This story was originally published by ArtsATL
Atlanta Contemporary will mark its 50th anniversary with two major solo exhibitions that showcase the late artist Sam Gilliam and emerging artist Hasani Sahlehe.
The exhibits, set to open Aug. 24, will be the final ones under executive director Veronica Kessenich, who announced this week that she will step down after 10 years with the nonprofit art center, including eight years in her current role. Her last day will be Sept. 30.
“Sam Gilliam,” curated by Kessenich, will be the first major institutional exhibit of the artist following his death last year at age 88. It will span various periods of his career and include works on paper, sculptures and painted tapestries.
Gilliam was a giant in Black art and an innovator in American painting following World War II. He worked in Washington, D.C., at the height of the Civil Rights Movement and helped define art’s role at a time of dramatic societal change. His work has been exhibited in major museums and is included in more than 50 public collections in the United States and Europe.
The second exhibit, curated by Y. Malik Jalal, is called “You Really Gotta See It Live” and features artwork by Sahlehe, an Atlanta artist. This will be Sahlehe’s first major solo exhibition at Atlanta Contemporary and will feature his bright, soft-form abstract paintings all created within the last year. Sahlehe, who was raised on St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, is a 2015 graduate of the Savannah College of Art and Design.
Both exhibitions run through Dec. 23.
Credit: Courtesy of Hasani Sahlehe
Credit: Courtesy of Hasani Sahlehe
Kessenich said she’s proud of the work she and others have done at Atlanta Contemporary.
“I’m from Atlanta and care deeply for this community,” Kessenich said. “This is a historically exceptional organization. … One of the things we’ve done is to ensure best practices for the organization from a business perspective. We’ve built good stable ground for someone new to come in and build on the work of the last 50 years.”
Katina Asbell, chair of the board of directors, said in a statement that the nonprofit is “incredibly grateful for her creative leadership and thoughtful management over the last 10 years. Veronica has ensured that Atlanta Contemporary remains the nexus for artist-driven and art-centered programming in Atlanta.”
Atlanta Contemporary is free to the public.
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The September Gray Fine Art Gallery, which has shared space with Mason Fine Art and the Marcia Wood Gallery in Miami Circle since 2021, plans to move this summer to a property it owns on John Wesley Dobbs Avenue.
Gallery founder September Gray said she was disappointed in Miami Circle’s foot traffic. The gallery will now be in the Old Fourth Ward where, she said, there is more activity.
Credit: Courtesy of Shirley Woodson
Credit: Courtesy of Shirley Woodson
The Gray gallery’s first show at its new site will be a solo exhibit of Shirley Woodson, set to open Sept. 22.
Woodson, who is 87 and has been painting for more than 60 years, is known for her vibrant, epic paintings that reflect the Black experience and history. Her art is found in 31 collections, including the Detroit Institute of Arts and the Studio Museum Harlem. The Detroit artist has also been featured in more than 30 solo exhibitions.
Credit: Courtesy of Shirley Woodson
Credit: Courtesy of Shirley Woodson
Mark Kerelson, director of Mason Fine Art, and Marcia Wood, founder of the Wood gallery, each said they plan to stay in Miami Circle and will share the area that the Gray gallery is vacating.
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The High Museum of Art has appointed Dan Baldwin as the new chair of its board of directors. He succeeds Robin Howell, who had been in that role since 2019.
Credit: Courtesy of High Museum
Credit: Courtesy of High Museum
Baldwin has been on the museum’s board for more than a decade and has served on the executive and finance committees. He also has served on the Woodruff Arts Center’s governing board and investment committee.
“Dan has long demonstrated his dedication to our mission,” High director Rand Suffolk said in a press release. “We are delighted to work with him … as we strive to become the museum that Atlanta and our region deserves.”
Baldwin is CEO and managing partner of Baldwin Capital, an investment management firm, and is also an independent director and head of the compensation committee at Maxex, a digital mortgage exchange.
Credit: ArtsATL
Credit: ArtsATL
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