5 Outdoor Public Art Installations to See in Atlanta, GA

There’s a certain beauty and splendor of outdoor art that you can only achieve when seeing it with your own eyes. Whatever emotion it instills in you is your own interpretation of the piece and is untouchable with respect to other’s views. If you’ve never taken the time to see some outdoor art installations in Atlanta, make sure to add these sites to your list.

Playscapes by Isamu Noguchi

Crafted in 1976 from steel, concrete, masonry, wood, and bronze, Playscapes is more of a cool, giant playground than an artistic piece. Nevertheless, your kids will love playing on all the various structures and playground-like equipment the entire park has to offer. Noguchi once said, “Art for individual possession has less significance than public enjoyment.” It looks like he hit this one out of the park.

Homage to King by Xavier Campaney Medina

Installed at the corner of Boulevard and Freedom Parkway, this rolled steel sculpture stands as a permanent homage to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., as the name would suggest. The most interesting part of this sculpture, however, is that it was done by a Spanish sculptor. Medina created this piece as part of an Olympic sharing initiative, which let artists from the previous host nation (Spain) send artwork themed for the next host city, in this case, Atlanta in 1996.

Wall Drawing #581 by Sol LeWitt

Whether you like abstract art or not, you have to agree that the creative process isn’t something that everyone possesses. Located in Atlanta City Hall, Wall Drawing #581 uses colored ink to portray what appears to be a cube, although that interpretation is entirely up to the viewer. By using a removable wall as his canvas, LeWitt created a piece that can move when necessary, which encompasses the idea of the abstract.

The Bridge by Thornton Dial

Located in Freedom Park, The Bridge is a mixed-media sculpture that uses random objects to form a bridge. This bridge symbolizes the efforts of Congressman John Lewis, who fought his entire career for civil rights. If you didn’t know the background, it’s still an awesome piece and is reminiscent of something from “Edward Scissorhands.” However you want to look at it, it’s definitely worth a visit.

Henry W. Grady by Alexander Doyle

One of the oldest sculptures in the city, Doyle created this bronze work in 1891 in tribute to Henry W. Grady, a leading businessman and founding father of the Atlanta Constitution, which later merged with the Atlanta Journal to become Atlanta’s leading newspaper. At the intersection of Marietta and Forsyth streets, this magnificent sculpture is a great image of the prosperity of Atlanta and how it became one of the most forward-thinking, wealthy cities in the South.

Atlanta is a city filled with great art no matter where you look. By just taking a walk downtown, you’ll see some works that will have you absolutely in awe. The next time you get a chance, take a moment to sit down and marvel at the work. You won’t be disappointed.