For its latest experiment, the Hambidge Center for Creative Arts and Sciences is taking over the 15th floor of Uptown Atlanta, turning 30,000 square feet of raw space into Hambidge Hive, a pop-up gallery and event space high above the city. Set to open with a free public reception on Aug. 28, the Hive brings together 11 Georgia artists and 11 site-specific installations, mixing serious art-world ambition with a come-as-you-are vibe. Ahead of the 30th Annual Hambidge Auction on Sept. 13, here are five things to know.
1. Hambridge Hive is a takeover with a view
Panoramic skyline views set the stage for the Hive, which is part gallery, part laboratory. “Big, bold, beautiful and immersive,” is how Hambidge Executive Director Jamie Badoud puts it.
2. More than 100 artists applied to build inside the Hive.
The Hive’s roster of artists includes established names in the Southeast art scene—Paul Stephen Benjamin, Grace Kisa, Scott Ingram & Gregory Walker—alongside rising artists such as Roberto Navarrete and Carol Santos. What unites them? A shared interest in space, place, and the built environment.
3. Expect installations you can walk into (and through)
A few highlights: Joel Silverman’s all streams flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full pipes in live audio from Hambidge’s Betty’s Creek, layering rainfall and cicadas with fog, fragrance, and a digital creek that splashes under your feet. T.W. Pilar’s Mirrored Forest plants a grove of reflective trees you can wander through. And Mike Black takes advantage of the building’s exposed ductwork with a piece that twists and hangs from the ceiling.
“We have offered the blank canvas to our community of artists with the hopes it will inspire the creation of new, collaborative, and experimental work.”
Hambidge Executive Director Jamie Badoud
4. The Hive reflects Hambidge’s ethos
For decades, Hambidge has been best known for its residency program on its 600-acre campus in the North Georgia mountains. The Hive brings that spirit of experimentation into Atlanta. “We have offered the blank canvas to our community of artists with the hopes it will inspire the creation of new, collaborative, and experimental work,” says Badoud.
5. It’s more than a pop-up. It’s a season
Yes, there’s a free Artist Opening on Aug. 28 and the 30th Annual Hambidge Auction on Sept. 13. But the Hive continues to pulse with programming into the fall: MFA collaborations with UGA and GSU, artist talks, potlucks and workshops, and events tied to Atlanta Art Fair and Atlanta Art Week. “All designed to deepen connection and conversation across Atlanta’s arts community,” Badoud says.
Hambidge Hive opens Aug. 28 at Uptown Atlanta. The 30th Annual Hambidge Auction closes Sept. 13. Details at hambidge.org/art-auction.
Read More:
• Space Reimagined: Artist Grace Kisa creates a new cosmos
• Masked & Mesmerizing: The Hambidge Art Auction returns this weekend
• Lose yourself to find yourself at The Hambidge Center