The city of Atlanta has received a new art piece.
On Friday, September 29, a sculpture by Yinka Shonibare was unveiled. Shonibare is an artist from the U.K.. His website states that “his works comment on the tangled interrelationship between Africa and Europe, and their respective economic and political histories.”
The sculpture given to the city is known as Wind Sculpture IV. Before its final home in Atlanta, the art piece was on display in Chicago at the Museum of Contemporary Art from June to October 2014.
Wind Sculpture IV is one in a series of wind pieces. Shonibare’s inspiration came after creating a series of works related to historic ships.
“Moving away from the form of a ship itself, the wind sculpture series formally explores the concept of harnessing movement by capturing the volume of wind and freezing it in a moment of time,” said Camille Russell Love, the executive director of the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs.
Russell Love was the speaker at the event and gave the dedication for the sculpture. According to her, Atlanta is one of 11 cities around the world that displays Shonibare’s artwork. This sculpture is an important art piece for the city. It stands as the physical connection between south downtown and the Canterbury Hills neighborhood.
The sculpture sits beside the Steele Bridge, which is not without cause. Formerly known as Nelson Street, the bridge was named after and dedicated to Carrie Steele Logan. From the bridge’s plaque, “Logan is a true Atlanta hero and trailblazer who overcame the oppression of slavery and left behind a legacy of philanthropy and entrepreneurship that defines the city today.”
Having Wind Sculpture IV next to the bridge adds to the compelling nature of the passage.
Along with the sculpture unveiling, Centennial Yards hosted its last Friday Vibe Art Walk of the summer. The event allowed artists in Atlanta to show and sell their artwork to patrons of the event.
Marsy Santos was an artist on the bridge. She’s from the Dominican Republic and moved to Atlanta in 2021. One of her pieces that were on display depicted a man behind window security bars with the word “censored” over his eyes. In the background, there was graffiti representing his vision of being the best graffiti artist. From Santos, the “censored” over his eyes represents the blockage and suppression of his vision.
Besides the art, there was music sung by The Chops Experience and hip-hop hits played by DJ Shabazz, which paid homage to the celebration of 50 years of Hip-Hop currently happening with Elevate Atlanta.
Titled, “Roots, Renaissance and Renegades,” this year’s project is hosting art events throughout the city that commemorate 50 years of hip-hop. From its website, “Elevate is a temporary public art program that seeks to invigorate the Atlanta area through visual art, performances and cultural events.”
The unveiling and vibe walk, though not related to hip-hop, was another way that the city of Atlanta has brought together the community.
