The prize money was donated anonymously to the Hudgens, which created the competition to encourage Georgia visual artists.

“The state has a terrific artistic community that deserves to be given greater support and visibility, and the Hudgens is proud to be a part of bringing attention to the many talented artists in Georgia,” said Hudgens executive director Teresa Osborn in a prepared statement.

A three-person panel of jurors – David Kiehl (curator of prints, Whitney Museum of American Art), Sylvie Fortin (editor in …

Continue reading Hudgens Center names five finalists for $50,000 visual arts prize »

By Howard Pousner
hpousner@ajc.com

The new Atlanta-based foundation Possible Futures is presenting a slate of art installations, including one this weekend.

“Convergent Frequencies” is a site-specific multimedia creation by ArtBox on a vacant lot at Krog Street and Irwin Avenue in Inman Park. It includes three large shipping containers covered with art inspired by surrounding neighborhoods, and enhanced with video and field recordings.

The wheatpaste portraits are by Matt Haffner,  field recordings by Nat Slaughter and video projections by Matt Gilbert. ArtBox is a collaboration of Possible Futures and the i45 galleries of Inman Park, Old 4th Ward and Little 5 Points.

6 p.m.-midnight Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 17-19, with live music at 9 each night.  Free. (The work will be presented again Oct. 1 at Flux Projects’ FLUX art night, 8 p.m.-2 a.m., in Castleberry Hill.)

For more, visit http://i45art.wordpress.com/ or www.fluxprojects.org.

Here are two more …

Continue reading Possible Futures presenting 3 art installations this fall, starting this weekend »

By Howard Pousner
hpousner@ajc.com

Continue reading Emory anticipates Dalai Lama visit with free Tibetan Film Festival »

By Howard Pousner
hpousner@ajc.com

Atlantan Louis Corrigan, founder of the public art presenting non-profit Flux Projects, has established a foundation that has awarded $90,000 in grants to support art criticism in the metro area.

Possible Futures, Corrigan’s new Atlanta-based foundation, announced on Tuesday grants of $30,000 each to the online arts magazines ArtsCriticATL.com and BURNAWAY.org and to long-time Atlanta arts writer Jerry Cullum.

“BURNAWAY and ArtsCriticATL have stepped up over the last two years to fill a void in the city’s arts coverage,” Corrigan, an investment analyst, said in a statement. “In their different ways, each is providing a crucial community service.”

Focused on the visual arts, BURNAWAY was founded in 2008 and is led by visual arts critic Jeremy Abernathy and executive director Susannah Darrow.

ArtsCriticATL, which covers the major arts disciplines, was founded in 2009 by Pierre Ruhe and Catherine Fox, former arts critics-reporters for …

Continue reading Flux Projects founder gives $90,000 for arts criticism in Atlanta »

By Howard Pousner
hpousner@ajc.com

The Alliance Theatre led Suzi Bass Award nominees for the 2009-2010 Atlanta professional theatrical season, with 27 nominations, on the strength of Twyla Tharp’s Frank Sinatra homage  “Come Fly With Me” (eight) and “Lookingglass Alice” (seven).

Theatrical Outfit, Horizon Theatre, Actor’s Express, Theatre in the Square, Atlanta Lyric Theatre and Aurora Theatre each received 10 or more nominations across the play, musical, and design categories.

The 6th Annual Suzi Bass Awards Ceremony will be held Nov. 8 at Oglethorpe University’s Conant Center.

Full nominee list:

Production – Play

Around the World in 80 Days                                                           Theatrical Outfit

Jitney                                                                                           …

Continue reading Alliance Theatre leads Suzi Awards nominations; ceremony Nov. 8 »

By Howard Pousner
hpousner@ajc.com

One person’s ignored art can be another’s treasure.

The Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia asked supporters to donate art hidden away in attics and closets, and more than 160 such pieces (paintings, drawings, photos, 3-D work) will be auctioned Thursday[9/16] in a benefit for the non-profit arts organization.

Bidding for most pieces will start at $50; admission $20 (includes light food, drink); 6-9 p.m. at Wilmington Trust, 27th floor, Terminus 100 Building, 3280 Peachtree Road, Atlanta. Information: 404-367-8700, www.mocaga.org.

Continue reading MOCA GA auction on Thursday shows ignored art some love »

By Howard Pousner
hpousner@ajc.com

Theatrical Outfit’s extended run of “A Confederacy of Dunces” ended Sunday, but there is a good chance that executive artistic director Tom Key’s adaptation of the 1981 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel will live to see another stage.
Two Broadway producers and four major regional theaters are considering Key’s artful compression of John Kennedy Toole’s grand but rambling farce about the misadventures of anti-hero Ignatius J. Reilly. But Key first needs to gain permission for additional productions from New York literary agency McIntosh & Otis, representing rights-holder LSU Press.
“Dunces” has tantalized playwrights and filmmakers over the years, but the rights to produce the New Orleans-set epic rarely have been extended.
Key said that Theatrical Outfit will build a case this fall to present to the literary agency. Based on the critical and audience response in Atlanta and the buzz the production has generated in theater circles …

Continue reading Broadway producers, regional companies interested in Outfit’s ‘Dunces’ adaptation »

By Howard Pousner
hpousner@ajc.com

The Kennesaw State University College of the Arts will present its third annual Flourish Awards at a luncheon on Sept. 14, at Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre.

The awards, honoring those who have helped the arts flourish in Georgia, will be presented to Theatre in the Square of Marietta (arts organization); Seth Hopkins, executive director the Booth Western Art Museum in Cartersville (arts leader); Marietta High School dance teacher Chiazor Nwabude (arts educator); and Lee Rhyant, executive vice president of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics in Marietta (community/public service).

More than 200 guests are expected to attend the 11:30 a.m. luncheon, which is anticipated to raise more than $100,000 to benefit scholarship endowments and student-learning initiatives in the KSU College of the Arts (tickets are $100). The event’s theme, “Be Inspired,” spotlights the role the arts play in reinvigorating people through creative activity …

Continue reading KSU luncheon honors four who have helped the arts in Ga. »

By Howard Pousner
hpousner@ajc.com

Tony Award-winning actress Patti LuPone will visit Decatur on Monday[9/13] to discuss her new book, “Patti LuPone: A Memoir,” at Agnes Scott College’s Presser Hall.

The Georgia Center for the Book, co-presenter of the free event, says it’s only one of four promotional appearances LuPone will make and the only one in which she will be speaking.

Atlanta poet-author Collin Kelly will interview her starting at 1 p.m. (doors open at noon, seating is first come, first seated). 404-370-8450, ext. 2225, www.georgiacenterforthebook.org.

In “A Memoir” (Crown Archetype, $25.99),  LuPone is as straight-shooting as fans would expect. For instance, she details the public humiliation in 1993 when she starred in the London production of “Sunset Boulevard” and then Andrew Lloyd Webber replaced her with Glenn Close before the show moved to Broadway. She found out by reading Liz Smith’s column, and the stress nearly wrecked her marriage.

“No one is …

Continue reading LuPone to give talk about ‘Memoir’ at Agnes Scott on Monday »

By Howard Pousner
hpousner@ajc.com

Tena Clark, the composer-lyricist behind “Twist,” the musical priming for its world premiere at the Alliance Theatre, pauses to make something clear near the end of a conversation in which she mentions more stars than your average copy of People magazine.

“At the time, I had been writing with Marvin Hamlisch,” she says, starting to recount an anecdote from long ago before stopping in mid-sentence to clarify: “I’m not dropping names, but that’s just the truth!”

Truly, Clark can hardly help herself. She might not be a household name, but so many of the R&B, soul and pop stars she’s either written songs for or produced are, including Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight, Dionne Warwick, Patti LaBelle, LeAnn Rimes and Chaka Khan.

Small of stature, the 56-year-old Mississippi native commands R-E-S-P-E-C-T in the music business, and is known as a go-to composer for movie and television productions — a quick study who can crank out …

Continue reading Twisting road brings ‘Twist’ composer-lyricist to Alliance Theatre »