Around Atlanta
High Museum of Art Celebrates 25th Anniversary of “Picturing the South” Photography Series with exhibition
Published
4 years agoon

Uniting works from all past commissions with new photographs by Sheila Pree Bright, Jim Goldberg and An-My Lê
Launched in 1996, the High Museum of Art’s renowned “Picturing the South” series supports contemporary photographers in creating new bodies of work inspired by the American South for the High’s collection, which is among the nation’s leading photography programs and has strength in work made in and about the region. To commemorate the series’ 25th anniversary, the High will present “Picturing the South: 25 Years” (Nov. 5, 2021-Feb. 6, 2022), which will bring together for the first time nearly 200 works from all the past commissions by artists including Dawoud Bey, Sally Mann and Richard Misrach and will debut new work by the latest photographers selected for the series, Sheila Pree Bright, Jim Goldberg and An-My Lê.
“The ‘Picturing the South’ commission and exhibition series is entirely unique among American museums for its longevity, commitment to place and diversity of artistic perspectives,” said Rand Suffolk, the High’s Nancy and Holcombe T. Green, Jr., director. “For a quarter century, the series has called attention to the fabric of our shared experiences while concurrently highlighting what makes the South distinctive. We are thrilled to show the commissioned works collectively for the first time and to demonstrate how transformational ‘Picturing the South’ has been for the High and for the artists who’ve participated.”
Kevin W. Tucker, the High’s chief curator, added, “‘Picturing the South’ both reflects a rich legacy from the many artists represented through these commissions and acknowledges the High’s continuing dedication to collecting and exhibiting contemporary American photography.”
“Picturing the South” has produced a total of 16 extraordinary bodies of work, some of which have become iconic projects for the artists, including:
- Sally Mann’s major shift from portraiture to exploring the complex terrain of the Southern landscape.
- Dawoud Bey’s contemplative portraits of Atlanta high school students.
- Richard Misrach’s 10-year study of the Mississippi River’s industrialized corridor known as “Cancer Alley.”
- Alec Soth’s first photographs in what would become his remarkable series “Broken Manual.”
In addition to examples from those series, the exhibition will feature works from each of the other completed commissions by Kael Alford, Debbie Fleming Caffery, Emmet Gowin, Alex Harris, Shane Lavalette, Abelardo Morell, Martin Parr, Mark Steinmetz and Alex Webb.
The new commissions by Bright, Goldberg and Lê each will shed light on prevailing themes and movements in the South, including racial and national identity. Bright’s mysterious black-and-white photographs of Stone Mountain, a public recreation area that surrounds the largest monument to the Confederacy, scrutinize the literal and figurative marks that the region’s history of white supremacy has left on the land. Goldberg explores expressions of contemporary dynamics of racial identity in the South, with a particular eye to how notions of whiteness are articulated in a society that regularly assumes it as the default American identity. Lê’s photographs center on the social unrest that has emerged across the country, including protests in Washington, D.C.
“The ‘Picturing the South’ photographs address broad themes, from the legacy of slavery and racial justice to the social implications of the evolving landscape and the distinct and diverse character of the region’s people,” said Gregory Harris, the High’s Donald and Marilyn Keough Family curator of photography. “The works together tell a compelling story of the contemporary South and will offer audiences a unique opportunity to see the region through the lenses of some of the best photographers working today.”
To coincide with the exhibition, the High will publish digital resources for “Picturing the South: 25 Years” comprising artwork annotations and multimedia content, including a virtual tour, on an interactive online platform.
The exhibition will be presented in the Cousins Special Exhibition Galleries on the second level of the High’s Wieland Pavilion.
Related
Around Atlanta
Mike Schleifer to Leave Alliance for Lincoln Center Theater
Published
5 days agoon
March 26, 2025After leading Atlanta’s Alliance Theatre through two major renovation projects, a global pandemic and more than 100 productions over 11 years, Managing Director, Mike Schleifer, will leave the Alliance at the end of the year to become the managing director of Lincoln Center Theater in New York.
As managing director of the Alliance, Schleifer oversees all operational, marketing, financial, fundraising and shared services activities. In his new role, Schleifer will oversee LCT’s financial and operational health and ensure long-term sustainability and growth. He will also work to align strategic planning with artistic goals, manage the theater’s union relationships, lead budgeting, marketing and capital planning efforts and identify and develop new revenue opportunities.
“While it’s rare to find a managing director who is equally brilliant at the operational and financial part of the job, it’s simply unheard of to find one who excels on those fronts and leads with such unabashed heart, vision and humor,” said Jennings Hertz Artistic Directors Tinashe Kajese-Bolden and Christopher Moses in a joint statement.
“For the past 11 years, we had the unfathomably good fortune to have all that and more in Mike Schleifer. Mike’s willingness to bet on our mission and invest in the extraordinary talent of the Alliance staff allowed us to realize aspirational dreams we never would have dared to dream without his encouragement and faith. We’ll miss him daily but cannot wait to witness the joy he’ll bring to the Lincoln Center Theater.”
During his tenure
During his tenure with the Alliance, Schleifer led the administrative and producing teams on over 100 productions and moved four shows to Broadway, including last season’s “Water for Elephants” and this season’s “Maybe Happy Ending.”
He spearheaded the $36 million renovation of the award-winning Coca-Cola Stage and is currently leading the $26 million renovation of the Goizueta Stage for Youth and Families. Under his leadership, the Alliance more than doubled its operating budget, tripled its endowment and continued to lead the country in work developed for young audiences.
“It’s been a true honor and privilege to work, lead and learn at the Alliance Theatre for the last eleven years,” said Schleifer. “I’m deeply grateful to the staff, artists and audiences of the Alliance Theatre and Woodruff Arts Center who have made this journey so rewarding.”
“We’ve achieved remarkable milestones — from moving productions to Broadway to completing transformative capital projects,” he continued. “I’m excited for what’s next, but I won’t be leaving until we cut the ribbon on the new Goizueta Stage for Youth and Families — a project that reflects the Alliance’s deep commitment to the next generation of theatergoers, both with the physical theater space and with the endowment we’re raising to make the work on that stage financially accessible for all.”
Additional roles
In addition to his work at the Alliance, Schleifer serves on the boards of the League of Resident Theatres and True Colors Theatre Company. In 2018 he co-founded Volute Partners, a theatre consultancy focused on capital projects and the subsequent operational support and budgets needed to sustain them.
“We are immensely grateful for Mike’s leadership and tireless dedication to the Alliance Theatre. His vision, passion, and expertise have left an indelible mark on this organization,” said Hala Moddelmog, president and CEO of Woodruff Arts Center.
“We take great pride in seeing him step into this well-deserved opportunity, knowing he will make a lasting impact at Lincoln Center Theater.”
New leadership
The leadership of the Woodruff Arts Center, with support from members of the Alliance Theatre Board of Directors, will conduct a national search for the Alliance’s next managing director, led by executive search firm, Corps Team.
“On behalf of the Alliance’s board of directors, we want to thank Mike for more than a decade of service to the Alliance and Atlanta community,” said Kendrick Smith, Alliance Theatre Board of Directors chair. “He oversaw a period of unprecedented growth with a spirit of collaboration and unwavering commitment to the theater’s artistic vision.”
“As we begin the national search for his successor, we remain dedicated to the theater’s mission of expanding hearts and minds, on stage and off.”
About the Alliance Theatre
Founded in 1968, Alliance Theatre is the leading producing theater in the Southeast, reaching more than 165,000 patrons annually.
The Alliance is led by Jennings Hertz Artistic Directors Tinashe Kajese-Bolden and Christopher Moses and Managing Director Mike Schleifer and is a recipient of the Regional Theatre Tony Award® for sustained excellence in programming, education and community engagement.
In January 2019, the Alliance opened its new, state-of-the-art performance space, The Coca-Cola Stage at Alliance Theatre.
Known for its high artistic standards and national role in creating significant theatrical works, the Alliance has premiered more than 140 productions, including eleven that have transferred to Broadway.
Additionally, the Alliance education department reaches more than 90,000 students annually through performances, classes, camps and in-school initiatives designed to support teachers and enhance student learning.
The Alliance Theatre values community, curiosity, collaboration and excellence and is dedicated to representing Atlanta’s diverse community with the stories they tell, the artists, staff and leadership they employ and the audiences they serve.
For more information, visit alliancetheatre.org.
Related
Encounter mythical creatures in a natural landscape when “Spirit Guides: Fantastical Creatures from the Workshop of Jacobo and María Ángeles” opens March 29.
Immerse yourself in a breathtaking outdoor exhibit that intertwines Mexican cultures and contemporary art when “Spirit Guides: Fantastical Creatures from the Workshop of Jacobo and María Ángeles” opens at Fernbank Museum.
From March 29 to August 3, guests can enter a supernatural world as they walk alongside towering, brightly colored and richly patterned sculptures in the natural landscape of Fernbank’s WildWoods.
Presented in both English and Spanish, this collection of brightly-colored fiberglass sculptures depicts imaginary hybrid animals and offers visitors an unparalleled journey into an imaginative take on the spiritual landscape of southern Mexico’s Indigenous traditions.
Inspiration and legend
In creating “Spirit Guides,” artists Jacobo and María Ángeles were inspired by an ancient Zapotec stone calendar. Indigenous to southern Mexico, Zapotec culture is deeply connected to plants, seasons and animals.
“Spirit Guides” beckons visitors to travel into the spiritual landscape of Mexico’s Indigenous traditions through these animal sculptures that act as both spirit guides and astrological embodiments of human character.
Some of the hybrid animals depicted include a combination of a deer-butterfly or a coyote-fish. These larger-than-life sculptures depict patterns and designs that symbolize different aspects of Zapotec life and culture, such as happiness, fertility and community.
The artists have previously stated that, according to a Zapotec legend, when you are born an animal comes to you to serve as your protector in this world. This animal is your tona, a being that shares your destiny and soul.
Along with your tona, you also have a nahual, which is assigned based on the year of your birth. This spirit animal embodies characteristics that mirror your own personality.
As guests stand before the sculptures in WildWoods — some of which stand nearly 8 feet tall and 9 feet wide — they are made conscious of the profound connection between the natural and cosmological worlds.
About the Artists
Jacobo and María Ángeles are a married artist team based in Oaxaca, Mexico.
Joyful, fanciful and distinctively patterned, the Ángeles’ animal sculptures embrace both contemporary art and folk-art traditions. They employ and teach more than 100 artisans in their workshop, which has created artworks shown in museums around the world.
Exhibit details
By drawing inspiration from the Zapotec calendar and their own imaginations, the Ángeles team sculpted their own mythical creations.
This exhibit features eight towering, vibrant fiberglass sculptures of hybrid animals, intersecting art, mythology and identity. The sculptures were designed through a multi-step process that included conceptual sketches, small wooden renderings and papier mâché molds before casting the fiberglass.
A team of artisans then helped to paint the sculptures with striking colors and intricate geometric patterns inspired by Zapotec and other Indigenous designs, each with their own unique meaning.
Organized by Denver Botanic Gardens, “Spirit Guides: Fantastical Creatures from the Workshop of Jacobo and María Ángeles” is on view from March 29 – August 3, 2025. The exhibit is included with General Admission at Fernbank Museum and is free with CityPASS.
It will also be on view select nights when the museum is open, including during Fernbank After Dark and Fernbank … but Later.
For more information, please visit fernbankmuseum.org.
Related
Around Atlanta
Fernbank Museum Roars with Excitement for New Exhibit
Published
2 months agoon
January 21, 2025“Ultimate Dinosaurs” will run from February 8–May 4, 2025
“Ultimate Dinosaurs,” a special exhibit that explores the fascinating species that evolved in isolation in South America, Africa and Madagascar, stomps into Fernbank Museum from February 8 to May 4.
Through the exhibit, guests will experience an impressive blend of skeletal displays and augmented reality as they learn about the changing prehistoric landscape of dinosaurs in a new, modernized way.
Journey through the Mesozoic
Based on groundbreaking research from scientists around the world, “Ultimate Dinosaurs” highlights dinosaurs typically unfamiliar to North Americans and seeks to answer the question: why are the unique and bizarre dinosaurs in the Southern Hemisphere so different from their North American counterparts?
Starting with the breakup of the supercontinent Pangaea, “Ultimate Dinosaurs” takes visitors on a journey through the Mesozoic Era (250-65 million years ago) and shows how continental drift affected the evolution of dinosaurs during the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods.
“We are excited to have “Ultimate Dinosaurs” here at Fernbank and explore the unique ways that dinosaurs have evolved in isolation,” said program manager, Maria Moreno. “This exhibit combines rarely seen specimens with interactive stations for patrons of all ages to enjoy.”
“It is also very exciting to have an exhibit highlighting our mascot, the Giganotosaurus, one of the largest land predators to have ever lived,” Moreno added.
Dino displays and hands-on activities
Guests can view a variety of full-scale dinosaur displays from the Eoraptor, Malawisaurus, Suchomimus, Rapetosaurus and more, including 14 dinosaur skeletons. One highlight is the Giganotosaurus skeleton, which is also on view in Fernbank’s permanent exhibit, “Giants of the Mesozoic.”
This special exhibit will include several real fossils, some of which will be available to visitors to touch. Additionally, “Ultimate Dinosaurs” features several hands-on activities, one of which involves exploring the physical characteristics of dinosaurs’ stride patterns, crests and frills.
Another activity uses augmented reality to transform intricately detailed skeletons into moving, flesh-and-bone creatures.
Related programming
To celebrate the grand opening of “Ultimate Dinosaurs,” Fernbank is hosting a family-friendly Dino Day on Saturday, February 8 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event is included with general admission.
Additionally, the giant screen film, “T. REX 3D,” will be showing through May 16.
There will also be a lecture with Anthony (Tony) Martin, professor of practice in the Department of Environmental Sciences at Emory University, titled “On Frozen Ground Down Under: Polar Dinosaurs, Insects and other Cretaceous Fossils of Australia” this spring.
The details
Presented by the Science Museum of Minnesota, “Ultimate Dinosaurs” is open at Fernbank from February 8–May 4. The exhibit will be included with general admission tickets and is free with CityPASS.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit fernbankmuseum.org.
Related
Read the Digital Edition
Subscribe
Keep Up With Peachtree Corners News
Join our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from our team.