Art, Photography and Music Converge at Atlanta Gallery 378

A city’s underground music and underground visual art scenes will inevitably intersect, often resulting in the establishment of scrappy galleries that look and feel more like punk rock dive bars, and that occasionally or even regularly feature original musical entertainment as an integral part of their art openings.

Atlanta has certainly seen its share of such places, some lasting years and others a matter of months (kind of like a lot of burgeoning local bands). One of the more recent such spaces to open, 378 in Candler Park perhaps caters to a slightly older crowd than many of the others. The proprietor, a prolific Atlanta artist whose pop-art/Warholesque creations are done under the name The Real Frank Tee, was first inspired to take up visual art by Jack Logan, whose work was featured at 378’s opening in early May alongside art by Anna Jensen, Ruth Franklin and onetime Clash manager Kosmo Vinyl. Performing that night were Drivin’ N Cryin’s Kevn Kinney and Tim Nielsen (a Frank Tee astronaut painting adorns the cover of DNC’s latest album, Live the Love Beautiful) and Clay Harper, who showcased Frank Tee’s art during his residency at the Avondale Towne Cinema in the spring of 2018, promoting the release of his latest album, Bleak Beauty. Like Drivin’ N Cryin’, Harper goes wayyyy back in the local music scene, fronting The Coolies in the ’80s and The Ottoman Empire in the early ’90s, and running the Casino label and studio, recording and releasing his own music and that of others (including albums and singles by DNC and Jack Logan produced by Kosmo Vinyl – see how it’s all just one big happy family?)

The next art show coming to 378, opening Friday, Dec. 6, will showcase rock ‘n’ roll photography, poster art and memorabilia from the collections of three prominent Atlanta music scene veterans: music writer (and event curator) Tony Paris of Creative Loafing, respected photographer Rick Diamond and concert promoter Rich Floyd. Additionally, Tracy Hartley and Abe Partridge will have their artwork on display, and Partridge – a tremendously gifted singer-songwriter from Mobile, Alabama – will perform. The free opening night event goes from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., beginning with a conversation between Paris and Diamond on the latter’s beginnings as a rock photographer, followed by a talk with Partridge and Hartley discussing their artwork, and finally a musical set by Partridge; the exhibit will also be on display at 378 on Saturday, Dec. 7 from 1-6 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 8 from 1-5 p.m.