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Your Guide to Atlanta Public Art: 29 Works to See Right Now

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After adding more than 100 murals to Atlanta's cityscape during the last five years, Living Walls is going on a year-long hiatus in 2015 for "reflection and strategic planning." The move was spurred, at least in part, by Atlanta's proposed ordinance to regulate public art on private property after some of the nonprofit's art was considered a bit too ... shall we say "edgy"? for certain neighborhoods. Fortunately, Atlanta has no shortage of stunning public art. Previous Living Walls conferences, Elevate Atlanta initiatives, the Beltline's move to become the largest outdoor public art exhibition in the South and, of course, good old fashioned street artists doing their own thing continue to bring color and character to our city.


· A Guide To 21 Works Of Street Art You Must See Right Now [Curbed Atlanta]

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Your Southern Home Away From Home

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Atlantans Howdy Nater, who specializes in lettering and signage, and Ola Bad, who is known for his wheat pastes of faces drawn in charcoal, partnered for this charming mural, which reminds you that Atlanta is your Southern home, no matter where you're from.

Artist Axel Void is from Berlin, Germany, and works on everything from spray-painted, large-scale murals to oil paintings and audio and video projects. His pieces often deal with social issues in a slightly uncomfortable way and often involve covering or obscuring of one or more of his subject's eyes.

Not A Player

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This typographical Broad Street work was done by artist Sever during the 2012 Elevate, an event designed to transform downtown through art.

Strange Boxes Flooded

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Described as "an aloof different interpretation of interpersonal relationships," this painted building was Atlanta artist Gyun Hur's first mural. The SCAD Hong Kong professor typically works in performance art and installations.

Bright and Colorful 3ttman Wall

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French-born, Madrid resident 3ttman (pronounced "three têtes man" or "the man with three heads") created one of the largest and most colorful stops on our tour. The artist does graphic street art in cities around the world but also works with media such as papier-mâche, ceramics and cement.

11-Story Giants

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Paris-based artist Remed created this 11-story piece in 2010 during the first Living Walls conference. The striking work on the side of a downtown parking deck still remains today (because really, who is going to replace something that enormous?).

Bird of Edgewood

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On the side of BQE Restaurant on Edgewood is one of Living Walls newer additions: a stunning bird by Atlanta artist John Tindel, whose work is inspired by both his background in design and illustration and his Southern-ness.

The Sunrise Of Edgewood

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Baltimore artist Gaia described this beautiful MLK-inspired piece that he collaborated on with Nanook: “[T]he Fourth Ward is considered in many regards as the epicenter of the Civil Rights movement so naturally creating Martin Luther King Jr’s face just down the block from the King Home seemed logical. But rather we created a portrait that was more ambiguous, an everyman face that faded into a rising sun. This vibrant visage is surrounded by a turmoil of rope and vine forms that Nanook created...” The two also collaborated on the amazing piece on the side of Squash Blossom in Decatur (113 E Court Square).

Whoa Man.

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Atlanta artist Joshua Ray Stevens created this cartoony Edgewood piece that's more than meets the eye.

Blue Statement

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Newark, New Jersey resident LNY painted this gorgeous piece on the back side of Sopo Bicycle Co-op in East Atlanta and says that her work is designed to "create an environment of change that will allow us to imagine possible, better and brighter futures."

Railroad Wall Of Art

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The piece shown here is by Travis Smith and Molly Rose Freeman but the entire wall running along the railroad tracks in this area is covered with remarkable works of art in a variety of styles. It's like an outdoor gallery unto itself. Take a walk.

Great Minds Are Open

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This playful mural sits at the southern end of the Beltline's Eastside Trail but these days, it's almost impossible to go anywhere without seeing Greg Mike's work (see also, Point 29). He's painting live at this year's Counterpoint festival, doing a piece for Facebook's Atlanta office and putting up a massive mural on the side of The Sound Table.

Spatial Tension

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This massive 65-foot by 35-foot art piece by Georgia State graduate Spencer Murrill was painted in 2013 with the intention "to move and progress as people on the Beltline move alongside it."

How Are You?

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The gorgeous goldfish mural beneath Virginia Avenue is a 2012 creation of Atlanta native and SCAD alum Brandon Sadler. His tendency to blend Eastern and Western influences and bold style have earned his work a place in a number of fine art museums, including the High.

Pink Lady

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Berlin-based artist Addison Karl creates works designed to "be part of the public space rather than interrupt it." His work often focuses on faces and the human form and can be seen across Europe, Asia and the U.S.

Don't Call It Murder

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SCAD students Jing Li, Hanrou Li and Sena Kwon created this joyful and adorable 186-foot-long mural on the trail side of "Beltline Kroger" to help the store shed its more homicidal nickname. Nice try, Murder Kroger.

Could Be Better

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Atlanta artist Mr. Never Satisfied (aka Never) now resides in NYC but his art can still be seen across the city. Many of his works feature owls, but most are not as distinguished and healthy looking as this handsome gentleman at Historic Fourth Ward Park's skatepark.

Eyes and Friends

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The distinctive, whimsical style of Atlanta artist Kyle Brooks is all over town but the aptly titled "Eyes and Friends" reaches more eyes than any of his other works from its prime position under Highland Avenue, on the Beltline's Eastside Trail.

Krog Street Tunnel

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The Krog Street Tunnel has long been a concrete canvas for taggers, street artists and event promoters. After being painted gray prior to last year's controversial masquerade party, the tunnel is back to its old, colorful self with an ever-changing array of art both awesome and awful.

Three Artists, One Wall

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Creator Gaia is a Baltimore-based artist who also worked on "Sunrise On Edgewood" (#17). To the right, on this same wall, is a mural by Greg Mike, just visible here. To the left, work by Oakland-based artist Swampy.

Housewarming

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This big, bold, impossible-to-miss piece on the side of the Reynoldstown Lofts is the work of Italian artist Agostino Iacurci, who now splits his time between Rome and Nuremberg, Germany.

Around The Fire

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Hailing from Buenos Aires, Argentina, Jaz is a street artist who works in the traditions and styles of fine art. He has participated in Atlanta's Living Walls Conference three times and was ranked as the second best street artist in the world by Complex Magazine.

Dragon Vs. Fox

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Local artist Shaun Thurston creates striking and beautiful images of animals, including the owl at the Argosy (the piece shown is on an exterior wall of the Argosy), the wasp at 435 Oakview in Decatur and a gorgeous purple lizard (dragon?) piece on the railroad wall in Cabbagetown.

Surreal Beauty On The Argosy

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Ukrainian duo Interesni Kazki painted this huge surreal mural on one side of Argosy in East Atlanta Village and were named among the 50 best street artists in the world by Complex Magazine. This detailed piece is well worth a closer look.

Prisms Behind Graveyard

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Christopher Derek Bruno is a local artist whose colorful and striking work has been shown nationally (NYC, L.A., Seattle, Portland, Atlanta) as well as internationally (Rome, Berlin, Amsterdam). Photos don't do this massive work on the back side of Graveyard Tavern justice.

Monsters In A Parking Lot

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Brazilian artist Fefe Talavera works in a tribal style inspired by street art in her hometown of São Paulo, where she used art to reveal beauty in dilapidated areas.

Collaboration On Twain's

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This mural on the side of Twain's in Decatur is a collaboration between Gaia, Nanuk and Doodles (presumably not their real names). Read more about Gaia and Nanuk in the entry about "The Sunrise of Edgewood" (#17). The remaining artist, Doodles, is based in Oakland, California, and creates work inspired by travel and various cultures.

Unicorn Bear

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Atlanta's Greg Mike is best known for his LARRY LOUDMOUF character, which is stickered and plastered all over the city as well as throughout cities across the country, but his colorful, pop-art-inspired paintings also liven up Atlanta.

Take Care Of Yourself First

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Look up to see this educational line drawing by SCAD grad Jason Kofke, whose list of exhibits is lengthy and impressive. It's safe to assume that this Decatur piece was inspired by his recent work in China.

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Your Southern Home Away From Home

Atlantans Howdy Nater, who specializes in lettering and signage, and Ola Bad, who is known for his wheat pastes of faces drawn in charcoal, partnered for this charming mural, which reminds you that Atlanta is your Southern home, no matter where you're from.

Nobody

Artist Axel Void is from Berlin, Germany, and works on everything from spray-painted, large-scale murals to oil paintings and audio and video projects. His pieces often deal with social issues in a slightly uncomfortable way and often involve covering or obscuring of one or more of his subject's eyes.

Not A Player

This typographical Broad Street work was done by artist Sever during the 2012 Elevate, an event designed to transform downtown through art.

Strange Boxes Flooded

Described as "an aloof different interpretation of interpersonal relationships," this painted building was Atlanta artist Gyun Hur's first mural. The SCAD Hong Kong professor typically works in performance art and installations.

Bright and Colorful 3ttman Wall

French-born, Madrid resident 3ttman (pronounced "three têtes man" or "the man with three heads") created one of the largest and most colorful stops on our tour. The artist does graphic street art in cities around the world but also works with media such as papier-mâche, ceramics and cement.

11-Story Giants

Paris-based artist Remed created this 11-story piece in 2010 during the first Living Walls conference. The striking work on the side of a downtown parking deck still remains today (because really, who is going to replace something that enormous?).

Bird of Edgewood

On the side of BQE Restaurant on Edgewood is one of Living Walls newer additions: a stunning bird by Atlanta artist John Tindel, whose work is inspired by both his background in design and illustration and his Southern-ness.

The Sunrise Of Edgewood

Baltimore artist Gaia described this beautiful MLK-inspired piece that he collaborated on with Nanook: “[T]he Fourth Ward is considered in many regards as the epicenter of the Civil Rights movement so naturally creating Martin Luther King Jr’s face just down the block from the King Home seemed logical. But rather we created a portrait that was more ambiguous, an everyman face that faded into a rising sun. This vibrant visage is surrounded by a turmoil of rope and vine forms that Nanook created...” The two also collaborated on the amazing piece on the side of Squash Blossom in Decatur (113 E Court Square).

Whoa Man.

Atlanta artist Joshua Ray Stevens created this cartoony Edgewood piece that's more than meets the eye.

Blue Statement

Newark, New Jersey resident LNY painted this gorgeous piece on the back side of Sopo Bicycle Co-op in East Atlanta and says that her work is designed to "create an environment of change that will allow us to imagine possible, better and brighter futures."

Railroad Wall Of Art

The piece shown here is by Travis Smith and Molly Rose Freeman but the entire wall running along the railroad tracks in this area is covered with remarkable works of art in a variety of styles. It's like an outdoor gallery unto itself. Take a walk.

Great Minds Are Open

This playful mural sits at the southern end of the Beltline's Eastside Trail but these days, it's almost impossible to go anywhere without seeing Greg Mike's work (see also, Point 29). He's painting live at this year's Counterpoint festival, doing a piece for Facebook's Atlanta office and putting up a massive mural on the side of The Sound Table.

Spatial Tension

This massive 65-foot by 35-foot art piece by Georgia State graduate Spencer Murrill was painted in 2013 with the intention "to move and progress as people on the Beltline move alongside it."

How Are You?

The gorgeous goldfish mural beneath Virginia Avenue is a 2012 creation of Atlanta native and SCAD alum Brandon Sadler. His tendency to blend Eastern and Western influences and bold style have earned his work a place in a number of fine art museums, including the High.

Pink Lady

Berlin-based artist Addison Karl creates works designed to "be part of the public space rather than interrupt it." His work often focuses on faces and the human form and can be seen across Europe, Asia and the U.S.

Don't Call It Murder

SCAD students Jing Li, Hanrou Li and Sena Kwon created this joyful and adorable 186-foot-long mural on the trail side of "Beltline Kroger" to help the store shed its more homicidal nickname. Nice try, Murder Kroger.

Could Be Better

Atlanta artist Mr. Never Satisfied (aka Never) now resides in NYC but his art can still be seen across the city. Many of his works feature owls, but most are not as distinguished and healthy looking as this handsome gentleman at Historic Fourth Ward Park's skatepark.

Eyes and Friends

The distinctive, whimsical style of Atlanta artist Kyle Brooks is all over town but the aptly titled "Eyes and Friends" reaches more eyes than any of his other works from its prime position under Highland Avenue, on the Beltline's Eastside Trail.

Krog Street Tunnel

The Krog Street Tunnel has long been a concrete canvas for taggers, street artists and event promoters. After being painted gray prior to last year's controversial masquerade party, the tunnel is back to its old, colorful self with an ever-changing array of art both awesome and awful.

Three Artists, One Wall

Creator Gaia is a Baltimore-based artist who also worked on "Sunrise On Edgewood" (#17). To the right, on this same wall, is a mural by Greg Mike, just visible here. To the left, work by Oakland-based artist Swampy.

Housewarming

This big, bold, impossible-to-miss piece on the side of the Reynoldstown Lofts is the work of Italian artist Agostino Iacurci, who now splits his time between Rome and Nuremberg, Germany.

Around The Fire

Hailing from Buenos Aires, Argentina, Jaz is a street artist who works in the traditions and styles of fine art. He has participated in Atlanta's Living Walls Conference three times and was ranked as the second best street artist in the world by Complex Magazine.

Dragon Vs. Fox

Local artist Shaun Thurston creates striking and beautiful images of animals, including the owl at the Argosy (the piece shown is on an exterior wall of the Argosy), the wasp at 435 Oakview in Decatur and a gorgeous purple lizard (dragon?) piece on the railroad wall in Cabbagetown.

Surreal Beauty On The Argosy

Ukrainian duo Interesni Kazki painted this huge surreal mural on one side of Argosy in East Atlanta Village and were named among the 50 best street artists in the world by Complex Magazine. This detailed piece is well worth a closer look.

Prisms Behind Graveyard

Christopher Derek Bruno is a local artist whose colorful and striking work has been shown nationally (NYC, L.A., Seattle, Portland, Atlanta) as well as internationally (Rome, Berlin, Amsterdam). Photos don't do this massive work on the back side of Graveyard Tavern justice.

Monsters In A Parking Lot

Brazilian artist Fefe Talavera works in a tribal style inspired by street art in her hometown of São Paulo, where she used art to reveal beauty in dilapidated areas.

Collaboration On Twain's

This mural on the side of Twain's in Decatur is a collaboration between Gaia, Nanuk and Doodles (presumably not their real names). Read more about Gaia and Nanuk in the entry about "The Sunrise of Edgewood" (#17). The remaining artist, Doodles, is based in Oakland, California, and creates work inspired by travel and various cultures.

Unicorn Bear

Atlanta's Greg Mike is best known for his LARRY LOUDMOUF character, which is stickered and plastered all over the city as well as throughout cities across the country, but his colorful, pop-art-inspired paintings also liven up Atlanta.

Take Care Of Yourself First

Look up to see this educational line drawing by SCAD grad Jason Kofke, whose list of exhibits is lengthy and impressive. It's safe to assume that this Decatur piece was inspired by his recent work in China.