection of 50 photographs portraying the people in various communities now gone or changed forever.

Russell Stough Miller (1933-1992) grew up in Atlanta and decided he wanted to be a commercial photographer rather than work in the family printing business. Rusty Miller followed his personal passion on the weekends by documenting the residents of Old Fourth Ward, Vine City, Summerhill, Washington-Rawson and Buttermilk Bottoms, where there were unpaved streets, electricity was rare and life went on as usual, outside of the turmoil during the 1960s Civil Rights Movement activities in downtown Atlanta,

Stored away for more than 20 years by friends and then his daughter, Miller’s photographs now give visibility to those who were marginalized and invisible to the world at the time.  There is a simple connection to people, their spirit and their hearts, rarely seen in photography today.  Each image is a fresh experience captured.  Children laughing and giggling as they squish into a makeshift go-cart made from a fruit crate or as they roll old tires in a race down a hill.  Whether sitting on a porch or hanging near the local grocery store, men and women are making small talk on a hot summer day and watching people go by.  We see life in Atlanta’s neighborhoods soon to be destroyed or negatively affected by the building of the Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium.  The bus series from the 1970s shaped another setting for Miller to quietly study the moods of the passengers; some lost in thought and distant from Miller, others aware of his camera.

This is where we need YOU, the people of Atlanta!  Please come and help us identify who the people are and where the places were.  Their history is unfinished and we would like to give recognition to those who have been forgotten.

Panel Discussion: Memory, Race, and Erasure in Urban Atlanta.
July 6, 2018 from 7  p.m. to 9 p.m.

Panelist: Paul Crater, Maurice J. Hobson, Kelly Kristen Jones, and Mtaminika Youngblood

For more information please contact the gallery at 404.546.3220 or KSipp@AtlantaGa.Gov.

Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs Releases Annual Report

The City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA), which manages the city’s multiple cultural and arts-based endeavors, recently released its 2017 Annual Report. The report highlights OCA’s efforts to spur stronger and more inclusive growth and explains the surprising economic impact the arts provide.

The report also demonstrates the collective impact of the OCA, whose subunits include Gallery 72, Chastain Arts Center, the city’s Public Art Services, and the Atlanta Jazz Festival, just to name a few, which generates surprising fiscal value for metro Atlanta in the form of approximately $15 million in economic impact to the city through its annual Atlanta Jazz Festival and ELEVATE temporary public art festival. Furthermore, the report reveals the direct and indirect benefits the OCA provides Atlantans through its various programs, such as the more than 30,000 Atlanta Public Schools students it engages annually via its Cultural Experience Project (CEP).

To view the OCA’s 2017 Annual Report, please use the following link. Follow the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for the latest announcements.

OCA 2017 Annual Report

OCA Newsletter :: May 2018

View email in your browser  May Newsletter The Atlanta Jazz Festival is Approaching The Atlanta Jazz Festival (AJF) is regarded as one of the largest, FREE jazz festivals in the country. An annual celebration of the music, culture and art of jazz that lasts throughout May and culminates each Memorial Day weekend with an outdoor festival in Atlanta’s Piedmont Park, featuring jazz artists from all over the world. The mission of the AJF is to expose and entertain a diverse audience of Jazz aficionados, young Jazz enthusiasts and aspiring musicians to the rich heritage and variety of Jazz as an authentic form of American music. The festival is produced by the City of Atlanta – Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs and is FREE and open to the public. It is made possible thanks to funding from corporate sponsors and Atlanta Jazz Festival, Inc., a non-profit entity dedicated to preserving the legacy of the Atlanta Jazz Festival. For more information, visit atlantafestivals.com. The Bud Light Lounge Late Night Jazz Jam After enjoying the jazz outdoors in Piedmont Park, contemporary jazz lovers can walk over to Park Tavern and enjoy the highly anticipated Late Night Jazz Jam on Saturday, May 26, featuring Russell Gunn & The Royal Krunk Jazz Orkestra. Tickets are $40. The Atlanta Jazz Festival’s Late Night Jazz Jam is one of the festival’s most popular events. For more information, click here. 31 DAYS OF JAZZ Partners of the Atlanta Jazz Festival will host jazz events every day leading up to the Atlanta Jazz Festival on Memorial Day weekend in Piedmont Park.  From MARTA stations, museums, jazz clubs and restaurants, our 31 Days of Jazz series provides a little something for everyone. Click here for the 31 Days of Jazz calendar. Neighborhood Jazz Series Join your local City of Atlanta council members each week during our Neighborhood Jazz Series. Each weekend, we partner with a different council member to bring jazz and fun to different corners of Atlanta. Come and enjoy great music and great times while we highlight Atlanta’s unique and historic neighborhoods! Each Neighborhood Jazz Series starts at 4 p.m. Neighborhood Jazz Series Dates: May 6: Neighborhood Jazz Series at West Manor Park presented by Council President Felicia Moore and Council Member Andre Dickens with performances from Gritz and Jelly Butter and Wolfpack ATL. Watch promo video here. May 12: Neighborhood Jazz Series at Washington Park presented by Council Member Ivory Lee Young, Jr., in conjunction with the Atlanta Beltline, with performances from Latrese Bush and Lil’ John Roberts and Friends. Watch promo video here. May 13: Neighborhood Jazz Series at John A. White Park presented by Council Member Marci Collier Overstreet with performances from EQ and Brenda Nicole Moorer. Watch promo video here. May 19: Neighborhood Jazz Series at Wilson Mill Park presented by Council Member Andrea L. Boone with performances from Groove Centric and Julie Dexter.  May 20: Neighborhood Jazz Series at Grant Park presented by Council Member Carla Smith with performances from Mabu’s Ark Band and The Milk Shake Quintet. MARTA Mondays MARTA Mondays feature FREE, LIVE JAZZ at a different MARTA station every Monday in May, starting at 4 p.m. These two-hour jazz concerts are a preview to the upcoming Atlanta Jazz Festival in Piedmont Park on May 26 and 27. 2018 MARTA Mondays Schedule: May 7: Lindbergh Station, 4 p.m. featuring the Chris Burroughs Trio May 14: Avondale Station, 4 p.m. featuring the Mike Walton Quartet May 21: Midtown Station, 4 p.m. featuring Grüt Sights and Insights Calling all artists in the Southeast! Don’t miss your chance to apply for the 2018 Southeastern Regional Art Exhibit: SIGHTS AND INSIGHTS, which will be held in the Chastain Gallery, June 18th through July 30th. Entry is open to all artists aged 18 and over who are residents of AL, FL, GA, NC, SC or TN. For more information and criteria for entry, click here. Deadline to enter is Friday, May 4th, 2018. Summer Camp and Teen Workshops Summer is almost here and our 2018 Art à la carte Summer Camp is a little more than a month away! Register your child or teen for our summer camp and teen workshop today. To view our Summer Camp and teen workshop schedule, please visit our website. Make sure your child or teen doesn’t miss out on all the fun! Call us today to register! Artist Talk at Gallery 72 – Elyse Defoor Thursday, May 17 at 7 p.m. Our lives are meant to do something. To have a hopeful outcome is to experience joy. Some people experience life with sunken resentment. I use art to slog through the morass of obstacles set before me. Unbridled– joy, loss, rage, joy– is my treatise on the passage of womanhood from the 1950s to today. This work has moved me from collecting wedding dresses and the comments from the women who wore them, to the ongoing study of the black belt with all its meanings, to the shed skins of Exuvia and, back again, to present the empty dresses in a new way. With authentic reverence, the beauty of darkness and light holds the conflicts of joy, loss, rage and joy in the full circle of life. Call For Panelists for 2019 Grant Cycle Buried Truths The Alliance Theatre and Atlanta Symphony Orchestra will co-produce a concert staging of the Tony Award-winning musical Candide in Symphony Hall. In this popular adaptation of Voltaire’s satirical novel, the naïve Candide is separated from his beloved and journeys around the world to find her while fiercely retaining his mentor’s belief that “this is the best of all possible worlds” in the face of ever-increasing catastrophes. Candide will feature a cast of actors, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, and the Atlanta Symphony Chorus in this historic Alliance Theatre/Atlanta Symphony Orchestra co-production.   Click here to RSVP and for more information.

OCA Newsletter :: April 2018

View email in your browser  April Newsletter ATLANTA JAZZ FESTIVAL RELEASES FULL LINEUP OF 2018 ARTISTS Highlights include Jon Batiste with The Dap-Kings, Dianne Reeves, The Bad Plus and Jazzmeia Horn, to name a few. In a video announcement released Tuesday March 27, 2018, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms revealed the artist lineup for the 41st annual Atlanta Jazz Festival. The lineup includes a variety of jazz sounds and stylings presented on three stages: The Legends Stage, The Contemporary Stage and The Next Gen Stage. The country’s longest running free jazz festival will take place for two days over Memorial Day Weekend: Saturday, May 26 and Sunday, May 27, in Piedmont Park. For the first time in the event’s history, Saturday will feature a special all-female jazz lineup. Restoration of Homage to St. Eom’s Pasaquan The Office of Cultural Affairs is pleased to announce the completion of the Homage to St. EOM’s Pasaquan artwork restoration. The artwork was created by the late Eddie Owens Martin as a part of Folk Art Park during the 1996 Olympics. The piece pays homage to the original work located in Buena Vista, Ga. The Homage to St EOM’s Pasaquan incorporated large cast-concrete totems painted in vibrant colors, surrounded by brightly-painted mandala designs that vaguely reference Pacific-Islander sculpture and aboriginal artwork. The City of Atlanta provides stewardship to the piece and was made possible through the generous help of the Community Foundation, GPC Renovations, and artists: Jan Riley, Addison Adams, and Adrian Barzaga. The site is expected to be open to the public Mid-April. Emerging Artist’s Exhibition Opening Reception April 12th, 2018 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm The City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs presents this year’s Emerging Artist Exhibition, the opening reception  of the exhibit will be held Thursday, April 12th from 6 – 8 PM at the Chastain Arts Center. This exhibit is designed to support practicing artists residing in the City of Atlanta. The public is invited to come meet this year’s recipients: Charlina Rose Smith, Bella Dorado, and Lauren Peterson. Come out and support these local artists! Ernest G. Welch Fellows MFA Exhibitions April 2nd – April 6th Maryam Palizgir’s : “Folded Mystery”   Folded Mystery project is the metaphors for how we exchange knowledge, how perception widens our perspective, and how observation deepens our understanding of the reality in which we live. I seek works of art that activate once the viewer is involved. Folded Mystery is about challenging viewers’ perception and multi-perception embodiment through 2D and 3D drawings, sculptural paintings installations focusing on the interaction of geometric abstract forms, colors, reflective objects and layering grid-like materials in space. I intend to focus on the complexity of space by making sculptural installations that allow me to look into and through things. I also bring photography into this exchange. I am preoccupied with finding new ways of seeing through the experimental cross-fertilization of drawing, sculpture, and photography, which stimulated a philosophically oriented questioning of vision and perception. Aaron Kagan Putt’s “Another Failed Attempt”   Aaron Kagan Putt was raised in the dry heat and saguaro speckled landscape of Tucson, Arizona, not far from the border with Mexico. He ventured often between these divided territories, developing an intense interest in travel and cultural hybridity. Much of his work investigates the intersection between culture and its material manifestations on the landscape.   The works in Another Failed Attempt explores the impulse to manipulate material and forms as a means to achieve personal and societal transformation. Adopting a hybrid and nomadic form, this series of sculptures and paintings probe themes of utopian architecture, self-improvement and the human desire to memorialize.   Putt has been awarded grants by the Minnesota State Arts Board and his work has been exhibited internationally. He lives and works in Atlanta, Georgia and is currently a Master of Fine Arts and Master of Art History candidate at the Ernest G. Welch School of Art and Design at Georgia State University. Elyse Defoor “Unbridled”  April 12th –June 7th 2018 On April 12th, 2018 Artist Elyse Defoor’s exhibition “Unbridled” opens at Gallery 72.   “Unbridled” features bodies of work in sculpture, photography, and other media, that explore the emotional dichotomies of the human experience through meditations on marriage, restraint, death, rebirth and unbounded freedom. Through the creative use of ceremonial and mundane materials Defoor brings the viewer into spaces of mythic resonance and lived memory.   Art & Urban Resilience Discussion Panel and Reception April 18th , 2018 6:30 pm to  11 pm Over the recent years, the global community established a political and social trajectory of development known as the sustainability movement. The sustainability approach to development integrates dimensions of economic growth, social cohesion, and resilience. They are captured under 17 Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the global community at the United Nations in September, 2015. Among the specific goals are: Goal 3 – Good health and Well-being for People, Goal 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities, Goal 12- Responsible Consumption and Production, Goal 13 – Climate Action. The goals among other embed universal ambition of preserving the world we live in for future generations.   Atlanta  is no stranger to these ambitions, in fact, it has recently joined the 100 Resilient Cities campaign and adopted a resilience strategy that pursues the vision of sustainable growth in Atlanta’s local context. What is unique about the vision is the very key role that art and culture occupy. Art and Culture become vehicles to achieve ambitions of resilience urban future of Atlanta, ready to absorb acute and chronic shocks and disasters – from environmental degradation to racial inequality, and urban sprawl. The role of art and culture in defining the progressive direction of Atlanta’s growth is very distinct from other urban centers. From civil rights movement and socio-political change to Captain Planet and the environmental movement, art held a key role in promoting grassroots driven behavioral and political change in Atlanta city context. This trend is still very much alive today among the existing artist community in Atlanta, who create public a (community) art within the local and global themes of social cohesion, development, and environmental protection.   Building on the historical contributions of art to change, the Urban Catalyst Lab and the Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs is putting together a local and global expert panel to discuss the role and capacity of art to address the current global and local issues of development, and to initiate and facilitate social, behavioral and political change. Using concrete current and historic, local and global examples, the panel will explore the role of arts in building urban resilience and sustainability, and show the inherent link between art and sustainable urban growth.   The panel will include the recent local to global art community intervention in Johns Creek, a focus on the past and  current exhibitions at Gallery 72,  and the development of the upcoming art + urban resilience lab,   The panel will engage speakers from Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs and Office Resilience, local and international artists to discuss how art, policy and change align to achieve sustainable urban future. The panelists include:  William Massey: Atlanta based artist, ColorATL Hanif Kureshi: Indian artist, S+art Delhi Street art Festival Kevin Sipp: Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs Michelle Wiseman: Mayor’s Office of Resilience Lynda Smith: Johns Creek Convention and Visitors Bureau Ruxanda Renita & Ana Gabriele Sabancevaite: Urban Catalyst Lab RECEPTIN PARTY Virtual Reality Art by Jessica Anderson Music by DJ Stan Zeff  Contracts For Arts Services Application Workshops Call For Panelists for 2019 Grant Cycle Contract For Arts Services Emerging Artists Award Recipients April 12th, 2018 6:30pm – 8:00pm On Thursday, April 12th at the Chastain Art Center Gallery from 6:30pm to 8:00pm, the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs will recognize three Emerging Artist Award recipients in the categories of Dance and Visual Arts. The artists will be honored with a reception and an exhibition of their work. Each year, the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs through the Contracts for Arts Services program recognizes rising stars in the arts through the Emerging Artist Award which promotes the work of professional artists of notable talent and ability living and creating are within the city of Atlanta. This year’s recipients are: Gabriella “Bella” Dorado Bella Dorado is a choreographer, performing artist, educator, and producer. Her movement is characterized by a driving sinuous flow and explorations of vulnerability and the dark places full of risk and magic. Learn more about the artist by visiting her website. Lauren Peterson Lauren Peterson is an interdisciplinary artist who creates new systems for devalued objects, focusing on the potential ontological ramifications of a consumption-based society. Learn more about the artist by visiting her website. Charlina “Rose” Smith Rose uses photography for activism, to discuss social issues that reflect the present time, and to tell the story of the black experience in America. Learn more about the artist by visiting her website. OCA Selected as Winners of KaBOOM! Play Everywhere Challege On Saturday, March 3rd , The Play Everywhere Tour, powered by KaBOOM! and Target, visited Atlanta, bringing families and kids together for FREE, fun-filled family play. As part of the Tour, the Play Everywhere Challenge winners were announced, awarding $720,000 in total grants for creative projects that encourage play in Atlanta, Dallas, Houston and Miami. The City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs has been selected a Play Everywhere Challenge winner. We have been awarded a $25,000 to help support our project “John Lewis’s Ride to Freedom.” The project includes incorporating a play space on the PATH Trail in Freedom Park near “The Bridge” artwork dedicated to Congressman John Lewis. The play space will focus on the 1961 Freedom Riders Route from Washington, DC to New Orleans, LA. An artist derived play-scape on the PATH trail would consist of outlines of states the Freedom Riders traveled incorporating games and activities for kids to follow the Freedom Riders path. The second element will be a bus play structure to represent the Freedom Rider’s bus. The bus will allow for several kids to play at a time, while also engaging them in facts about the Freedom Riders and significant events along the route. The families in the area, as well as other visitors, will have a place to play and exercise while also learning about one of the greatest civil rights leaders; Congressman John Lewis. KaBOOM! is the national non-profit dedicated to giving all kids the childhood they deserve through great, safe places to play. The Play Everywhere Challenge and Tour are part of a broader effort led by KaBOOM! and Target focused on engaging communities to help families make active play a part of everyday life. By the end of the year, KaBOOM! and Target will bring more than 260 new playspaces to life, reaching more than a half-million kids across Hooked on Books With Whiskey & Ribbons The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs and the Department of Human Resources hosted critically acclaimed author, Leesa Cross-Smith to introduce her first novel, Whiskey & Ribbons. Cross- Smith concluded her week in Atlanta by engaging with City of Atlanta employees in a brief conversation and book signing. She talked about the structure of the novel, how she has written it as “a fuge… a piece of music with three voices and three narrators. I’ve written the book for black women.” Whiskey & Ribbons is told in three intertwining, melodic voices: Evi in present day, as she’s snowed in with Dalton during a freak blizzard; Eamon before his murder, as he prepares for impending fatherhood and grapples with the danger of his profession; and Dalton, as he struggles to make sense of his life next to Eamon’s, and as he decides to track down the biological father he’s never known. If you missed Leesa Cross-Smith during her time in Atlanta, there is another opportunity to hear more about Whiskey & Ribbons and meet Leesa, at the Decatur Book Festival August 31 – September 2, 2018. Learn more about this wonderful author, her warm and bright spirit, and other works of fiction here. Buried Truths In 1948, three black farmers decided they’d had enough. They were going to vote in rural South Georgia, where white supremacists held power by suppressing the black vote. Pulitzer-Prize winning author, journalist and Emory University professor Hank Klibanoff explores the mysteries and injustices of history through civil rights cases that few have seen.  How far would white supremacists go — on the streets, in the courtrooms, in the legislatures — to preserve their racial dominance? And, most importantly, why? Who were we back then? The truth is restless, relevant and revealed. Click here for more information.

Artist Talk/Closing Reception Rescheduled- TCP’s #ARTofCOMMUNITY: PATTERNS of FLIGHT at Gallery 72

Gallery 72 and The Creatives Project will host an artist talk/closing reception on Friday, January 29th from 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.  The artist talk will celebrate TCP’s 5th Annual #ARTOFCOMMUNITY Exhibition: Patterns of Flight.

The Creatives Project exhibiting resident artists are: Namwon Choi, Molly Rose Freeman, Angus Galloway, Jason Kofke, Nick Madden, Megan Mosholder, and Spencer Murrill.  Inspired by their growth in creative collaboration, the show embodies the journey of The Creatives Project artists and how they have expanded and elevated their bodies of work.  The artists will be on hand closing night to lend a voice to their visual stories.

Additional sponsors for the exhibition and program include: Colorchrome, Georgia Crown Distributors, InBetween Catering, and Trinity Productions. This program is supported in part by the Georgia Council for the Arts (GCA) through the appropriations of the Georgia General Assembly. GCA also receives support from its partner agency the National Endowment for the Arts.

This event is free and open to the public.