Founding Stories: 1980s

“Founding Stories: Oral Histories of Grassroots Atlanta” was a decade-by-decade series of talks exploring the founding stories of a selection of Atlanta’s DIY and artist-run spaces.

Founders of some of Atlanta’s most beloved and remembered spaces spoke about how these organizations came into existence. Answering questions such as: What were the conditions that led to the founding of the space/project/organization? What was happening in Atlanta at that time? What goals did you set out to accomplish, and did you feel those goals were met? What can the current field of artist-run initiatives learn from this history?

Panel 4: 1980s
Streamed live via Zoom on Oct 18, 2020
Moderated by Lisa Tuttle
Panelists:
Jeff Mather (The Mattress Factory Group)
Clark Brown (Blue Rat)
Alice Lovelace (Arts Exchange)
Normando Ismay (Little Beirut Art Space & Café Bizzoso)

GALLERY

A black and white photograph of four individuals back to the camera wielding swords, facing a second group of individuals holding some type of flag without weapons. One individual lies on the ground in between the two groups.

An orange-toned photograph of several musicians performing outside for a standing crowd.

An orange-toned photograph of a large standing crowd.

A photo of an individual in a fish-eyed camera.

A black and white photograph of a framed and tilted version of Mona Lisa with sunglasses and the text

A photo of an event at Cafe Bizzozos. The audience is seated on wooden benches, and colorful art hangs from the ceiling and walls.

A photo of a band set up to perform at Cafe Bizzosos.

A photograph of Cafe Bizzozos. The back wall is covered in colorful art — close to 20 paintings. One individual holds their arms out and smiles at the camera. A red velvet mattress is on the floor in one corner.

A photograhp of an art installation, which includes several silver hanging tubes and a small tricycle on the ground.

An image of an art installation with colorfully painted individuals and the phrase

A photograph of someone's room with blue-painted walls — and many chips in the paint. An individual lies motionless on a bed in the center of the room, and many portraits hang on the walls and in the windowpanes.

A photograph of an art installation with suspended black pieces of cloth and a black ramp.

A black and white photo of four individuals sitting on the steps outside a brick building.

A photograph of two individuals in white T-shirts — one has blue tape over their lips — and a painting on the right side of the photograph.

A photograph of a Blue Rat Poster, with images and documentation of various events.

A photograph of the outside of Blue Rat Gallery. A colorful painting hangs in the entryway.

A red and bright blue poster of a rat that reads

A black and white photograph of six individuals clapping and acknowledging one of them.

A black and white photograph of two individuals, one sitting and one standing.

A black and white photograph of four individuals. Two younger individuals are closer to the viewer in the frame. Three are standing, and one is sitting. They are smiling.

A photograph of several individuals at a table cluttered with paper and a computer from the 1980s.

A photograph of an individual standing in front of a large sign that reads

An image of a band performing in a venue against a bright blue wall.

Founding Stories: 1980s

Share:

GALLERY

See Also

Artists Books from The Atlanta School

Let It Flow—Hannah Palmer’s Reimagined Atlanta

Follow: