????️ The game, framed
The international gaze Wednesday, Jun. 10 — The last time the world came to Atlanta like this, it was 1996. What the city put on display in that moment — our culture, our creativity, our people — became part of how the world understood the modern American South. This summer, as Atlanta again becomes the focus of […] The post ????️ The game, framed appeared first on Rough Draft Atlanta.
The international gaze
Wednesday, Jun. 10 — The last time the world came to Atlanta like this, it was 1996. What the city put on display in that moment — our culture, our creativity, our people — became part of how the world understood the modern American South.
This summer, as Atlanta again becomes the focus of international attention during the FIFA World Cup 2026 matches, our artists aren’t waiting for the opening ceremony.
For example, five Atlanta exhibitions are reframing the World Cup as a cultural conversation, proving the beautiful game has always been about more than the score. Shows at One Contemporary, ABV Gallery, the Michael C. Carlos Museum, ADAMA, and Gallery Chimera round out a season of work worth seeing.
In Castleberry Hill, photographer and self-proclaimed “cultural custodian” Artemus Jenkins opens “From Afrique, With Love” on June 12, a mixed-media exhibition years in the making, connecting Atlanta to West Africa just as the world arrives at our door.
How are you showing up, now that the world is here?
—Sherri Daye Scott
How artists see the game
Five Atlanta exhibitions are exploring the culture of sports and fandom through portraiture, painting, archival history, and mixed-media work. From Edgewood to Emory’s campus, here’s what to see before the final whistle.
Plan your World Cup art crawl.
MODA Opens Its Doors Wider with Free Fridays
SPONSORED BY MUSEUM OF DESIGN ATLANTA
Free Fridays means free admission every Fri, 12–7 p.m., May 25 through June 20, our commitment to keeping design accessible when it matters most.
During your visit, explore Public Notice: The 2025 U.S. International Poster Biennial, a timely look at the poster as design’s most democratic form. Make your own poster to add to the show. Browse the Design Shop.
→ Free Fridays is supported by Midtown neighbors HLGstudio and DAG Architects.
A love letter through the lens
Artemus Jenkins didn’t plan his first trip to West Africa. But when the opportunity appeared, he packed his bags and went – with his camera. Now he’s showcasing what he saw in a new Castleberry Hill show, ‘From Afrique, With Love.’
Get a snapshot of Jenkins’s travels.
Art Happenings
“Trying to Remember Something Too Important to Forget” Group Exhibition Opening | 7 – 11 p.m, June 11 | Day & Night Projects. 
5 Points Friday Kickoff | 6 – 10 p.m., June 12 | Underground Atlanta. (Pictured)
The West End Tour of Homes, Gardens, and Art Stroll 2026 | 2 – 8 p.m., June 13 | Lee + White.
“Alabi Mayowa: On My Way Home” Opening | 6 – 10 p.m. , June 13 | Home Room Gallery. 
Street Art Tour with Art Rudick | 4 – 6 p.m, June 14 | 1083 Austin Avenue NE. 
Hapeville Summer Gallery Art Crawl | 4 – 8 p.m., June 13 | Hapeville Arts Alley.
Post of the Week
Atlanta muralist @patlsv.art shares the five projects that changed her life — not the biggest budgets or the biggest stages, but the walls that taught her something about resilience, community, and herself.
Today’s Sketchbook was edited by Julie E. Bloemeke.
The post ????️ The game, framed appeared first on Rough Draft Atlanta.
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