Shawn Vinson, a longtime Atlanta gallerist, has opened his newest venture in the Sweet Auburn Historic District.
The Sun ATL’s debut exhibition, “First Light, features more than 100 original works by 16 artists.
Some of the show’s highlights include paintings by the late Purvis Young, a celebrated self-taught Southern Black artist. Photographs by Jim Alexander who has documented Atlanta’s Black music scene and culture for decades will also be on display, and Vinson shared that his works will remain on view as part of the gallery’s permanent collection.
“It’s a gallery, but I’m trying to give it more of a museum vibe,” explained Vinson, describing Alexander – who also serves on The Sun ATL’s advisory board – as an “active local legend.”
Additionally, expect to see works by notable British-born and Atlanta-based painter Ruth Franklin, SCAD graduate student Raphael Bahindwa’s mixed media pieces, and Nashville-based Harry Underwood’s layered works that employ house paint and lead pencils.
“It’s called ‘First Light’ because really when we came up with the name The Sun ATL we thought we wanted to do a group show to introduce ourselves to the neighborhood,” said Vinson. “First light was really just a metaphor for that; it’s an introduction.”
The 9,200-square-foot venue will host not only exhibits but also movie production and private event rentals. The space has served various uses over the years, and most recently was Warnock’s campaign headquarters and before that an architect’s engineering firm office.
Located in the heart of the Historic Sweet Auburn District, and surrounded by markers of Atlanta’s rich civil rights movement including Ebenezer Baptist Church, Vinson is keenly aware of the significance of the new gallery’s location. “You can feel the history here,” said Vinson.
Vinson has been an “accidental gallerist” since he converted his office space adjacent to the Brick Store Pub in Decatur Square into a proper gallery back in 1998. Years later, in 2017, Vinson opened Different Trains Gallery on a small side street near Fellini’s in Decatur which he operates to this day.
Long before getting into the fine art gallery circuit, Vinson got his first break as a photographer. Since he was a young child he became interested in capturing images when a cousin received a polaroid camera as a gift. “I thought it was just magic,” he told me.
He took graphic design and photography classes in school, and later became a band photographer which brought him to visit Atlanta for the first time as a young adult in the mid ‘80s. “I just fell in love with Atlanta,” he recalled, “I remember thinking I want to live here, what a great place.”
For a while, Vinson’s path led him to working in real estate, then found employment at a martial arts school, and a connection from that school led him to a stint as an art handler who pitched and delivered artwork to design showrooms, frame shops, and galleries. After a while he decided to relocate to Atlanta due to its central location which would make these journeys more feasible, and later married artist Ruth Franklin.
And now, some 30+ years after initially visiting Atlanta, Vinson is poised to open a museum-esque gallery in one of the city’s most historic neighborhoods. He is excited to not only provide inspiring exhibitions, but also to work with the community and engage with events such as the Edgewood Stroll.
“We are celebrating the culture, recognizing the location where we are, and educating people,” said Vinson.
“First Light” will debut at The Sun ATL on Fri., Jan. 17 from 6-8 p.m. The reception is free and open to the public. The Sun ATL gallery is located at 399 Edgewood Avenue.