POETS, ARTISTS & MADMEN

tlanta’s art scene is on the verge of something significant — teetering between mak- ing it and breaking it. Long regardedA as a creative hodgepodge, the city’s poets, artists and madmen have worked tirelessly in the last year to help redefine the city’s artistic identity. They attracted international attention with the colossal grassroots conference Living Walls, improved our public art profile with gloATL and Art on the Belt- line, and cultivated the kind of TV- and filmmaking-friendly environment that’s allowed for the conversion of Lakewood Fairgrounds into a Hollywood-worthy soundstage, and the local filming of AMC’s “The Walking Dead.” So what does the future hold for the arts in ? Can we build on the mo- mentum we’ve recently gained? Judging tara from the last year’s creative outpouring,

-ly nne the scales are tipped in the right direction. — Debbie Michaud pi xl e y

GLOATL: Critics Pick for Best Dance Company POETS, ARTISTS & MADMEN

Mike Germon

Best trend in the arts Best neighborhood Best emerging visual artist Atlanta’s art scene has experienced a changing of the for artists LUCHA RODRIGUEZ’s examination of the body as a guard over the past couple of years: The collective has be- There’s a fairly reliable life cycle applicable to art- web of thoughts and organs manifests itself in the ethereal come king. And while the twenty- and thirtysomethings ists’ neighborhoods: In the beginning, no one gives a delicacy of her voluminous hand-cut paper installations behind the city’s nascent art co-ops, galleries and organi- shit about them, not even the artists. The architecture and the sinuous tangles and gelatinous surrealism of her zations have displayed remarkable entrepreneurial savvy, is likely old and neglected or, alternately, comprised of “Creaturettes.” She’s also got a penchant for the color and ushered in a new generation of nonprofits, they’ve also strip mall ghost towns begging for someone to reclaim pink — her artful autopsies bleed it. The Venezuela-born shown that they know how to party. ART PARTIES such as the forgotten corporate landscapes. That’s when the artist, who has a BFA in graphic design from the Art In- Dashboard Co-op’s launch event at the cavernous Blue Tower artists sneak in. Spots such as the sprawling artist co- stitute of Atlanta, and an MFA in printmaking from the Gallery, Dodekapus’ mad art show-cum-ice-sculpting-rave, op B Complex, the CoLaboratory and the mammoth Savannah College of Art & Design, wowed this year in BurnAway’s fundraising extravaganza, and round two of the Metropolitan warehouses in Atlanta’s WEST END, Encore Series at the ACA Gallery of SCAD and in Spruill underground local art and fest ARTlantis are a mere which house dozens of studio and gallery spaces, offer Gallery’s LatinGA. Last May, Rodriguez was awarded sampling of the past year’s social calendar. The parties ring large spans of square footage on the cheap. Add to the the Forward Arts Foundation’s 2010-11 Emerging Artist with the energy of those who are making up the rules as they mix historical-turned-right-now-relevant spaces such as Award, which includes a $10,000 grant and a solo show at go. What’s more, the art is good and just keeps getting better. Hammonds House and the Wren’s Nest, and — bam! — the Swan Coach House Gallery. We can’t wait to see what We’re not saying an art show has to have fire dancers to be the latest intown art mecca is born. she comes up with next. www.love-lucha-now.org fun … but it sure as hell doesn’t hurt.

Readers Pick for Best New Trend in the Arts: The Beltline. See more Readers Picks, p. 42 POETS, ARTISTS & MADMEN

Public Art ... our favorite open-air creativity

Best reason to ry in the most typical of places. Oral his- tories from Jolly Twelve member Freddy navigate the Styles, drag queen Billy Jones, and soft- urban jungle ball players from the Atlanta Tomboys Forget gallery walls, this year artists informed Memory Flash’s installations have been vying for representation in pub- and performances, and created an unfor- lic spaces, most significantly as part of the gettably resonant connection between the sprawling, multidisciplinary project ART past and present. www.fluxprojects.org ON THE BELTLINE. Intended to boost awareness of the size and scope of the proposed 22-mile loop of parks, trails and Best use of Krog transit, and its potential impact on you and Street tunnel me and our fair city, the multipart exhibit As BP’s busted well continued to gush has featured everything from a poignant oil into the Gulf of Mexico nearly two performance art and installation piece by months after the Deep Water Horizon’s Hormuz Minina to Jeffry Loy’s glowing “blowout preventer” failed to deliver as ff D J oe ff steel flower pods. www..org promised on April 20, a couple of locals took to the to voice a

their frustration, painting “fu bp” above v is Best public the DeKalb Avenue entrance. The best art event part, though, was the FU BP TIME- MARCH ON THE CAPITOL: Critics Pick for Best Collective Artistic “Oh, Hell Naw!” In August, more than a dozen of the LAPSE VIDEO that circulated the fol- world’s most prolific and noted street lowing day. It showed the pair working eat, and humans are consuming technology artists descended on Atlanta for LIVING Best collective artis- from the middle of the night into the wee at a ferocious pace. In Significance slowed its WALLS: THE CITY SPEAKS, a week- hours of the morning, ducking for cover tic “Oh, hell naw!” audience down enough so it could take a deep end-long grassroots street art conference When artists, arts organizations and their as cop cars pass, and quickly accumulated breath and chew on notions of origin, evolu- that included the installation of murals, supporters first learned last April that the upward of 11,000 views on YouTube. tion and interaction. 1011-A Marietta St. posters, and wheatpastes all over Atlanta, House of Representative’s proposed 404-892-5477. www.kiang-gallery.com. along with lectures on urbanism, a gal- state budget for 2011 eliminated funds for the lery show, and general art trouble/mer- Best graf writer Georgia Council for the Arts, the response Casting a critical eye at graf writ- rymaking. If Living Walls doesn’t incite was swift. The arts community sprang into Best photo finish ers is a little counterintuitive. We’re not Atlanta art vandals to step up their game action to oppose the cuts, including circulat- It’s safe to say that the last five years JU- about to impose a set of rules where and keep us on the international street ing a petition that gathered more than 2,000 LIAN COX has spent as the curator of pho- they clearly don’t belong, but we do art radar, then fuck it — we’re moving to signatures in a matter of days. The protesting tography at the High have been some of the think HENSE’s works on overpasses, old Berlin. www.livingwallsconference.com culminated in a MARCH ON THE CAPI- museum’s most productive, and arguably its buildings, railroad cars, rusty signage, TOL April 19 comprising several hundred most impressive. Exhibitions such as Harry and billboards over the past 15 years people, complete with pithy signs, dancing, Callahan: Eleanor in 2007, 2008’s Road to Best public deserves recognition. The veteran street music, singing, speeches and generally color- Freedom: Photographs of the Civil Rights Move- artist always turns out graceful, lively art performance ful commotion. The following day, the Sen- ment, 1956-1968, and most recently, Signs of Working with an old house in the interactions that leave each urban surface ate Appropriations Committee modified the Life: Photographs by Peter Sekaer have raised historic , a softball field, he appropriates looking truly appreci- budget, which was later approved, allotting the museum’s profile and helped pad its per- a vacant lot, and a growth of kudzu be- ated, including his bold — and autho- approximately $890,000 for the GCA. It was manent collection. For the “Picturing the hind a strip mall, JOHN Q’S MEMORY rized — Beltline mural off Ralph McGill a wake-up call for members of the local art South” series, Cox wrangled commissions from FLASH uncovered Atlanta’s queer histo- Boulevard. www.hensethename.com community, who learned the hard way that photographer Alec Soth, which now call the you’ve got to fight for your right to be arty. High home. Among the best of the nation’s photography scholars, Cox was appointed as Founding Curator of Photography for the Fine Best art exhibit Arts Museums of San Francisco and Chief Cu- in a gallery rator of the de Young Museum in July. We’re Atlanta artist Pandra Williams presented sad to see him go, but thanks to his diligent a complex and meditative study in the biol- efforts at building the museum’s permanent ogy of technology (and vice versa) with her collection in truly meaningful ways, we have moody installation “Radicis,” one of the plenty to remember him by. 1280 Peachtree St. standout pieces in her exceptional joint show 404-733-4444. www.high.org. IN SIGNIFICANCE with Annette Gates at the Westside’s Kiang Gallery last spring. “Radi- Best local male actor cis” — a pulsing combination of handmade A mainstay of ’s True Colors porcelain sculptures, laminated mulberry Theatre Company, E. ROGER MITCHELL

Al an paper, 465 LED lights, solar panels and a bat- proves the best kind of utility player by put- tery bank — was arresting in its tranquility. ting fresh spins on vivid roles from Ceremo- Friedman Gates and Williams’ collaborative piece “Para- nies in Dark Old Men’s urban operator Blue dox” was a three-dimensional romp through Haven to Gem of the Ocean’s bereft Citizen the circle of life. They say you are what you Barlow. Perhaps Mitchell’s most impressive POETS, ARTISTS & MADMEN Joeff DavisJoeff

LUCHA RODRIGUEZ: Critics Pick for Best Emerging Visual Artist

quality is his ability to take a sketchy charac- FAIR USE proved to be more felicitous and ter, such as The Sunset Limited’s saintly ex- satisfying than any of the Kendeda’s storied con, and invest it with dignity and gravitas. winners to date. Actor’s Express’ Freddie Mitchell can reliably make mediocre material Ashley snapped up Sarah Gubbins’ inge- strong, and strong material masterful. nious and witty examination of workplace romance and intellectual property, which Best local demonstrates its own points by turning into female actor a nimble riff on Cyrano de Bergerac for the In recent years, Atlantans have been short- online, gay-friendly age. Fair Use proves changed the charms of PushPush Theater that a play doesn’t need historical settings or co-founder SHELBY HOFER, primarily due heavyweight subject matter to explore rich to her having a child. Hofer renewed her cre- ideas and the nature of relationships. dentials as one of Atlanta’s best comic actresses with PushPush’s one-woman show 101 Hu- miliating Stories by Lisa Kron. A tour-de-force Best guest actor to of shameful admissions and self-conscious be- throw money around havior, Stories provided a showcase of Hofer’s Powerhouse monologist MIKE DAISEY spot-on timing. PushPush extended Stories took the by storm last several times, but really, could continue to spring. Marrying the verbal and thematic show it every week without it getting old. ingenuity of the late Spalding Gray with the www.pushpushtheater.com volcanic indignation of Lewis Black, Daisey took on money and materialism with The Last Cargo Cult, then trained his incisive eye on Best stage director the problems of contemporary stagecraft with Actor’s Express artistic director FRED- his one-night performance of How Theater DIE ASHLEY benefits from the law of aver- Failed America. Atlanta may have literally ages in this category: He’s such a prolific di- gotten more out of Daisey than he put in. In rector that if you’ve seen a vivid or imagina- Cargo Cult, Daisey conducted a sociological tive production recently, odds are he helmed experiment by converting his fee for each per- it. Ashley’s coming off a particularly fulsome formance into cash and giving it away to his season that included the memory-haunted audience as they entered. At the end of the musical Grey Gardens, the intimate musical A show, Daisey politely requested the money be Catered Affair, and the showbiz satire-turned- returned. His Atlanta run left him more deep- fightfest Slasher. In Ashley’s shows, the actors ly in the red than any other city. If that makes make graceful transitions between power- Daisey reluctant to return, we have only our- ful emotional beats without ever letting the selves to blame. mikedaisey.blogspot.com snappy pace flag. Here’s hoping Ashley keeps up the pace as well. www.actors-express.com Best theater company Best play Perhaps something’s in the water in Ironically, Alliance Theatre Kendeda Lawrenceville. Since AURORA THEATRE Graduate Playwriting Competition finalist debuted its new playhouse there in 2007, the POETS, ARTISTS & MADMEN ff D J oe ff a v is

ANDY SANDFORD: Critics Pick for Best Local Comedian

once-tame suburban theater has seen increas- in the middle of the night. Stallings and her ing creative dividends. In the past season, troupe are interlopers; invaders of public space Aurora debuted the Georgia Gwinnett College and consciousness. Their method of attack Lab Series of innovative scripts at its new is rooted in Gaga, a performance technique black box theater, where you can see the likes pioneered by Israeli choreographer Ohad Na- of the funny, quirky boom and the intriguing harin. Gaga’s so-called “movement language” The Circumference of a Squirrel, starring Daniel has a balletic herky-jerkiness that bursts with May. The programming has branched out from athleticism and emotion. With gloATL, Stall- familiar theatrical warhorses and included such ings has eschewed the traditional stage format coups as the regional premiere of A Catered for venues such as Lenox Mall, the streets Affair with Glenn Rainey, and hit a high water- of , and the Woodruff Arts mark with Tranced, a twisty political thriller on Center campus for her 360-degree audience/ a par with the best work of Actor’s Express, performer experiences. gloATL’s 2009-10 sea- Horizon Theatre and Alliance Hertz Stage. son concluded with the epic multimedia per- Aurora strikes just the right balance between formance Roem, setting the stage (so to speak) pleasing its audience and challenging its artists. for the company’s largest public work to date, 128 E. Pike St., Lawrenceville. 678-226-6222. scheduled for this fall. www.gloatl.com www.auroratheatre.com. Best sign that Best local comedian Atlanta’s a new It’s been said that the best comedy comes mini-Hollywood from pain. If that’s really the case, then Between Tyler Perry’s Atlanta-based media somebody must have kicked the shit out of empire, Georgia’s financial incentives for film ANDY SANDFORD. Whether performing production, and Screen Gems’ new deal to alone, or as one fourth of the comedy quar- convert Lakewood Fairgrounds into a sound- tet the Beards of Comedy, Sandford’s dark stage, the A has increasingly raised its profile as demeanor and eerily annunciated delivery a destination for making movies and television only help to highlight the greatest asset to his shows. Perhaps no project could do more for comedy — his writing. Sandford is a skill- the city’s cachet than the local filming of “THE ful linguist who carefully plays with pitch, WALKING DEAD,” American Movie Classics’ tone and timing to spice up his jokes about undead miniseries developed by director Frank everything from mugging a man for his suit, Darabont and based on the cult graphic novel to his love of fast food: “Wendy’s is very series of the same name. AMC is essentially the near and dear to my heart … problems.” new HBO, boasting such critically acclaimed www.myspace.com/sandfordcomedy fare as “Mad Men” and “Breaking Bad.” If “The Walking Dead” lives up to those shows Best dance company when it debuts in November, it could boost our The emergence of dancemaker Lauri Stall- cool factor by several orders of magnitude. Ei- ings’ GLOATL over the past year has been ther way, it’s always fun having zombies around. the artistic equivalent of a fire alarm going off www.amctv.com/originals/The-Walking-Dead POETS, ARTISTS & MADMEN

Art Spaces ... our favorite galleries and theaters Best gallery founder Andrew Bellury acts as liaison With its exposed brick walls and for MINT exhibitions at other venues airy, modern layout, Susan Bridges’ In- around town. 684-B John Wesley Dobbs man Park carriage-house-turned-gallery Ave. mintgallery.blogspot.com. WHITESPACE is at once nostalgic and modern. The same can be said for the art Best black box Bridges welcomes into the space: Stand- theater out shows of the past year include local An intimate venue even by the mi- husband-and-wife team Whitney and nuscule standards of black box spaces, Micah Stansell’s multimedia collaboration DAD’S GARAGE TOP SHELF offers Past. Perfect. Continuous., and the Caroline an incubator of raw local talent, notably Lathan-Stiefel-curated adventure in color Griefers, written by and starring Randy and texture Seepages. 814 Edgewood Ave. Havens and Christian Danley, as well as 404-688-1892. www.whitespace814.com. the latest work from artists such as Steve Yockey, Alison Hastings, Erin Burnett Best gallery and Matt Myers. Bonus: It’s easy to drink spotlighting beer there. 280 Elizabeth St., Suite C-101. local artists 404-523-3141. www.dadsgarage.com. Throughout its nearly five-year exis- tence, Poncey-Highland hole-in-the-wall Best blockbuster BEEP BEEP GALLERY has been a ma- theater jor factor in transforming Atlanta’s un- The corporate name may not be in- derground and emerging art scenes, from spirational, but every other aspect of the shows featuring local talent such as the COBB ENERGY PERFORMING ARTS Plastic Aztecs or Matt Relkin to found- CENTRE never fails to impress, from its ing the subterranean arts fest ARTlantis sleek exterior to its luxurious lobby to the to partnering with local java joint Aurora comfy seats and fine acoustics and sight- Coffee on any number of art/music lines of the 2,750-seat auditorium. Plus, extravaganzas. 696 Charles Allen Drive. the Centre’s logistical ease puts the audi- 404-429-3320. www.beepbeepgallery.com. ence focus where it belongs: on artists like the performers of the and Best Opera. 2800 Cobb Galleria Parkway. art space 770-916-2800. www.cobbenergycentre.com. Tucked away in the nether regions of the Sampson Street Lofts, MINT Best movie theater GALLERY makes itself known with an None of Atlanta’s slick corporate unassuming orange door. The artist-run cinema chains feels as much like a picture nonprofit gallery is practically ground show by and for the community as the zero for projects from Atlanta’s emerg- 71-year-old . The ing creatives. Owners/operators Erica scruffy but comfy movie house currently Jamison and Mike Germon maintain a specializes in new art-house films, cre- frenetic pace conceiving of inspired art- ative events such as Silver Scream Spook ist collabos (Joe Tsambiras, Sam Parker Show, and monthly screenings of the cult and the Paper Twins’ Here We Hide); hit The Room. At the Plaza, the love of killer group shows (Solid Gold); and film practically fills the air, like the smell hosting hot-shit guest curators (Ben of popcorn. 1049 Ponce de Leon Ave. Goldman and Jason Travis), while co- 404-873-1939. www.plazaatlanta.com. ff D J oe ff a v is POETS, ARTISTS & MADMEN

Scribes ... our favorite writers of the year

Best poet bright lights and big heads at a high-end Using his own experiences as a quad- nightclub or parsing the machinations riplegic, PAUL GUEST explores the way of a Byzantine federal investigation, any of us — all of us — can or can’t move Shalhoup is a sure-footed investigator of and feel in this world. His poetry often organized crime. www.bmfbook.com conveys a flippant, cynical tone: “As you can already see, everything is fucked./I re- Full disclosure: Shalhoup is CL’s editor ally can’t remember why,” he says in “Au- in chief. Arts freelancer Wyatt Williams dio Commentary Track 1” from 2008’s chose Shalhoup for this award and wrote My Index of Slightly Horrifying Knowl- the blurb. We trust that Wyatt was in no edge. His insights, however, are anything way influenced by Shalhoup’s role at CL but superficial. He published his calm, lu- when he made this selection. cid memoir, One More Theory About Hap- piness, last May. paulguest.blogspot.com Best playwright As artistic director of Essential The- Best fiction author atre, PETER HARDY has been Atlanta’s Scorch Atlas author BLAKE BUTLER de facto midwife of new local plays. In doesn’t just write fiction, he creates inter- the summer of 2010, however, Hardy locking worlds, apocalyptic visions raining put the spotlight on his own script, Sally gravel or glass or glitter. His thin volumes and Glen at the Palace, and the nostalgic swell to the size of several books as you dramedy packed enough punch to upstage read them. Catch him locally at his Solar many of Essential’s productions going Anus reading series, where he’s usually back for years. www.essentialtheatre.com introducing other talents from small and independent presses. www.gillesdeleuze- Best graphic committedsuicideandsowilldrphil.com novelist Terms like “subtlety,” “innocence,” Best nonfiction and “whimsy” seldom describe con- author temporary graphic novels, but of all the After reading MARA SHALHOUP’s creators in our lively, local comic book vivid and kaleidoscopic exploration of scene, Lilburn’s ANDY RUNTON pro- the Black Mafia Family, BMF: The Rise duces the most persistently impressive and Fall of Big Meech and the Black work with his dialogue-free, kid-orient- Mafia Family, you’ll never be able to ed title Owly, which gives “cute” a good look at Atlanta’s streets, ’s name. Move over, Winnie the Pooh. mansions, or a line of cocaine the same www.andyrunton.com/comics.html again. Whether she’s recounting the ff D J oe ff a v is POETS, ARTISTS & MADMEN

Readers Picks

Best new trend Best indie crafter in the arts (Tie) & BeCky sTriePe Best puBlic artwork www.glueandglitter.com & And Best puBlic art event ChrisTy PeTTerson The BelTline abardis.wordpress.com www.beltline.org Best photographer Best neighBorhood ryan PurCell for the arts www.ohsnapkid.com & Best neighBorhood Best museum art walk CasTleBerry hill 1280 Peachtree St. 404-733-4444. www.castleberryhill.org www.high.org.

Best estaBlished Best gallery visual artist young Blood gallery Fahamu PeCou & BouTique www.fahamupecouart.com 636 N. Highland Ave. 404-254-4127. www.youngbloodgallery.com. Best emerging visual artist melissa Payne Baker Best gallery www.melissapaynebaker.com spotlighting local artists BeeP BeeP gallery Best advocate 696 Charles Allen Drive. 404-429-3320. for the arts WonderrooT www.beepbeepgallery.com. 982 Memorial Drive. 404-254-5955. www.wonderroot.org. Best underground art space arT & Best street art musiC gallery krog sTreeT Tunnel 290 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive S.E., Suite 8. 404-522-0655. www.eyedrum.org. Best art party Art PAPers arT auCTion www.artpapers.org ff D J OE ff arT on The BelTline: readers Pick for Best new Trend in the arts, Public artwork A and Public art event v IS POETS, ARTISTS & MADMEN

Readers Picks Joeff DavisJoeff

TOPHER PAYNE: Readers Pick for Best Local Playwright

Best opening & YOUR FUNNY VOTES Best art exhibit Best new trend in the arts: in a gallery calling everything “epic” Here We Hide at MINT Gallery 684 John Wesley Dobbs Ave. — “katarinj” www.mintatl.org. Best museum: GA Crime Lab — Has the shaved Best art exhibit monkey from the alien hoax of ’53 in a museum — “grantonious” The Allure of the Automobile High Museum of Art, 1280 Peachtree St. Best local male actor: 404-733-4444. www.high.org. Blondie — “MotS” Best local male actor Tyler Perry Best local female actor: www.tylerperry.com Your girlfriend — “thiefmagnet” Best local female actor Alison Hastings

Best stage director Kenny Leon Best theater company www.truecolorstheatre.org & Best improv group Best local playwright & Topher Payne Best sketch comedy www.topherpayne.com troupe or venue Dad’s Garage Theatre Best play 280 Elizabeth St. 404-523-3141. Spoon: The Musical at Dad’s www.dadsgarage.com. Garage Theatre 280 Elizabeth St. 404-523-3141. Best local comedian www.dadsgarage.com. Joe Pettis www.joepettis.com Best touring play The Phantom of the Opera Best venue for at stand-up comedy 660 Peachtree St. 404-881-2100. Laughing Skull Lounge www.foxtheatre.org. 878 Peachtree St. 877-523-3288. www.vortexcomedy.com. POETS, ARTISTS & MADMEN

Readers Picks

Best dance company Best local author Atlanta Ballet Hollis Gillespie www.atlantaballet.com www.hollisgillespie.com

Best dance Best book by performance a local author Koru by Dance 101 The Help by Kathryn Stockett 2480 Briarcliff Road. 404-542-3887. www.kathrynstockett.com www.dance101.org. Best place to see a movie Best local poet Landmark Midtown Art Cinema & 931 Monroe Circle. 404-879-0408. Best local spoken www.landmarktheatres.com. word artist Kodac Harrison Best film series www.kodacharrison.com Splatter Cinema at Plaza Theatre Best place to hear 1049 Ponce de Leon Ave. 404-873-1939. spoken word www.plazaatlanta.com. Java Monkey 425 Church St. 404-378-5002. Best film festival www.myspace.com/javamonkeydecatur. 365 www.atlantafilmfestival.com Best book event Decatur Book Festival Best local arts blog www.decaturbookfestival.com Burnaway www.burnaway.org