Art

Art, Beats + Lyrics: The South Got Something to Say

When Atlanta native Andre 3000 stepped onstage at the 1996 Hip Hop Source Awards, it was obvious that the crowd didn’t consider him and fellow Outkast member Big Boi worthy recipients of the “Best New Artists” award they were there to accept. In the midst of the current  east coast, west coast calamity, Andre 3000 murmured one of the most memorable statements known to the hip hop community to this day: “The south got something to say!” 

Those simple words sparked the beginning of a musical revolution that was rooted in the south. Almost instantaneously, Atlanta became a hip-hop haven. Still to this day, many consider it the music mecca.

Back in 2004, Georgia native Jabari Graham had an idea to showcase art and music in a setting that would draw a younger, more urban audience. He realized a city known for breaking molds in music should have been producing events like this for years now.

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Ozlem Thompson: An Alien Approach

Before art movements like Dada, which sought out to completely destroy traditional art values, and Fauvism, which used scientific color theory to emphasize emotional responses over-literal interpreted scenes; art was a tool to understand and simplify the world at large. Eventually, art was put aside and considered its own study, completely removed from academia. Istanbul artist Ozlem Thompson remarried the fields with her organic, contemporary paintings.

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J.Q. Franklin: Painting to Change our Legacy

It’s not everyday that we’re confronted with the idea of legacy. Sure, we’re taught that actions have consequences and that what we do matters, but when was the last time you thought long and hard about legacy? When was the last time you reflected on your role in the larger world? Have you taken the time to consider how the heritage of your ancestors determined so much of who you are today? These are the questions painter and artistic director Jarvares “J.Q.” Franklin encourages us to ask ourselves.

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Art on the Atlanta Beltline: Community among the Chaos

As I sat on the bench alone, strangers waved and smiled as if we’d crossed paths a thousand times before. A little girl asked to pet my dog and told me all about the King of Pops popsicle her Mom finally let her have on a school night. I sat feeling as if I’d stepped off the city streets into a small town escape. Swirled around the busy city of Atlanta, Georgia the (soon-to-be) 22 mile pathway invites people to stroll along restaurants, parks, and an amazing display of community art. 

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