Fulton County Arts & Culture celebrates 40th Anniversary!

During the month of October Fulton County Arts & Culture will celebrate 40 years of arts leadership with a series of exhibitions and initiatives to bring exciting arts and cultural experiences to Fulton County residents and visitors. The celebration begins with the opening of The High Rise Show at GIRAFFE, 34 Peachtree Street on October 4 featuring art by 100 emerging and established Georgia artists, as well as a special preview of two works by Jean-Michel Basquiat. The Basquiat serigraphs will become part of The King’s Exhibition which will open on October 7 at Southwest Arts Center.

“We are thrilled to partner with ShowerHaus and the Goat Farm to present The High Rise Show and to collaborate with Dr. Glenn Toby to bring the Basquiat artwork and The King’s Exhibition to Atlanta in celebration of our 40th Anniversary,” states Lionell Thomas, Director of Fulton County Arts & Culture. “Our community will have the opportunity to view fabulous artwork by international and Georgia artists free of charge.”

The High Rise Show will be an immersive, multi-level art exhibition, taking place on four floors at GIRAFFE, 34 Peachtree Street, Atlanta, GA 30303. Curated by ShowerHaus and co-produced with the Goat Farm, the exhibition will feature work by 100 artists including art from Fulton County’s 2019 Fine Art Acquisition, Miya Bailey and Peters Street Station, MINT, TILA Studios and The Creatives Project. The exhibition will run from October 4 – 19. The Opening Reception is October 4 from 7-11 pm and will include a preview of the two works by Basquiat. Admission is free, but an RSVP is requested: https://www.facebook.com/events/434805017133866/

The King’s Exhibition will feature two Basquiat limited edition signed serigraphs from the collection of Dr. Glenn Toby. He acquired the art from Jean-Michel’s father, the late Gerard Basquiat, through renowned art dealer Jeff Jaffe. Along with the serigraphs, the exhibition will include work by international artists in association with Dr. Toby’s Book Bank Foundation. The King’s Exhibition will be on view from October 7-24 at Southwest Arts Center, 915 New Hope Road SW, Atlanta, GA 30331.

“It’s an honor to collaborate with Fulton County Arts & Culture for the launch of The Kings Exhibition,” states Dr. Glenn Toby. “Jean-Michel Basquiat spoke truth to power through his artwork, from the lens of his personal experiences. I feel a responsibility to share his art and messages which speak to the social ills of homelessness, poverty and ignorance.”

A legendary New York artist whose emergence on the art scene coincided with the arrival of the hip-hop movement, no artist's star shined brighter than the politically charged visual language created by Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960-1988). His graffiti-inspired abstract figurations continue to inspire new audiences.

Sponsors for The High Rise Show and The King’s Exhibition include: ShowerHaus, The Goat Farm Art Center, The Book Bank Foundation and GIRAFFE.

The Goat Farm Arts Center is a multi-disciplinary Cultural Center in West Midtown Atlanta. One of Atlanta’s largest centers for contemporary and experimental thought, practice, art & performance, its mission is to explore a more responsible approach to development and how property can be used to support art and culture via a self-sustaining built environment. Primarily exploring & supporting innovative works the Goat Farm is a laboratory where creative risk is nurtured & celebrated. The Goat Farm executes this mission through an unconventional social enterprise for-profit arts model.

Fulton County Arts & Culture is celebrating 40 years of creative leadership, improving and enhancing the lives of Fulton County residents and visitors through the arts. Their mission is to ensure all citizens have access to the arts for the passion they inspire, the quality of life they afford, and the economic impact they make in the community. FCAC provides broad access to arts programming including classes and free performances at their six community Arts Centers; generous support for area artists and arts organizations through Contracts for Services arts funding; outreach through their numerous community partnerships; and diverse public art experiences through the Fulton County Public Art Program. For more information visit: fultonarts.org.

MEDIA Contact: Karen Hatchett - karen@hatchettpr.com