Q: On my way to an event in Midtown, I passed a piece of land with uneven columns. Is something being built there? It just is odd and bizarre.
A: In historic Old Fourth Ward, on the corner of Highland Avenue NE and Glen Iris Drive NE, you drove by what is known as “54 Columns.”
The columns were installed in 1999 in the neighborhood adjacent to Freedom Park. The columns are surrounded by old and new homes.
There is no current construction in the area.
Commissioned by Fulton County Arts Council, this minimalist structure by renowned American artist Sol LeWitt (Sept. 9, 1928 – April 8, 2007) integrates art and architecture, according to Freedompark.org.
There is a sign located at the front corner, but is difficult to read due to the elements of nature and the passage of time.
Three sides of the park is surrounded by black metal fencing and is next to modern homes.
The 54 concrete pillars are staggered in height ranging from 10 to 20 feet. Walking through and around the columns, it is difficult to count the number of towers to confirm there are in fact 54. Visit the park and you will understand.
Trash, leftover Halloween decorations and a couple of layered blankets catch your eye as much as the columns. It appears as if the park has become a resting destination for some homeless people.
Standing back, the columns are reminiscent of Atlanta’s skyline, with buildings rising to different heights. .
According to atlasobscura.com, the work has inspired dance performances, photo shoots, and, well, derision through the years.
But as Charles Taylor, whose family donated the land and financed the structure’s construction, noted in the interview for the atlasobscura.com ‘54 Columns’ story, “Good public art creates some controversy.”
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