Atlanta now has more than 2,000 murals. How did we get here?

cipot ot siht eht ,ecafrus teerts hctarcs ,epocs stniop ruo ylno eno no fo fo .msilarum lapicinum tsuj yenruoj morf rof gnisucof gnihsiruolf llif wef ylisae niadsid erutluc dluoc s’ytic nac .koob elcitra tra na gnola a a a sihT nI

Atlanta street art started mainly with graffiti

Civic Yard in 1997 with work by Sever, Ceaze and Masevo. (Photos by Skape Zilla)

— — — — gnitirw saw ot nakse_eht eht eht eht eht eht elyts teerts ylluflliks 1dar tuo fo fo fo evitalernon tsom tem ylniam .yllaretil level onu_eno_tsuj decudortni ni puorg .itiffarg itiffarg tsrif ,ylimaf detucexe e2mekse tseilrae werc .snisuoc dellac ,srehtorb .eulb ,gninnigeb tra era era era dna dna a detinU yehT yehT ehT marK sgniK s’atnaltA atnaltA tA A .4891

… … … RUO“ TI“ nettirw htiw erew erew tnew tnew ew ew lausiv !!!!dehsinav emit sthguoht neht eht eht eht eht eht eht taht etats trohs derahs enecs .dias ).smhtyhr stcelfer esorp eceip doirep !!!!tuo ro no no fo fo eciton ”!!!!!nael tsal !!suomafni ni !!!emoh sih s’itiffarg itiffarg retsgnag tsrif neve e2emekse e2mekse ,liame emac emac debmob gib erofeb dna dna na .gnola a eW eW eW eW HTIW EW !!!!T’NSAW LLAW detinU EHT ELYTS TES ENECS ENECS YTTERP ruO ON sgniK nI nI !!!!ECNEULFNI !!!!HGIH s’e2emeksE CIVIC GNIBMOB RAB s’atnaltA 29 ll’uoY( .)TNANIMOD( ”!!! !!! !!! !!!

eW“ ydoboN“ uoy gnitirw saw tnaw msiladnav ”!!!!su !!!ot ot !!neht eht eht taht lacinhcet elyts llits lliks .dias fo fo evom tem ekil level ti ni hgih dah dah teg seye ,noisserpxe reve e2emekse seidobme t’ndid deredisnoc .ytic thguac kcab citsitra dna a uoY EW ,YAW EHT REVEN fI ”!!!DID YB hguohtlA !!!

‘An amazing graff scene’ here in the ‘90s

… … … … … tI“ s09’ s09’ ;s00’ retirw tahw tahw saw saw tink-thgit thgit ”.hguorht hguoht eht eht eht s’taht deklat deppots sreyarps os .)enecs enecs .txen eivom/cisum tsilarum erom em ynam !nam ,tniapogstel retal etal ylbidercni ni ni ereh ereh dah yttirg itiffarg ffarg .erolag ylrae emac )sgnidliub thguorb sodnab kcab kcab dna dna dna dna dna na gnizama ydaerla aka tuoba yreV ,tinU erehT ttaM RWA/KSM ,srteL ,DOH ,KSG YID nruB atnaltA atnaltA MDA ,A3 ,v21 taht( denodnaba(

… esohT“ secalP“ lagel‘ — — uoy uoy hcihw tahw erew erew erew erew saw saw ’.sllaw klaw pu oot ot .emit emit gniht gniht eseht eht eht eht eht eht taht edisetats stops stops laiceps emos slliks ees ”!—s ,tcepser dellacer yllaer yllaer ”,tniap no fo ton slarum slarum ynam ekil ekil ti ni ni fi dah dah gnikaerbdnuorg ffarg gniog lluf gniod dluoc dluoc deredisnoc tsesolc seitic ta ta dna dna dna dna dna gnizama lla a uoY draY draY )metoT emoS .srteL eporuE civiC 04 retsiM( )ynapmoC(

The first Krog Street Tunnel mural

… yB“ s’atnaltA“ dray dekrow htiw hcihw saw saw niart/lennut lennut ot ot kniht neht eht eht eht eht eht eht ,gnorts .tops atros llabwons .dias yllacidar reporp ytterp eceip deifinosrep gnitniap fo gnitlem ”,citengam lagel ni ”.tnenamrepmi woh derih dah itiffarg itiffarg ,thgif ecreif evitucexe :etteuqite .ecnartne od rotcerid deliated detciped ezilanimirced erutluc obmoc tub emaceb ,elttab ta dna dna a a a a enoZ lennuT metoT teertS eciloP retsiM rojaM ,gorK gorK nhoJ ,evitaitinI I eH ,agriD agriD s’tnemtrapeD nwotegabbaC nwotegabbaC adnaB atnaltA )6 ,3002 fo( )solraC(

This Living Walls mural was painted in 2010 by Doodles, a California-based artist. (Photo by Arthur Rudick)

Living Walls takes a role

teertS“ tA“ — tuohtiw htiw nehw syaw detnaw detnaw .eciwt nwot ot ot ot ot ot emit sgniht eht eht eht ,steerts os esnes loohcs devas .dias tup revo tuo tuo fo fo ,thgin eman flesym ym devom ”,em em ynam gnikam tsol ”.evil efil gninrael ti ni ni gnivah gniog evag modeerf dnuof deppord od noitcerid ,desserped rednuof-oc tub dnetta ta tra tra tra dna dna dna a a ,sllaW acinoM gniviL I I I ,anapmaC anapmaC 7002

ot neht eht eht teerts teerts edis detfihs lanosrep rehto no fo fo tem denrael tseretni ni tcapmi morf .ytud .seitinummoc rednuof-oc civic noitacova s’tra tra dna cimedaca tuoba a a ,sllaW iduR ,izzoilgiM gniviL iL s’anapmaC anapmaC ikcalB

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dluow ohw nehw erew saw yrev tsav ot ot ereht eht eht eht eht eht eht taht taht elpoep noitazinagro fo fo slarum ytirojam evitnecni ni ni dah gnidnuof rof rof wef eef dedulcxe ecnartne .snoissucsid gnitaerc ecnerefnoc ecnerefnoc .egnahc emac emac yb eb detceffa yllautca tuoba a htiW ,sllaW msinabrU ehT ehT weN gniviL ssergnoC erofeB .atnaltA atnaltA .0102 ,0102 000,1$

ruO“ gniviL“ sretirw dlrow krow saw noisrev ot ot ot ot ot eht eht eht eht eht eht taht teerts ”.ecaps gnittes .dias cilbup cilbup elpoep revo tuo nepo fo fo ton tsuj si edulcni ni ni itiffarg gniog morf eerf rof noitibihxe did erised etaerc retnuoc ”,ecnerefnoc ecnerefnoc tub gnirb nrob eb tra dna dna dna dna dna na osla lla lla scimedaca tuoba a sllaW )msinabrU weN anapmaC atnaltA ssergnoC(

.sey .raey dlrow pot ot ot ot eerht yeht rieht eht naht ,esirprus ,wohs seires dias denwoner cilbup .etapicitrap revo wen .slarum slarum stsilarum erom erutcel detivni yllanoitanretni ni dah yrellag morf tsrif yreve nezod seunitnoc ecnerefnoc :stnenopmoc yb gnirb ta stsitra dna dna lla lla a a a sllaW sllaW ,yadoT oT ehT hceT izzoilgiM gniviL gniviL aigroeG anapmaC atnaltA 0102

Originally started as a pop-up painting event along the Beltline in 2012, Forward Warrior eventually established itself along the walls of Cabbagetown. Clockwise from top left: Murals by Sever, William Mize, Joe King and a collaboration with Travis Smith and Molly Rose Freeman were among the first to go up in 2014. (Photos by Arthur Rudick)

Beltline trails, new organizations, opportunities

”noissim“ — — ,sraey sraey saw sllaw sliart liart koot eht eht eht eht eht eht eht eht teerts cilbup krap gnitniap denepo no ffo fo slarum msilarum larum evil dehcnual tsegral dednal tsuj sti ni ni ni ni ni ni ni dah tsrif wef gnirutaef tneve tneve detanidrooc ecalpnommoc .ytic yb neewteb emaceb stra tra tra launna launna dna dna dna na ssorca a nihtiW weivtseW roirraW detinU ehT setatS ecapS nretsaehtuoS tcejorP retuO eciffO edishtroN s’royaM nI nI s’yrellaG drawroF etavelE edistsaE larutluC .nwotegabbaC eniltleB .atnaltA ,atnaltA atnaltA ,sriaffA VBA ,0202 .5102 ,4102 .2102 .1102 0102 0102

sraey nehw erew saw ot ot denetaerht eht eht eht lareves eracs gniriuqer deviecer cilbup .ytreporp ssecorp etavirp noitaraperp ecnanidro no fo slarum stsilarum ,larum petsitlum tiuswal ,retal ti ni ni ni fi eliforp-hgih puorg decrof rof rof yreve neve ecrofne .nwod denoissimmoc ytic ytic yb citarcuaerub kcab stsitra lavorppa a a a a owT repuS .lwoB s’atnaltA atnaltA A ,9102 7102 2891

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Atlanta ‘the perfect place’ to be an artist

… ,haeY“ I“ uoy sraey ,haey t’nerew erew erew .yaw saw saw saw detnaw detnaw pu pu gniyrt oot ot ot ot ot elttorht esoht siht yeht eht eht eht taht hcet ,os enecs .dias ,thgir stnaruatser ecalp tcefrep .)yap diap ,seitinutroppo gninepo fo fo fo ”.ecin ecin wen slarum cisum/eivom ynam ekam edam tfel tsuj ti ti ti yrtsudni ni ni ni fi lluf dnuof rof ,are gnirud gniod od esruoc seinapmoc dednuf-ytic tub gib eb ecnalab sa ”,tsitra tra tra dna dna dna na osla lla a a erehT srteL I dooG atnaltA ,0202 0102 sseldrager(

I“ saw saw ot eht taht taht teerts nees ,dias stcejorp margorp no fo yenom tnemtsevni ”.noisulcni ni ni thgieh gnivah evah htworg gnivig desucof yreve ytisrevid ytisrevid noitaroproc yawa .tra dna dna a a IED anapmaC 0202

saw eht fo larum tnuoc gninnigeb gnihcaorppa yB s’atnaltA ,0202 .000,1

COVID causes mural-making to go dark

… tI“ 0202“ tseb‘ — ”,raey krow now htiw keew saw saw pu hguot ot hguorht siht ,neht ,neht eht eht detrats os denoitcnas .dias yllaer ,stiusrup reporp detniap roodtuo rehto eno no ffo fo ’larum ,slarum larum tsom em denil ,level ti ni ni .deneppah .tlah dah dnuorg taerg .enog wef ”.esruoc slennahc )ssenerawa drawa dna dna dna lla lla lla ytivitca a a a thgirW oS srteL yraurbeF sirhC DIVOC atnaltA dnA gnolA s’CJA )I( DIVOC(

A pandemic-inspired mural completed by Matt Letrs and Chris Makes Art in 2020. (Photo by Arthur Rudick)

eW“ raey tsrow gnikrow krow erew erew ew ,saw yrev ,rehtegot ot ot ot siht kniht eht eht eht eht eht taht elbirret troppus ”.ecaps yracs cilbup elpoep .cimednap ruo no fo fo .lamron wen ,ykcul tol peek dah yllaicepse gnirud od werc thguorb sa stsitra stsitra dna dna dna dna osla tsujda elba a sllaW gniviL I anapmaC sA 0202

Milestone with Black Lives Matter murals

nemow htiw ohw evaw ot ot ot esoht esoht eht eht eht eht taht dekraps tneserper tneserper dehsup elprup tsetorp ecilop knip revo no no yllaiciffo fo fo fo seman redrum slarum larum ,nem .kram tsol sevil dedulcni ni rof tsif gnirutaef denozalbme nwotnwod .ytinummoc sroloc detaroballoc .ytilaturb nworb eulb dnuorgkcab dna dna a a a ehT yaM rettaM seviL QTBGL nI egroeG dyolF noyirbrE kcalB tterraB MLB eunevA nrubuA atnaltA niyhsA ,0202 larum-000,1

A Black Lives Matter mural painted by Erbriyon Barrett and Ashley Marie Holmes. (Photo by Arthur Rudick)

oT“ esuac’ ”!raey htiw htiw nehw erew ,llew keew .yaw saw saw saw detnaw detnaw detnaw ,eciov yllacov oot ot ot ot ot ot ,semit emit sgniht .meht eht eht eht eht eht eht s’taht taht llits llits os os ecnacifingis s’ehs erahs gniees thgir thgir dellacer dehcaer tsetorp tuo rehto eno ,no no no no fo fo ton flesym ym ym ym larum larum hcum erom erom .lufgninaem .em em edam gnivil retal ti ti ti otni ni ni tnatropmi reh pleh doog gniog tsrif gnisserpxe .ecneirepxe yreve reve neve ,nwotnwod enod od sliated etelpmoc balloc niatrec tub tub tub gnieb gnieb ta ta ta sa citsitra .tra ,tra dna na tcartsba elba eW htneetenuJ m’I tI I I I I I tterraB tA hsA

… ehT“ krow tahw er’ew saw sllaw litnu ot hguorht lufthguoht ereht .neht neht eht taht taht tsicamerpus ,kcits ”.niats gnihcraes-luos emos emos —s .weiver yllaer yllaer yllaer yranoitcaer tsetorp elpoep cimednap tuo ro ro no fo .won reven tnemevom erom dexim edam tfel ti evitcepsortni deripsni ereh lufetah eroc-drah gniog evag egabrag dewodahserof decneirepxe regae t’ndid tcennoc tub hcnub thguorb yldaorb dnuora dna ,dehsinomda a a a ,elihwnaeM d’I tI agriD 0202

Drew Borders completed this sprawling underpass mural along the Atlanta Beltline in 2022. (Photo by Arthur Rudick)

‘Touched’ by help and shared advice

ev’I“ I“ htiw htiw ssengnilliw ohw .gnimoclew ”!hctaw lausiv weiv suoirav dehcuot ot ot ot ot emit kniht eht eht eht eht eht eht taht taht smetsys troppus ecaps os ecnis erahs nees enecs enecs .dias efas moor ytterp ytterp detneserp .tneserp trap rehto citsimitpo nepo otno reffo fo fo fo fo fo won wen stsilarum hcum hprom .erom .pihsrotnem rebmem ti si otni pleh evah spuorg noitareneg dnuof dnuof rof noisserpxe s’enoyreve ysae evitaerc tcennoc ytinummoc emoc evitcelloc neewteb )neeb neeb eb stsitra stsitra tra era dna dna dna dna dna dna dna dna na gnizama syawla ”,ecivda a a erehT sutoL ev’I s’tI I sretaE werD bulC sredroB sredroB sredroB atnaltA .0202 0202 ev’I(

Funding decreases, identity politics increases

gnidnuF“ ot siht eht eht eht eht eht .taht taht taht taht steerts os nees ees .enecs stcejorp elpoep no fo fo fo fo devresbo on ”.slarum slarum larum erom erom yenom ynam regnol si esaercni ni tcapmi evah sah yllaicepse dne tciped ,desaerced esaerced evitaroced s’ytic segnahc emac nworb esuaceb esuaceb .elbaliava dna dna lla retfa ,tcartsba eW eW IED anapmaC kcalB ,0202

ytitnedI“ — erehw er’ew ,oot .emit kniht eht eht taht naht ecnis ecnis stfihs thgir yllaer evitisop scitilop trap .llarevo denipo eno fo fo won ton evitagen erom tsuj tsuj s’ti s’ti sah dah tceffe erutluc erutluc emoceb ta sa dna osla tuoba a a a a s’tahT srteL I ”.atnaltA ,)0202(

Graffiti, murals become eventful

.sraey .gnitirw gnitirw .sretirw sretirw nemow level-pot ot ot ot eht eht eht eht eht eht hcus elyts elyts derosnops detinuer cilbup cilbup .detomorp gnitniap fo fo ecnasiun lanoitan slarum lacol etamitigel gnidulcni sutaih dleh evah evah sah itiffarg enog morf mrof slavitsef gnirutaef gnirutaef derutaef tneve detacidare decarbme ,werc htob eb eb sa tra dna dna dna dna dna retfa a a a sretirW sretirW sretirW detinU ehT ehT elytS elytS elytS elytS ecniS ecniS sneeuQ laruM eviL sgniK ,maJ lanoitativnI lavitseF pirD sdaorssorC eniltleB atnaltA atnaltA atnaltA atnaltA atnaltA noitaicossA noitaicossA sulp-03 ,2202 ,0202

United Kings brought the past to present with this 1986 compositon that was re-created for the 2022 Atlanta Style Writers Jam. (Photo by Arthur Rudick)

eW“ !!!raey !!!!sretirw htiw ew pu siht rieht eht detaerc-er stup cilbup seceip sreep gnitapicitrap detniap tuo ruo ruo ro ylnepo eno fo fo fo .ton tem evol etal ,ti ti ni ni morf tsrif yreve b2mekse ytinummoc cissalc eveileb lufituaeb era dna lla .evitca sretirW eW detinU ehT OT elytS llitS ”!!!!SDNEGEL sgniK SGNIK ,maJ morF atnaltA tA sA dnA ,s05 .6891

sraey sraey yaw koot ot ot ot ereht dluohs cilbup ruo ylno no fo txen wen slarum tol sti sti taerg teg teg rof evif tsrif eb krowtra dna a tI atnaltA dnA !000,3 01 .000,1 000,1

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htiw saw eht eht eht lufsseccus teerts gniees gniriter raluger fo elibom si ni ni morf tsrif trepxe ecneirepxe reenigne detaerc .rotubirtnoc dlihc reerac sa sa tra tra dna dna na na .tropria retfa a a a teertS kciduR kciduR hgrubsttiP paM kadoK siH namtsaE .ynapmoC aloC-acoC redlaC atnaltA s’LTAstrA ruhtrA trA rednaxelA 7102