ARTiculate ATL
An annual art show that every art lover should experience
On June 8, 2024, ARTiculate ATL hosted their annual art show, which featured over 30 emerging artists based in Atlanta. This is my third consecutive year attending the anticipated art show. I must say, attending an ARTiculate ATL event in the past has never disappointed me and this year was no different.
When I arrived at Atlanta Contemporary for this year’s show, I could immediately feel the energy outside, even before entering the gallery. There were food trucks, drinks, and music to welcome guests. When entering the gallery, I received my wristband and three tickets for complimentary cocktails and wine provided by their sponsors: Bombay Sapphire, Bacardi, and House of Brown. The music vibes were in full effect through the evening by DJs Princess Cut, Salah Ananse, Sed the Saint, and Ball Tech. It’s safe to say that ARTiculate ATL is not your typical art show, it’s a party celebrating the arts in Atlanta.
As an artist myself, I always enjoy attending art shows and exhibitions to meet fellow artists and get a bit of inspiration for myself. When I think about it, a lot of the Atlanta artists that I have connected with over the last three years have been through meeting them at ARTiculate ATL events and annual shows. With that said, it’s obvious that ARTiculate ATL is a great place to see and collect beautiful art AND to network with artists and art lovers alike.
The thing that I love most about ARTiculate ATL is that they put a spotlight on emerging artists and provide a chance for emerging and established collectors to collect new art. While walking around viewing the art, you’ll see an abundance of blue dots, indicating that artworks have been sold. I’m especially happy when I see blue dots for the artists that I know; however, I make sure to congratulate all the artists with sold work, as I know that exhilarating feeling of selling a piece. As emerging artists, original works may not always fly off the walls quickly, so selling a piece is always a moment!
While I loved much of the work on display, I was absolutely in awe of Meredith Estes’s work. Her “Uncaged” series depicts seasoned women (our elders) who have lived lives by or for others and are now free and living life as they choose. The expressions on the faces of each woman is giving class and sass- you know that energy our elders exude when they know nobody can tell them anything anymore. Each piece also had a parrot to symbolize happiness, life, and good fortune. The vibrant colors used in each piece reel the viewer in to study the overall essence of the piece. Not only was her work captivating, but Meredith was very personable and ready to talk to everyone who came by in awe of her work.
Some of my other favorites of the evening included art by artists C. Flux Sing, Lamar Bailey, Mikayla Fields, and Shanneil Clarke. However, all the art there was pretty dope. The ARTiculate ATL team did a great job curating this year’s show.
If I had to compare this year’s show to the two previous years I have attended…well, I don’t know if I can compare because each year has been dope for various reasons. Last year’s show was held at Mason Fine Art and in 2022 it was at MINT ATL. Atlanta Contemporary was a great venue because of the outdoor area, the spacious inside, and parking was free and widely available at the time I arrived, around 7 pm. My ONLY complaint of the evening was that we needed more air inside. Initially, I thought it was just me being hot from indulging in two delicious Bombay Sapphire cocktails, but I quickly noticed that others were also hot and fanning themselves.
The art show was from 6 pm-10 pm and with its location in the heart of the city, one could easily continue a night out nearby afterward; however, I opted to go home and used my inspiration from the night to get in my studio and be creative!
If you are an artist, collector, or just a lover of all things art- you should follow ARTiculate ATL and check out next year’s show.
