This story was originally published by ArtsATL.

Atlanta has perhaps never experienced such a confluence of high-profile, citywide visual art and design events as are scheduled to begin this week and run through the weekend and beyond.

Not only is there the much-anticipated Atlanta Art Fair and Atlanta Art Week, but this week also brings Atlanta Design Festival, Elevate (the city of Atlanta’s annual celebration of art), Atlanta Fashion Week and many smaller events sprinkled throughout the city.

Still from “the end is near, the end is the beginning,” featuring the work of Zina Saro-Wiwa, Maya Cozier, Charmaine Minniefield and Kimberly Binns, organized by Lauren Tate Baeza at the Goat Farm’s SITE event.

Credit: Courtesy of Atlanta Art Week

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Credit: Courtesy of Atlanta Art Week

Here’s a breakdown of how the major art events work:

  • Atlanta Art Fair is a convention-style event, taking place principally in one location: Pullman Yards. Tickets can be purchased for one day or for multiple days. Affiliated events take place in other locations throughout the city.
  • Atlanta Art Week is a decentralized set of art events taking place throughout the city. Each event must be reserved individually, and most events are free of charge.
  • Atlanta Design Festival consists of a series of mostly free events throughout the city, as well as a self-guided tour of the city’s modern and contemporary architecture, which is a ticketed event.
  • Elevate consists of several events that will take place mainly on municipal properties throughout the city. All Elevate events are free of charge.

Itineraries

Below, we’ve organized the week’s events into suggested itineraries based on area of interest. Each listing also identifies the organizing entity according to the following key:

  • AAF — Atlanta Art Fair
  • AAW — Atlanta Art Week
  • ADF — Atlanta Design Festival
  • ELE — Elevate
Jeffrey Gibson, “Mx Oops and Xavier (The Anthropophagic Effect)” (2019), from the "They Teach Love" exhibit at Kennesaw State University's Bernard A. Zuckerman Museum of Art.

Credit: Courtesy of Jordan Schnitzer Family Foundation/Photo by Aaron Wessling Photography

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Credit: Courtesy of Jordan Schnitzer Family Foundation/Photo by Aaron Wessling Photography

Critic’s choice

Selections from Cinqué Hicks, ArtsATL’s editor-in-chief, for the week’s best art experiences.

Wednesday, Oct. 2

Thursday, Oct. 3

  • 10 a.m.-3 p.m. ”Homework, a Pop-Up Exhibition.” Select work from University of Georgia and Georgia State University MFA programs (AAW)
  • 5:30 p.m. Ming Smith in conversation with Myra Greene. Exhibition viewing of Ming Smith’s “Feeling the Future” at Spelman College Museum of Fine Art, followed by photographers in conversation (AAW)
  • 7-11 p.m. ”...an Atlanta Biennial...” Public reception for work by Craig Drennen, Hasani Sahlehe, Micah and Whitney Stansell, Antonio Darden, Tori Tinsley and dozens of other Atlanta-based artists in a contemporary warehouse setting (AAW)

Friday, Oct. 4

  • 10 a.m. ”The Splendid by Ugo Rondinone. Unveiling of new Freedom Park sculpture. (ELE)
  • 11 a.m. Atlanta Art Fair exhibition hall day 1. We recommend the following highlights (AAF): Select galleries: Black Art in America; Casterline|Goodman Gallery; Co-Op Art Atlanta; Day & Night Projects; Hawkins Headquarters; Kathryn Markel Fine Arts; Mitochondria Gallery; Sandler Hudson Gallery; Spanierman Modern; the Casspir Project; the Object Space. Select artist projects: Venske & Spänle; “genteel/gentle”; Jeffrey Gibson; Gyun Hur; Sheila Pree Bright.
  • 2 p.m. ”Art in Action: Navigating Identity, Culture, and Environmental Crisis.” Karen Comer Lowe presents the work of Pam Longobardi and Navin Norling (AAF)
  • 6 p.m. Aperture. Welcome reception with executive director Sarah Meister, and book signing with Arielle Bobb-Willis (AAW)
  • 8 p.m. Off the Wall @ 725 Ponce. “Sixty movies for sixty windows” by Gibson + Recoder, world premiere. (AAF)

Saturday, Oct. 5

  • 11 a.m. MA! Architecture Tours. Self-guided tour of residences and commercial spaces designed by Alex Wu Architects, Office of Design, Jerry Cooper and many other Atlanta-based modern and contemporary architects. (ADF)
  • 4 p.m. Sarah Emerson at whitespace. Artist talk (AAW)
  • 5-11 p.m. SITE at the Goat Farm. Multi-arts installations, performances and open studios (AAW & AAF). Select artists and projects: “Another World Is Possible”; “the end is near, the end is the beginning”; Gavin Bernard; Joel Silverman; Lauri Stallings; Natrice Miller; Ruby Velle & the Soulphonics; T. Lang Dance

Sunday, October 6

Locally sourced track

Our picks to focus on the best of Atlanta-based artists and Atlanta-based work.

Wednesday, Oct. 2

Thursday, Oct. 3

  • 10 a.m.-3 p.m. ”Homework, a Pop-Up Exhibition.” Select work from University of Georgia and Georgia State University MFA programs (AAW)
  • 5:30 p.m. ”The Midtown Studio Residency.” Panel discussion with residents Kelly Taylor Mitchell, Masud Olufani, Deanna Sirlin and others (AAW)
  • 7-11 p.m. “...an Atlanta Biennial...” Public reception for work by Craig Drennen, Hasani Sahlehe, Micah & Whitney Stansell, Antonio Darden, Tori Tinsley and dozens of other Atlanta-based artists in a contemporary warehouse setting (AAW)

Friday, Oct. 4

Saturday, Oct. 5

  • 10 a.m. Art in Freedom Park. New sculpture work by Jamaal Barber and Alex Brewer, aka HENSE (ELE; self-guided)
  • 11 a.m. MA! Architecture Tours. Self-guided tour of residences and commercial spaces designed by Alex Wu Architects, Office of Design, Jerry Cooper and many other Atlanta-based modern and contemporary architects. (ADF)
  • 4 p.m. Sarah Emerson at whitespace. Artist talk (AAW)
  • 5-11 p.m. SITE at the Goat Farm. Multi-arts installations, performances and open studios (AAW & AAF). Select artists and projects: “the end is near, the end is the beginning”; glo; Megan Mosholder; Mike Stasny; Aineki Traverso; Monica Campana x Eso Tilin Projects; T. Lang Dance.

Sunday, Oct. 6

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An installation view of Namwon Choi’s "248 Miles" at the Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia. The title refers to the distance between Savannah, where the artist lived for many years, and Marietta, home to her family.

Credit: Photo by by Mike Jensen

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Credit: Photo by by Mike Jensen

Women in art track

An itinerary with an emphasis on women artists and creators.

Wednesday, Oct. 2

Thursday, Oct. 3

  • 5:30 p.m. Ming Smith in conversation with Myra Greene. Exhibition viewing of Ming Smith’s “Feeling the Future” at Spelman College Museum of Fine Art, followed by photographers in conversation (AAW)
  • 7-11 p.m. “...an Atlanta Biennial...” Public reception for work by Tori Tinsley, Jill Frank, Myra Greene, Visakha Jane Phillips, Aineki Traverso, Krista Clark and dozens of other Atlanta artists in a contemporary warehouse setting (AAW)

Friday, Oct. 4

Saturday, Oct. 5

  • 4 p.m. Sarah Emerson at whitespace. Artist talk (AAW)
  • 5-11 p.m. SITE at the Goat Farm. Multi-arts installations, performances and open studios (AAW & AAF). Select artists and projects: “the end is near, the end is the beginning”; MaDora Frey; glo; Natrice Miller; Kelly Taylor Mitchell; Megan Mosholder; Monica Campana x Eso Tilin Projects; Ruby Velle & the Soulphonics; T. Lang Dance

Sunday, Oct. 6

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Sheila Pree Bright, “The Rebirth of Us,” at Emory University’s Woodruff Library.

Credit: Photo courtesy of Robert W. Woodruff Library

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Credit: Photo courtesy of Robert W. Woodruff Library

Betting on Black art track

An itinerary to maximize your enjoyment of Black art and artists from throughout the Diaspora.

Wednesday, Oct. 2

Thursday, Oct. 3

  • 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Aperture pop-up shop. Features the fashion photography of Arielle Bobb-Willis as well as work by Zanele Muholi, Jamal Shabazz, Hank Willis Thomas and others (AAW)
  • 5:30 p.m. Ming Smith in conversation with Myra Greene. Exhibition viewing of Ming Smith’s “Feeling the Future” at Spelman College Museum of Fine Art, followed by photographers in conversation (AAW)

Friday, Oct. 4

  • 11 a.m. Atlanta Art Fair exhibition hall day 1. We recommend the following highlights (AAF): Select galleries: Black Art in America, Johnson Lowe Gallery, M Contemporary Art, Maune Contemporary; Makasiini Contemporary; Mitochondria Gallery; Richard Levy Gallery; Sandler Hudson Gallery; Spanierman Modern; Susanna Gold Gallery; the Casspir Project; Urevbu Gallery. Select artist projects: Curtis Patterson; “genteel/gentle”; Sheila Pree Bright.
  • 2 p.m. ”On Deck in the South.” Discussion of upcoming cultural projects, including Fahamu Pecou speaking about the African Diaspora Art Museum of Atlanta (AAF)
  • 7 p.m. ”Acceptance: Identity & Circumstance.” Artist talk with painter Alfred Conteh and guest Jeremiah Ojo (AAW)

Saturday, Oct. 5

  • Noon-6 p.m. “...an Atlanta Biennial...” Work by Fahamu Pecou, Hasani Sahlehe, Antonio Darden, Myra Green, Alfred Conteh and dozens of other premier artists in a contemporary warehouse setting (AAW)
  • 2 p.m. Hana Ward: “Cowpea Consciousness.” Tour of exhibition of Los Angeles based artist presented by OCHI Gallery (AAW)
  • 5-11 p.m. SITE at the Goat Farm. Multi-arts installations, performances and open studios (AAW & AAF) Select artists and projects: “the end is near, the end is the beginning”; T. Lang Dance; Gavin Bernard; Kiara Gilbert; Natrice Miller; Hommeboy; Selorm Jay.

Sunday, Oct. 6

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Gibson + Recoder, “Sixty movies for sixty windows” (2024), to be shown during Off the Wall @ 725 Ponce on Friday, Oct. 4.

Credit: Photo courtesy of Off the Wall @ 725 Ponce

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Credit: Photo courtesy of Off the Wall @ 725 Ponce

Shutter clicker’s lens-based media track

Our recommendations for lovers of film and photography.

Wednesday, Oct. 2

Thursday, Oct. 3

  • 5:30 p.m. Ming Smith in conversation with Myra Greene. Exhibition viewing of Ming Smith’s “Feeling the Future” at Spelman College Museum of Fine Art, followed by photographers in conversation (AAW)
  • 7-11 p.m. “...an Atlanta Biennial...” Public reception for work by Fredrik Brauer, Jill Frank, Antonio Darden, Myra Greene, Jackson Markovic, Micah and Witney Stansell and dozens of other artists in a contemporary warehouse setting (AAW)

Friday, Oct. 4

Saturday, Oct. 5

Sunday, Oct. 6

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Bits and bytes technology track

A few select items to please the tech geek art lover.

Wednesday, Oct. 2

Thursday, Oct. 3

Friday, Oct. 4

Saturday, Oct. 5

  • 5-11 p.m. SITE at the Goat Farm. Multi-arts installations, performances and open studios (AAW & AAF) Select artists and projects: Another World Is Possible; “the end is near, the end is the beginning”; MaDora Frey; Cheyenne Hendrickson; Natrice Miller; Joel Silverman; Stephanie Dowda and Mary Stuart Hall Walker.
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Credit: ArtsATL

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Credit: ArtsATL

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