ATLANTA: Radcliffe Roye / Chastain Arts Center

J'Ouvert: At the Devil's Playground
Presented in partnership with the National Black Arts Festival
June 14 - July 28, 2012
Opening reception: Thursday, June 14, 2012 - 6:30pm to 8:30pm
Artist Talk: Saturday, June 30, 2012, 1:00pm to 3:00pm


CHASTAIN ARTS CENTER
135 West Wieuca Road, N.W.
Atlanta, GA

Radcliffe Roye is a Brooklyn based documentary photographer specializing in editorial and environmental portraits, photo-journalism and stock photography. A self taught photographer with over twelve year’s experience. He is inspired by the raw and gritty lives of grass-roots people, especially those of his homeland of Jamaica. Radcliffe strives to tell the stories of their victories and ills by bringing their voices to still photography. 

J’Ouvert and the idea of the “Devils Playground” came to the artist after learning that the word originates from the French “jour ouvert” meaning day break or morning, and signals the start of the bacchanalia that is Carnival. As a child growing up in Jamaica, J’Ouvert was the signal of “Junkunoos” and other effigies that had children scampering off to hide under their mother’s skirt tails or grip daddy’s hand extra hard in fear of being carted off by these “scary” colored figures. 

The artist started photographing J’Ouvert in Brooklyn New York because it reminded him of the things that scared him as a boy. This traditional part of Carnival starts around 2:00 in the morning and continues with the colorful costumes, until the Brooklyn Carnival begins at 11 AM, that morning. 

Radcliffe Roye has been exhibiting his work since 2001 and has shown in institutions in New York and beyond. He has been awarded fellowships at the New York Foundation, the Open Society Institute Documentary Photography Project, and has had work included in the national travelling exhibition Saturday Night, Sunday Morning curated by Deborah Willis. J’Ouvert: At the Devils Playground is his first exhibition in Atlanta and in the south.

The 2012 National Black Arts Festival is presenting this exhibition as part of their celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Jamaican Independence. The theme for this year’s National Black Arts festival is connecting communities. 

About Chastain Arts Center 

Chastain Arts Center is one of the oldest community arts center in Atlanta. Its mission has always been to provide a nurturing place where artists of all ages and skill levels are encouraged to create, learn and enjoy. Visit www.ocaatlanta.com for more information.

ATLANTA: Drawing Connections / City Gallery Chastain / August 11 - September 23, 2011



City Gallery Chastain presents Drawing Connections 

August 11-September 23, 2011

Opening Reception: August 11- 6:00-8:00 PM

Artist Talk: August 27, 1:00 PM

Atlanta, GA— The Office of Cultural Affairs and City Gallery Chastain is pleased to announce Drawing Connections featuring ten locally based artists -Alejandro Aguilera, Yanique Norman, Kojo Griffin, Corrina Sephora Mensoff, Matt Haffner, Chung-Fan Chang, Corrine Colarusso, Ben Smith, Leslie Kneisel, and Benjamin Jones.  This group of artists was chosen because they symbolize various aspects of the Atlanta arts community who have one thing in common, the love of artistic expression.

This exhibition will feature the highest quality of artwork created to educate, entertain and engage the viewer.  The artworks are selected to attract  the viewer into the art so that the work can be experienced personally. The exhibition will run from August 11, 2011 – September 23, 2011 and include an opening reception on August 11 from 6:00 – 8:30 PM; the artists will be present during the reception.  Other features of the exhibit will be an Artists Talk on August 27 at 1:00 PM in the gallery. Those who attend will truly enjoy an atmosphere of exploration and interaction with the artists and their works of art.

This exhibition features drawing which is known as the purest form of art.  While most of us think of drawing as pencil to paper, these artists will challenge your perception. Each artist has a distinctive style and unique voice that is known by viewers of the art.   

Drawing Connections will attract different audiences based on the diverse offerings in the gallery.  This show consist of mixed media, works on paper, and installation, etc.  There will be something for everyone.  Each viewer will experience unique perspectives of this traditional art form.

 

Image: Soggy Moons by Yanique Norman.

  

Gallery hours during the exhibition are Monday –Friday 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM; Saturday from 9:30 AM-3:00 PM, closed Sunday.  Call (404) 252-2927, visit http://www.ocaatlanta.com/, or “like” Chastain Arts Center on Facebook for more information.  

About Chastain Arts Center:

Chastain Arts Center is one of the oldest community arts center in Atlanta. Its mission has always been to provide a nurturing place where artists of all ages and skill levels are encouraged to create, learn and enjoy. 



Location:

Chastain Arts Center

135 West Wieuca Road, NW

Atlanta, GA

ATLANTA: "Home" Curated by Fahamu Pecou / City Gallery Chastain / June 10 - July 23, 2011

Location: 

Chastain Arts Center

135 West Wieuca Road, NW

Atlanta, GA

Kombo Chapfika, All You Can Eat Buffet (2010), Mixed media on canvas, 16"x20". 
Courtesy of City Gallery Chastain.

Atlanta artist Fahamu Pecou puts on his curatorial hat with the exhibition “Home” featuring work by emerging Georgia talent. This exhibition seeks to give a glimpse into the future of the cultural landscape of a region through the work of creative young minds. Featured artists include Kombo Chapfika, Ashley Reid, Terra Coles, Stephen Hayes, and Cosmo Whyte; five promising visual artists whose works are gaining attention in the world of contemporary art within the state. This exhibition will be on view from June 10 until July 23, 2011.  The opening reception will be Friday, June 10 from 6:00 – 9:00 PM - - the Artists Talk will be Saturday, July 9 from 1:00 – 3:00 PM.  This exhibition and program is co-presented by the National Black Arts Festival.  

“As international, national and local politics become more and more the subject of pop culture discourse, I wanted to create an exhibit that presents a new awareness of how politics, education and culture are coming to redefine life in our home state of Georgia” says exhibition organizer Fahamu Pecou. The work in this show will feature new names, new ideas, new approaches and a new sense of the notion of what it means to call Georgia "home". 

Cosmo Whyte, Well Travelled African. Courtesy of City Gallery Chastain.

“Home” is co-presented by the National Black Arts Festival (NBAF). NBAF produces year-round educational programming, as well as events presented in collaboration with national and local partners, in addition to the annual summer festival for which the organization is named. This partnership is important to the Chastain Arts Center because we want to expand awareness of our center and what better way to increase visibility than to work with an organization like the NBAF.

About Chastain Arts Center

Chastain Arts Center is one of the oldest community arts center in Atlanta. Its mission has always been to provide a nurturing place where artists of all ages and skill levels are encouraged to create, learn and enjoy. Visit http://www.ocaatlanta.com/ for more information.

NBAF Event Details