Now showing just a short walk from Oglethorpe University: Art Pop Up + Shop in Town Brookhaven, an exhibition/gallery of paintings, mixed media, photographs, drawings, jewelry and more by 18 + Atlanta area artists — including an Oglethorpe alumna!
The pop-up was organized by Explore Brookhaven and srmART Connect, an art advocacy and programming business headed by alumna Sharon Moskowitz ’82, an active member of the metro Atlanta arts community. Moskowitz, who previously managed Oglethorpe’s Conant Performing Arts Center, started srmART Connect to support artists and generate interest in local talent.
“An art pop-up shop is a great way to network with neighbors and local businesses”, said Moskowitz, who curated the featured art. “There is incredible value in connecting and interacting with the community in-person, talking about the artwork, and generating sales and future art projects.”
Sharon Moskowitz ’82 and Nicole Kang Ahn ’13
It was the Oglethorpe connection that allowed another alum to feature her art at the pop-up. Alumna Nicole Kang Ahn ’13 met Moskowitz while at Oglethorpe and was excited to work with a friend and collaborator for this new exhibition.
A full-time artist, Ahn has had work featured in many high-profile exhibitions in the last several years. Earlier this year, her work was part of an Asian-American and Pacific Islander group exhibition at MINT Gallery in Atlanta. She also recently worked with the Alliance Theatre to create an original character and backgrounds for a short animation for Fernbank Museum. Just last year, her art was prominently featured above the Peachtree MARTA station in downtown Atlanta. Ahn graduated from Oglethorpe with a degree in Studio Art.
“Every piece is an extension of myself. I honor my ancestry, live in the present, and look to a better future,” says Ahn in an artist’s statement.
The pop-up kicked off in June with an at-capacity opening reception, featuring artist demonstrations and the musical talents of Oglethorpe student Aurora Santifer.
Other artists in the pop-up include Masela Nkolo, a multidisciplinary artists who creates moveable “creatures” out of scrap materials; Jaya Saxena, a painter specializing in abstracts and florals; and Sabre Esler, a painter, sculptor and print-maker exploring the connection between emotions, thoughts and reality.
The free exhibition continues through July 24, 2022 in Town Brookhaven.
Pop Up + Shop hours: Thursday through Saturday 11 AM – 8 PM, Sunday 12 PM – 5 PM.
Top photo credit: Christopher Martin #TheFashionPlate
