The uncompromising vision and enduring power of Atlanta artist Kevin Cole

The exhibition’s cohesion is a testament to an aesthetic vision that was — and here is proven to be — decades ahead of its time. Many of Cole’s works from the 1980s would still be among the more forward-looking pieces in any present-day group exhibition at other contemporary art spaces.

Credit: Photo by Kevin Storer

Credit: Photo by Kevin Storer

A good example of the Atlanta artist’s progressive visual aesthetic is “When Dreams Are Interrupted,” created for his graduate thesis exhibition in 1984. In this piece, Cole has painted a pair of jeans and a collared shirt in bold detail onto a meticulously carved wood cutout that lends the piece an architectural dimensionality of floating away from the wall. The work is rendered such that the clothes appear to be draped over a repurposed white plastic hanger, which itself cleverly capitalizes on the space produced between the painting and the wall to create the illusion of suspension. This material ingenuity and experimentalism evidence Cole’s early (and perhaps innate) ability to work outside the commercially driven expectations of canvas rectangles and advance a unique perspective that remains fresh 42 years later.

Credit: Photo by Kevin Storer

Credit: Photo by Kevin Storer

Where the historical nature of this exhibition becomes most perceptible is in its themes, which handle then-contemporary political topics, especially surrounding social conflict and race. For example, “A Child’s View” (circa 1986) references Jesse Jackson’s presidential campaign and Nelson Mandela’s incarceration. Across the gallery, “But NOT Trayvon!” (circa 2017), memorializes Trayvon Martin, who was murdered five years earlier.

Credit: Photo by Kevin Storer

Credit: Photo by Kevin Storer

To be clear, that the events discussed are the singular element dating these works is not a disservice to the exhibition; it is a reminder that Cole has consistently and routinely used his artistic platform to advance social justice. Many pieces address continued injustices against the African diaspora. Yet works such as “No, You Can’t Come Over” (circa 2017), which depicts an abstract version of the border wall separating the United States and Mexico, and the works in his “Along Colored Lines” series, which comment on LGBTQIA discrimination, show that Cole’s drive for justice extends beyond issues that affect him personally.

Importantly, it is precisely at the intersection of this exhibition’s esthetics and themes that the remarkable power of Cole’s practice becomes most evident. Some artists who address themes of social justice sacrifice the aesthetic beauty of their work to make their message clear. Others use beauty to mask their message or otherwise render it muted and more digestible.

Credit: Photo by Kevin Storer

Credit: Photo by Kevin Storer

Cole makes neither compromise. His work is beautiful, thoughtfully composed and carefully crafted, yet his message is direct, unambiguous and unapologetic. This is not an easy balance, which perhaps is why Cole’s perspective feels refreshing even when peering 40-some odd years into the past.

Notably, this exhibition’s success is also curatorial in its skillful avoidance of the temptation to map the space in a chronological sequence. By mixing decades, the show highlights the seamless coherence and consistency of Cole’s career. At the same time, it’s a credit to the artist that a nonchronological installation of nearly 50 years of work is even possible.

Credit: Photo by Kevin Storer

Credit: Photo by Kevin Storer

This exhibition also underscores Cole’s status as a pillar of Atlanta’s art scene. Since arriving in College Park in 1985, Cole has woven himself into the region’s cultural fabric as both a creator and an educator. His tenure at schools from Camp Creek Middle School to Georgia State University — during which he received more than 50 teaching awards — demonstrates a commitment to the next generation of artists that parallels his commitment to his studio practice. (In fact, Cole is one of three artists featured in a new Atlanta exhibit, “Mentor,” at Mason Gallery through April 3.)

His vast body of monumental public works, including the 55-foot long “Soul Ties That Matter” installation at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, serves as physical manifestations of Cole’s lasting mark on Atlanta.

When asked about the inspiration behind his work, Cole shared that he regularly reflects on Mayor Maynard Jackson’s question: “When I die, will it matter that I was ever born?”

Although he humbly declined to answer himself, this exhibition undoubtedly highlights his enduring power as a creator who has spent his lifetime perfecting the art of fighting the good fight.

ART REVIEW

“Pushing Forward: Politics, Social Conflict and the Racial Divide in the Art of Kevin Cole”

Through March 21. 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays, Friday-Saturday; 9:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday. Artist talk: 2-4 p.m. Feb. 21. Chastain Arts Center & Gallery, 135 Chastain Park Ave. NW, Atlanta. 404-252-2927, ocaatlanta.com.

ALSO ON VIEW BY KEVIN COLE

“Mentor”

Featuring art by Samuel Dunson, Kevin Cole and Larry Walker. Through April 3. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays, noon-5 p.m. Saturdays. Mason Fine Art, 761-D Miami Circle, Atlanta. 404-879-1500, masonfineartandevents.com.

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Credit: ArtsATL

Credit: ArtsATL

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