In Edition 12, we celebrate Atlanta’s vibrant and dynamic art scene. This issue highlights the city’s growing influence in contemporary art, fueled by a diverse community of artists, curators, and cultural leaders who are transforming Atlanta into a global hub of creativity. We begin by honoring the legacy of Radcliffe Bailey, whose work sparked vital conversations about heritage and the reparative power of art. His influence continues to resonate, reminding us of the life affirming and death defying impact one artist can have. Atlanta’s artistic narrative is further enriched by Cam Kirk, Atlanta’s “photographic eye,” and Fahamu Pécou’s bold, Africana-literature inspired explorations of identity. We also feature Patrick Eugène’s Haitian American portraits with a timelessness resonant of older, slower eras, alongside Navin June Norling’s neon-colored innovations that challenge traditional media. The inaugural Atlanta Art Fair marks a pivotal moment for the city, providing a platform for artists and audiences to connect in new and meaningful ways, guided by curators Lauren Jackson Harris and Karen Comer Lowe. Organizations like Dashboard and Full Radius Dance inspire innovation and collaboration, while cultural leaders such as Kent Kelley and Alex Delotch Davis nurture an environment where the arts can thrive. We are honored to highlight Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys’ The Dean Collection, currently on view in the exhibition GIANTS at the High Museum, where Museum Director Rand Suffolk has championed community engagement. The Deans’ support for diverse artists bridges Atlanta’s vibrant art scene with the global community. This issue is a celebration of Atlanta’s creative pulse—a city where art, culture, and community converge to create something truly extraordinary. We invite you to explore the stories and works of these remarkable artists and visionaries who are shaping the future of art in Atlanta and beyond.
Front & Back Cover Artwork By: Radcliffe Bailey
Edition 12
FEATURED
FEATURED
RADCLIFFE
BAILEY
Radcliffe Bailey’s art blurs the lines between autobiography and cultural history, weaving together personal narrative and collective memory through found objects like piano keys, photographs, and African artifacts. His renowned installation Windward Coast (2009), where thousands of piano keys form a stormy sea around a lone, glittering Black head, echoes Winslow Homer’s The Gulf Stream in its meditation on isolation and endurance. Bailey’s multidisciplinary practice spans painting, sculpture, and collage, often drawing from African traditions and jazz—particularly Sun Ra’s improvisational techniques—to create a fluid conversation between abstraction and storytelling. His work invites viewers to explore the intersections of identity, memory, and the African diaspora, merging historical and personal reflection to forge connections between the past and present that resonate on both individual and cultural levels.
MING
SMITH
At 77, Ming Smith is finally receiving long-overdue recognition for her groundbreaking contributions to photography, including her historic inclusion in MoMA’s collection. Known for her improvisational, experimental approach, Smith captures the beauty and complexity of Black life through dynamic images that explore themes of identity, resilience, and cultural expression. Her photographs of iconic figures like Grace Jones and Tina Turner, as well as everyday scenes, challenge stereotypical depictions of Black life and art. With a career spanning nearly five decades, Smith's work continues to push the boundaries of photography, blending elements of surrealism, Afrofuturism, and Black cultural expression. Her recent museum survey, Feeling the Future, at Spelman College Museum of Fine Art, celebrates her legacy while inspiring a new generation of Black women photographers.
KENT KELLEY &
ALEX DELOTCH DAVIS
In a lively conversation between art collector Kent Kelley and SCAD FASH Executive Director Alex Delotch Davis, the two reflect on their shared journey in Atlanta's evolving art scene. From their first meeting in 2020 to building connections in the local community, they discuss the importance of creating spaces for artists and collectors to engage. Kelley, recognized for his extensive collection of modern and contemporary African art, emphasizes the significance of supporting the local art ecosystem, while Delotch Davis, with her background in marketing, fashion, and art, shares her vision for innovation at SCAD FASH and her role in expanding Atlanta’s cultural impact. Together, they highlight the need for more financial investment in the arts and celebrate the vibrant, growing art community in Atlanta.
CAM
KIRK
Cam Kirk, known as "The Eye of Atlanta," reflects on his journey from aspiring promoter to one of the leading photographers documenting Atlanta's hip hop scene. Originally purchasing a camera to tell his own story, Kirk quickly became a vital figure in capturing the rise of Atlanta's rap culture, shooting icons like Gucci Mane, Migos, and 21 Savage. His candid, behind-the-scenes approach, which blends documentary with marketing, humanizes his subjects while promoting their artistry. Deeply connected to the city that shaped his career, Kirk pays it forward by nurturing the next generation of photographers through his Cam Kirk Studios and Collective Gallery. His work not only chronicles the cultural evolution of Atlanta but also highlights the collaborative spirit that defines its creative community.
FAHAMU
PÉCOU
Fahamu Pécou’s art is a vibrant exploration of Black identity, self-determination, and empowerment, blending contemporary cultural symbols with African cosmologies. In his journey from a childhood in South Carolina to becoming a prominent Atlanta-based artist, Pécou has drawn on his experiences of racial bias, his fascination with African traditions, and his desire to redefine Black narratives. Through his work, such as his upcoming exhibitions "We Didn't Realize We Were Seeds" and "We The Roses," Pécou celebrates resilience and the power of self-recognition, inviting viewers to reconsider everyday objects like sneakers, durags, and T-shirts as symbols of spiritual empowerment. His art challenges imposed stereotypes while offering an empowering vision of Black potential, particularly for the next generation of young Black men. Pécou’s ability to merge influences from African diaspora traditions with contemporary Black American culture allows his work to bloom into a powerful commentary on self-representation and the enduring impact of cultural legacies.
DEVIN
B. JOHNSON
Devin B. Johnson’s work explores the fluidity of memory, the texture of urban landscapes, and the intersection of music and painting. In his layered, tactile canvases like Choir, acquired by LACMA, Johnson blends abstraction with subtle references to classical art, all while drawing inspiration from the kinetic energy of cities like New York. Raised in a musically rich environment, his practice is deeply connected to rhythm and movement, with his painting process described as a dance. His pieces evoke a sense of erosion and time, often creating a synesthetic effect where color and texture reflect the haziness of memory. While his earlier work was deeply personal, Johnson now grapples with universal symbols and abstract representations of memory, allowing his art to move beyond direct personal narrative. Through his dynamic approach, Johnson continues to push the boundaries of painting, embracing ambiguity and discovery over fixed forms.
SAMUEL
LEVI JONES
Samuel Levi Jones transforms discarded books and institutional remnants into striking abstract art, challenging the systems they represent. In his process of tearing apart textbooks, law books, and medical histories, Jones critiques the problematic narratives upheld by these materials, deconstructing their authority. His work, highlighted in abstraction of truth at Vielmetter Los Angeles, involves pulping and reassembling book covers and pages into layered, textured compositions. By stripping texts of their original content and reshaping them into new forms, Jones invites viewers to question entrenched power structures, all while embracing the physicality and catharsis of creation. His artistic practice, deeply influenced by personal experiences and systemic injustices, extends beyond the studio as he engages with public projects like the establishment of a garden in his hometown of Marion, Indiana. For Jones, dismantling the written word is not an act of destruction but one of renewal, offering a way to process trauma and reimagine truth.
DASHBOARD
Dashboard, a non-profit arts production group, transforms Georgia’s public spaces into vibrant, free art installations, bridging the gap between underfunded arts programs and the communities they serve. Founded in 2010 by Beth Malone and Courtney Hammond, Dashboard turns vacant spaces across Atlanta into avant-garde art hubs, promoting access and creativity in neighborhoods often overlooked by traditional galleries. Current Executive Director Oshun Layne continues this mission with a thoughtful, community-centric approach, engaging with local residents and fostering collaborations. Dashboard’s work redefines public art by making it accessible, interactive, and rooted in the spaces it inhabits, proving that art can shape and uplift communities.
FULL RADIUS
DANCE
Full Radius Dance, an Atlanta-based company founded by Douglas Scott, redefines dance by embracing both disabled and non-disabled bodies, creating a shared movement vocabulary that challenges traditional ideals of the “perfect” body. Scott’s work over the past 30 years deconstructs ableism, viewing disability as a natural variation of the human form rather than something to be fixed. Through experimentation with movement transposition, Full Radius promotes equity among bodies, offering a revolutionary approach to dance that values diversity and accessibility while celebrating the uniqueness of each performer.
ATLANTA
ART FAIR
The inaugural Atlanta Art Fair, led by guest curators Karen Comer Lowe and Lauren Jackson Harris, aims to highlight Atlanta's rich artistic history while positioning the city as a Southern hub for creativity. Organized by Art Market Productions, known for fairs in New York, San Francisco, and Seattle, this event will transform Pullman Yards into a vibrant art space featuring works from 60 galleries, many based in the South. With a focus on storytelling, community, and accessibility, the curators emphasize building lasting connections between artists and collectors. Amid ongoing challenges to cultural funding in Georgia, the fair represents a significant step in advancing Atlanta’s visual arts ecosystem, ensuring its growth and recognition as a creative capital.
PATRICK
Eugène
Patrick Eugène’s figurative paintings evoke a stillness that feels timeless, reminiscent of an older era where human dignity and simplicity take center stage. His works, influenced by his Haitian heritage, transcend time and place, offering a reflection on shared humanity rather than political or cultural icons. Eugène’s self-taught artistry emerged from a career shift, where his move from finance to painting led to a surprising and successful artistic journey. Now based in Atlanta, his calm, earthy-toned figures reflect familial and ancestral connections, embodying a quiet, enduring dignity that captivates viewers and invites deep contemplation.
NAVIN
JUNE NORLING
Navin June Norling’s work masterfully blends contemporary folk aesthetics with the gritty energy of Americana, placing his art between the realms of nostalgia and critique. Drawing on his upbringing in both urban and rural settings, Norling’s bricolage and assemblages repurpose found objects and discarded cultural symbols, from graffiti to rusted metal sheets. His art reflects the contradictions of American history, juxtaposing icons of pop culture with unsettling, racially charged imagery. Through his process of mending and reimagining, Norling’s work offers a layered exploration of America’s underground history, challenging perceptions while embracing the imperfect and the overlooked.
THE DEAN
COLLECTION
The Dean Collection, spearheaded by Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys, is breaking boundaries in the art world, transforming how art is collected and experienced. In a candid interview, the couple reflects on their mission to democratize art collecting, focusing on amplifying underrepresented voices and creating space for artists who often go unseen. Through their passion-driven approach, Swizz and Alicia have not only amassed an inspiring collection but have fostered a community that celebrates cultural legacy and creative diversity. With exhibitions like "Giants," which showcases oversized works from prominent Black and Brown artists, the Dean Collection emphasizes that art should reflect and empower everyone. As their collection tours globally, continuing at the High Museum in Atlanta, the duo aims to inspire viewers to recognize and embrace the "Giants" within themselves.