Best Visual Artist (Established)

In the ’90s, HENSE distinguished himself from Atlanta’s other graffiti writers with pieces that went bigger, and often lasted longer, than almost anyone else in town. A few years ago, though, he stepped away from graffiti’s anonymity to let the world know his real name, Alex Brewer, and started showing off his skills as an abstract painter. The transition started small - a few gallery shows here, some commissioned murals there - but transformed his work into something big this year. Here in Atlanta, he painted the exterior of the new Westside Cultural Arts Center, which covers about half a city block, as well as a smaller wall in the basement of the High Museum. In Washington, D.C., he transformed the entire exterior of an abandoned historic church into a vibrant object dripping with color. His biggest and best yet came in the form of a commissioned work in Lima, Peru, a 23,292-square-foot evocation of brushstrokes and bright hues that covers the side of a massive building and can be seen from miles away. www.hensethename.com. less...

With her work regularly featured on the cover of the New York Times magazine, Decatur photographer SUELLEN PARKER has an innovative style that melds sculpture and computer-manipulated imagery. Parker’s photographs of humanoid creatures offer eerie commentary on topics that range from our perverse culture of beauty to human loneliness. With disquieting content and technique to burn, she’s one of the city’s most visible — and most interesting — artists.

www.suellenparker.com

less...

This past year, Atlanta welcomed DANIEL BOZHKOV AND GRETA PRATT AT THE ATLANTA CONTEMPORARY ART CENTER. The result was a slightly wacky, smart and eye-catching show that promised more good things to come from this important Atlanta art center. Bozhkov, a Bulgarian artist, offered a wiseacre conceptualism. He captured himself in Darth Vader garb, painted a mural at a Wal-Mart and bottled the scent of Ernest Hemingway in a cologne. His work was paired up beautifully with Pratt’s photographic portraits of Abraham Lincoln impersonators. less...

He could easily rest on his laurels - the collection at the High Museum and a retrospective at the Birmingham Museum of Art - and rely on his frequent shows at New York’s Jack Shainman Gallery. But Atlanta-based artist RADCLIFFE BAILEY delved into new territory with his collaborative installation projects this year at Solomon Projects and Clark Atlanta University Art Galleries. He also collaborated with Alejandro Aguilera for a show at Emory University’s Visual Arts Gallery. Bailey even showed off some of his own art collection this year when he loaned photographs by Mali portraitist Malick Sidible to the High Museum. http://www.solomonprojects.com/artistpage/bailey/about.html less...

With her work regularly featured on the cover of the New York Times magazine, Decatur photographer SUELLEN PARKER has an innovative style that melds sculpture and computer-manipulated imagery. Parker’s photographs of humanoid creatures offer eerie commentary on topics that range from our perverse culture of beauty to human loneliness. With disquieting content and technique to burn, she’s one of the city’s most visible - and most interesting - artists. www.suellenparker.com less...

535 Means St. 404-688-1970 http://www.thecontemporary.org This past year, Atlanta welcomed DANIEL BOZHKOV AND GRETA PRATT AT THE ATLANTA CONTEMPORARY ART CENTER. The result was a slightly wacky, smart and eye-catching show that promised more good things to come from this important Atlanta art center. Bozhkov, a Bulgarian artist, offered a wiseacre conceptualism. He captured himself in Darth Vader garb, painted a mural at a Wal-Mart and bottled the scent of Ernest Hemingway in a cologne. His work was paired up beautifully with Pratt’s photographic portraits of Abraham Lincoln impersonators. less...