Around Atlanta
High Museum of Art to Debut Alex Harris “Picturing The South” Commission
North Carolina–based photographer created new works focused on independent filmmaking in the South for the High’s collection
The High Museum of Art will debut more than 60 new works by North Carolina–based photographer Alex Harris in the latest exhibition for its “Picturing the South” series: “Our Strange New Land: Photographs by Alex Harris” (Nov. 29, 2019 – May 3, 2020). Established in 1996, “Picturing the South” is a distinctive initiative that asks noted photographers to turn their lenses toward the American South to create work for the High’s collection. For his commission, Harris made photographs on independent film sets throughout the South to explore how the region is seen, imagined and created by contemporary visual storytellers.
“We are delighted to acquire Harris’ work for the collection as part of our ‘Picturing the South’ series. Over more than two decades, the series has demonstrated our dedication to photography and to celebrate the region’s diversity, beauty, and unique character,” said Rand Suffolk, the High’s Nancy and Holcombe T. Green, Jr., director. “We are excited to recognize Harris’ distinguished career through this commission and to share these new photographs with our audience.”
Born and raised in Georgia, Harris is a founder of Duke University’s Center for Documentary Studies and lives and works in Durham, North Carolina. A dozen years ago, having documented contemporary Cuban society, he was asked to photograph on the set of Steven Soderbergh’s film “Che” (2008). Inspired by that experience, Harris decided to explore current narrative cinematic representations of the South by chronicling productions of contemporary independent films set in the region.
“One of our main goals for ‘Picturing the South’ is to allow the photographers to explore a new creative route or dig deeper into a topic that inspires them, so we are thrilled that Harris went this direction with his commission,” said Greg Harris, the High’s associate curator of photography. “Ranging from intimate portraits and quiet moments to sweeping landscapes and atmospheric scenes, the photographs in the exhibition not only showcase Harris’ ingenuity and skill as a photographer but also will offer our visitors an opportunity to see the South through the eyes of innovative filmmakers.”
Over the past two years, Alex Harris has traveled around Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas capturing both the scenes constructed for film productions and the activity that unfolded around and adjacent to the sets, often blurring the lines between staged storytelling and real life. With the South’s diverse topography as a backdrop, he strings together impeccably lit and instinctively composed images to build an intuitive narrative that vacillates between deep sorrow, explosive anger and mundane anticipation. Though he leaves clues, Harris never fully reveals which pictures are contrived for the cinema and which are documentary happenstance.
“I began this project believing that, by photographing on contemporary Southern film sets, I might, through the visions and imaginations of these filmmakers, show the South in a new light,” said Alex Harris. “Over the last two years I found myself approaching these imagined dramas much in the same way I took on earlier, more traditional documentary projects, following my instincts and editing my photographs not to tell a particular story — or to be faithful to the plots of individual films — but to discover the story my photographs have to tell. Gradually, I became interested in seeing how my pictures from widely different film productions resonated with each other. Now, in mounting this exhibition with curators at the High, I see a cumulative portrait, not only of these productions and of the South, but of an idea that has long been celebrated in literature, explored in science and conveyed by philosophers — that is, the ways in which we are all actors in our own lives, creating our sets, practicing our lines, refining our characters, playing ourselves.”
“Our Strange New Land: Photographs by Alex Harris” will be on view in the Lucinda Weil Bunnen Photography Galleries on the Lower Level of the High’s Wieland Pavilion. The “Picturing the South” commission was made possible by the generous support of the H.B. and Doris Massey Charitable Trust.
About Alex Harris
For over 40 years, Harris (American, born 1949) has photographed across the American South and in locations as disparate as the Inuit villages of Alaska; the streets of Havana, Cuba; and the fish markets of Mumbai, India. He has taught at Duke University since 1980. His awards include a Guggenheim Fellowship in Photography, a Rockefeller Foundation Humanities Fellowship and a Lyndhurst Prize. Harris’ work is represented in major photographic collections, including those of the High Museum of Art, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the Museum of Modern Art, New York. His photographs have been exhibited widely, including in exhibitions at the International Center of Photography in New York and the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles. As a photographer and editor, Harris has published 18 books. His book “River of Traps” with William deBuys was a finalist for the 1991 Pulitzer Prize in general nonfiction. Most recently, he published “Where We Find Ourselves: The Photographs of Hugh Mangum, 1897–1922”with Margaret Sartor.
About “Picturing the South”
The High began its “Picturing the South” initiative in 1996 both to provide a contemporary perspective on Southern subjects and themes and to expand its collection of contemporary photography. The commissions have benefited the Museum as well as the artists — Sally Mann’s commission in 1996, for instance, helped support her shift to landscape work and resulted in the first photographs in her “Motherland” series. The other commissions range from Dawoud Bey’s over-life-size portraits of Atlanta high school students to Emmet Gowin’s aerial photographs of aeration ponds and paper mills. Photographer Alex Webb captured the drama of Atlanta’s street life and nightlife, and Richard Misrach used a view camera to reveal the beauty and pathos of the industrial landscape along the Mississippi River between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, an area known as Cancer Alley. In the most recent completed commission, Mark Steinmetz focused on air travel and Atlanta’s Hartsfield–Jackson International Airport —closely considering the activity and interactions that make the airport the crossroads of the New South.
About the High’s Photography Department
The High Museum of Art is home to one of the nation’s leading photography programs. The Museum began acquiring photographs in the early 1970s, making it one of the earliest American art museums to commit to collecting the medium. With more than 7,500 prints that span the history of the medium from the 1840s to the present, the collection has particular strengths in American and European modernist traditions, documentary and contemporary photography. Holdings include the most significant museum collection of vintage civil-rights-era prints in the nation as well as important holdings by Harry Callahan, Clarence John Laughlin, William Christenberry, Ralph Gibson, Richard Misrach, Walker Evans and Peter Sekaer. The collection also gives special attention to pictures made in and of the South, serving as the largest and most significant repository representing the region’s important contributions to photography.
Exhibition Organization and Support
“Our Strange New Land: Photographs by Alex Harris” is organized by the High Museum of Art. This exhibition is made possible by Premier Exhibition Series Sponsor Delta Air Lines, Inc.; Exhibition Series Sponsors Northside Hospital and WarnerMedia; Premier Exhibition Series Supporters the Antinori Foundation, Sarah and Jim Kennedy, Louise Sams and Jerome Grilhot, and wish foundation; Benefactor Exhibition Series Supporter Anne Cox Chambers Foundation; Ambassador Exhibition Series Supporters Tom and Susan Wardell, and Rod Westmoreland; and Contributing Exhibition Series Supporters Lucinda W. Bunnen, Marcia and John Donnell, W. Daniel Ebersole and Sarah Eby-Ebersole, Peggy Foreman, Robin and Hilton Howell, Mr. and Mrs. Baxter Jones, Margot and Danny McCaul, Joel Knox and Joan Marmo, and The Ron and Lisa Brill Family Charitable Trust. Generous support is also provided by the Alfred and Adele Davis Exhibition Endowment Fund, Anne Cox Chambers Exhibition Fund, Barbara Stewart Exhibition Fund, Dorothy Smith Hopkins Exhibition Endowment Fund, Eleanor McDonald Storza Exhibition Endowment Fund, The Fay and Barrett Howell Exhibition Fund, Forward Arts Foundation Exhibition Endowment Fund, Helen S. Lanier Endowment Fund, Isobel Anne Fraser–Nancy Fraser Parker Exhibition Endowment Fund, John H. and Wilhelmina D. Harland Exhibition Endowment Fund, Katherine Murphy Riley Special Exhibition Endowment Fund, Margaretta Taylor Exhibition Fund, and the RJR Nabisco Exhibition Endowment Fund.
About the High Museum of Art
Located in the heart of Atlanta, Georgia, the High Museum of Art connects with audiences from across the Southeast and around the world through its distinguished collection, dynamic schedule of special exhibitions and engaging community-focused programs. Housed within facilities designed by Pritzker Prize–winning architects Richard Meier and Renzo Piano, the High features a collection of more than 17,000 works of art, including an extensive anthology of 19th- and 20th-century American fine and decorative arts; major holdings of photography and folk and self-taught work, especially that of artists from the American South; burgeoning collections of modern and contemporary art, including paintings, sculpture, new media and design; a growing collection of African art, with work dating from pre-history through the present; and significant holdings of European paintings and works on paper. The High is dedicated to reflecting the diversity of its communities and offering a variety of exhibitions and educational programs that engage visitors with the world of art, the lives of artists and the creative process. For more information about the High, visit www.high.org.
Local artist and Peachtree Corners resident, Amy Rader, will be part of the first-ever Atlanta Art Fair, being held at Pullman Yards October 3–6. The fair will feature local galleries, artists and curators alongside a variety of national programs and a dynamic series of public art projects and events presented at locations around town.
Aimed at amplifying local voices and acting as a platform for the city’s incredible creativity, the Atlanta Art Fair — the first major art fair of its kind in the city — will showcase a wide range of artistic styles and genres, including contemporary work, paintings, photography, live performances and innovative projects.
Represented by the esteemed Fay Gold Gallery, Rader will have several pieces on show at the Fay Gold Booth E07, something the artist is thrilled about, as her connection to Gold spans three decades.
“In 1993, while still in high school, I attended a summer arts program at Lagrange College,” Rader recalled. “We took a field trip to visit the top gallery in Atlanta — the Fay Gold Gallery. I stood in awe of the marvelous pieces on display … [Later] after years working with ad agencies for Fortune 500 clients, I was ready to leave my career in graphic design to pursue art full time. Showing my work at a gallery in Buckhead introduced me to Fay Gold 29 years after that visit in 1993. It was a full circle moment.”
A local legend
An Atlanta art legend, Fay Gold is best known for her groundbreaking exhibitions of artists such as Jean-Michel Basquiat, Cindy Sherman, Keith Haring, Andres Serrano and Robert Mapplethorpe.
She curated the formative years of Elton John’s personal art collection and raised $750,000 for the Elton John Aids Foundation by creating and chairing two art auctions for the organization. Over the years, she’s also worked with corporate clients and has received dozens of awards for her many contributions to the Atlanta art scene.
Fay Gold represented Rader’s work in a successful art show in 2022 followed by an art auction in 2023 and now at the Atlanta Art Fair in 2024.
A lifelong love of art
In love with art from an early age, Rader was encouraged by a high school teacher to apply to art school, which she did, receiving a scholarship from the Art Institute of Atlanta and graduating from the (now-closed) art school with the Best Portfolio Award. For the past 25+ years Rader has worked within the design and art fields, building an impressive body of work, with a particular focus on creating traditional art and large-scale pieces for hospitality spaces.
Her work can be seen in galleries, private collections, luxury buildings, restaurants and more, including the Buckhead Art & Company Gallery, The Hue Midtown and Chops restaurant in Buckhead.
According to her website, Rader’s notable accomplishments include “being selected to represented Tesla and Microsoft at Art Basel, commissioned work for a new Lake Nona project with Tavistock, creating custom pieces for two $140 million luxury Related Group buildings and commissioned work for Norwegian Cruise Line’s new Prima ships.”
Rader is especially excited about the Atlanta Art Fair — not just being part of it, but the fact that it’s happening at all.
“This is such a big deal for the arts community,” said Rader. “The Art Fair is a wonderful addition to Atlanta’s cultural offerings. I’m describing it as our very own ‘Art Basel’ level fair, with both national and international galleries. We are used to art festivals, but this is a different caliber of event by the producers behind the San Francisco Art Fair, Seattle Art Fair and Art on Paper New York.”
The details
The Atlanta Art Fair takes place at Pullman Yards and other venues throughout the city, October 3–6. Schedules, artist lists, tickets and additional information can be found online at theatlantaartfair.com.
For more about Amy Rader, visit raderdesigns.net.
To learn more about Fay Gold and the Fay Gold Gallery, visit faygoldgallery.com.
Around Atlanta
Brennan Lee Mulligan, DrLupo, Biqtch Puddin’ and More Headline Action-Packed DreamHack Atlanta Lineup
Three-day gaming lifestyle festival brings best of gaming, tabletop roleplaying, indies, music, esports and cosplay to the Big Peach
DreamHack (ESL FACEIT Group’s international gaming lifestyle festival) has announced exciting new guests and programming taking place at this year’s DreamHack Atlanta, October 4–6 at the Georgia World Congress Center.
Brennan Lee Mulligan returns to DreamHack alongside the festival’s largest-ever Dungeons & Dragons area. World-class creators, including DrLupo, and the Atlanta debut of the Drag & Drop cosplay drag show hosted by local performer Biqtch Puddin’ are also on the schedule.
“DreamHack features the best of gaming culture from all over the world right here in Atlanta,” said Guy Blomberg, director of festivals, North America, DreamHack. “We’re bringing the best global talent and highlighting local developers, streamers, performers and storytellers to create a celebration of everything to do with gaming.”
Over 20 of the biggest names from Dimension 20, Critical Roll, Lynvannder and more expand DreamHack’s roleplaying offerings
Following his DreamHack debut this summer, Dropout’s resident Dungeon Master Brennan Lee Mulligan returns to DreamHack with an all-star cast of adventurers. Joined by Zac Oyama, Erika Ishii, Anjali BhimaniandAliza Pearl, the party will explore an all-new one-shot adventure designed specifically for DreamHack Atlanta.
Fans can also step into the Tabletop Tavern, a dedicated stage for live roleplaying game content presented in partnership with Lynnvander. Veteran storytellers, writers and actors will join forces for a slew of custom adventures. Special guests include worldbuilder and dungeon master Jasmine Bhullar, writer and actress Rekha Shankar, game designer and writer Keith Baker, voice actress Mela Lee and many more.
The LEGO Group makes DreamHack Atlanta debut with all-new Builders Zone
DreamHack guests can expand on the games they know and love through the unlimited creative opportunities of LEGO®️ bricks at DreamHack Atlanta’s all-new Builders Zone, sponsored by the LEGO Group. Attendees can participate in gaming-themed make-and-take builds, contribute to the LEGO brick-built mystery mural on-site or even participate in DreamHack Quests for a chance to take home new LEGO sets. DreamHack will also invite creators to the Main Stage for a competition to celebrate gamers’ creative LEGO builds at the festival — with special guests to be announced.
DreamHack Atlanta hosts largest-ever Indie Playground and Artist Alley
DreamHack’s Indie Playground and Artist Alley will have their largest footprints yet, with 60 game developers as well as 60 more independent artists — almost half of which are Atlanta locals. In addition to exploring booths, guests can participate in the Artist Alley Stamp Rally, trade unique pins at the pin swap board, trick-or-treat with vendors and get hands-on with up-and-coming video games. Both the Artist Alley and Indie Playground are open to all guests daily from 12 to 6 p.m.
Drag & Drop cosplay drag show returns with Atlanta debut
Drag & Drop, the festival’s flagship cosplay drag show, will return after its debut at DreamHack Dallas. Hosted by Emmy-nominated artist Biqtch Puddin’, the show will feature a host of new nerdy performances and performers who slay video game bosses, and looks. Participating artists include Brigitte Bidet, LaZanya Ontré, Dotte Com and more.
Drag & Drop complements a full weekend of cosplay programming for attendees. The festival’s cosplay competition on Saturday, will be judged by an all-star cast of professional cosplayers, including Atlanta-native Pumpkin.Pixie.Princess and host Jahara Jayde.
DreamHack Atlanta sets record with over 500 creator guests, including Jake Lucky, bbjess and more
This year’s DreamHack Atlanta will host the largest creator cohort ever for a DreamHack Atlanta festival, with over 500 local and national influencers onsite. After receiving a record-setting number of applications, DreamHack Atlanta’s host of content creators will participate in Main Stage competitions, host meet & greets with fans and stream live from DreamHack’s Creator Hub. Top guests include Main Stage emcee bbjess, creator interview experts Jake Lucky and HUN2R, veteran streamers DrLupo (hosted in partnership with Anthros) and Amouranth and more.
Georgia FIRST Robotics brings local high schoolers to DreamHack for STEM showcase
Georgia high school students from across the state will take part in Georgia FIRST Robotics’ interactive showcase live at DreamHack Atlanta. The program requires students and their peers to collaborate on creating their own industrial-size robots to go head-to-head in challenging field games. Students are behind it all — from raising funds to designing their teams’ brand to building and piloting their robots — and the festival’s showcase will highlight the work that goes into making these high-tech machinations.
All of this is just one slice of what DreamHack Atlanta 2024 has to offer.
The details
DreamHack Atlanta takes place at the Georgia World Congress Center on October 4–6
For more information on competitions at DreamHack Atlanta — including world-class esports tournaments, grassroots competition in the Freeplay area, cosplay contests and more —click here.
Tickets are still available and start at $45 for a single day or $109 for three-day access.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit dreamhack.com/atlanta/tickets/.
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