We’re familiar with the New Year’s resolution standards: weight loss, healthier eating, exercise, maybe less screen time or more time spent with family.
But among gallerists, artists and collectors there can be more specific hopes for the new year. Mine is to not just see more art when I travel, as with the incredibly eye-opening Mark Rothko survey at the Fondation Louis Vuitton I happened to catch on a recent trip to Paris, but to travel more for specific exhibitions and artists I love.
I polled Atlanta art insiders to see what they were hoping the new year would bring them, what they have coming up and how they might resolve to do art differently in 2024.
Credit: Ron Witherspoon
Credit: Ron Witherspoon
September Gray, owner September Gray Fine Art Gallery
“I’m going to expand the gallery footprint by engaging in more collaborations around the country to have the artists and work seen on a wider stage. My first exhibition for the new year will be in Chicago (Bridgeport Art Center, Jan. 19-March 1). We want to give artists opportunities and make sure the world knows they exist. I also want to have more forums on education in the arts. As a gallery owner I think it’s my responsibility to educate the community to understand the importance of art and the value of collecting.”
Emily Llamazales, artist and writer
“For the benefit of my artistic practice, I look forward to learning an entirely new skill in 2024. I’ve registered for an eight-week metal sculpture and welding class that begins in late January at Spruill Center for the Arts. I am eager to learn and eventually adopt the medium into my overall sculptural practice. In addition, I look forward to pursuing more collaboration this year. Whether it’s an exchange across different mediums or collaborating on a piece with another artist, both are an exciting goal. I hope to pursue both of these resolutions more than once in 2024.”
Credit: Courtesy of Wolfgang Gallery
Credit: Courtesy of Wolfgang Gallery
Anna King, co-owner Wolfgang Gallery
“My art resolutions this year start with finally getting all of my collection hung! Being a dealer and a collector means that I have accumulated many amazing pieces, but with such a busy schedule I haven’t set aside the time to put them up. Hopefully (with the help of my husband) we can get that all knocked out in the new year. I also took a small break from buying major works in the later half of 2023, but there are a few artists calling to me that I need to jump on before the chance evades me. One of those being Augustina Wang. I resolve to make extra time for more studio visits with local artists; I have an ongoing list of who I need to talk to, and it just seems to keep growing! My final resolution is to keep putting in the hard work at Wolfgang, and see where 2024 takes us. 2023 was a tremendous year for the arts in Atlanta, and I have no doubts that 2024 will be even better.”
Credit: Lisa Cannon Taylor
Credit: Lisa Cannon Taylor
Lisa Cannon Taylor, advisory board of the National Museum of Women in the Arts, DC and public art chair for the Piedmont Park Conservancy
“My New Year’s art resolution is to see more public art. Although over the years my focus has been on female artists, recently I have been seeking out public art, historically a male-dominated space. When traveling, I explore cities by walking, strolling from one public work to the next. Doing so allows me to see how communities relate to the work, and vice versa. In Atlanta, I’ll wander from Noguchi’s Playscape at Piedmont Park to Sol LeWitt’s ‘54 Columns,’ stopping to admire the multitude of murals on the Beltline between them. I’d love to see more intersections between public art and art by women exemplified by Nancy Baker Cahill’s augmented reality ‘Stone Speaks’ in Piedmont Park or ‘Cento’ now on view at the Whitney Museum of American Art.”
Steven L. Anderson, artist and co-director/founder Day & Night Projects
“We’re assembling a group show called ‘Figure’ and that’s going to be mostly Atlanta artists who are depicting the figure in drawing and painting. So we’re excited about that. It will probably be the biggest show in terms of number of artists. We’re going to try to expand out into the lobby for that show. And then we’re going to apply to the Atlanta Art Fair in October. … We have to figure out if there’s funding available or we have to raise some money, because it costs almost as much as we what we spend on our gallery in a year.”
Credit: Courtesy of Faron Manuel
Credit: Courtesy of Faron Manuel
Faron Manuel, curator at Black Art In America (BAIA) and director of BAIA Foundation
“In 2024, I look forward to the continued growth of Black Art In America Gallery and BAIA Foundation. In the new year, we will expand our footprint by increasing participation in major art fairs. Also, through capital campaigns on the BAIA Foundation side, we plan to continue supporting artists through professional development and residency opportunities.”
