Atlanta Intersections

Stephanie Dowda’s photography explores the geography theory topophilia, the idea that the natural world can evoke emotions and memory, adding to a sensation of place. Dowda joins in conversation with the Atlanta Intersections series director Randy Gue, curator of modern political and historical collections at Emory’s Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library (MARBL). Atlanta Intersections features conversations with creative and dynamic Atlantans about the city’s past, present and future. The interdisciplinary series draws on a wide variety of participants – activists, artists, authors, historians, musicians, scholars, preservationists and urbanists – to talk about their work, their experiences of the city, and the influence of Atlanta on their work.

On November 4, 2014, Susannah Darrow, executive director and co-founder of Atlanta-based arts organization Burnaway, was the guest in the Atlanta Intersections conversation series at Emory University's Robert W. Woodruff Library. Darrow joined in conversation with series director Randy Gue, curator of modern political and historical collections at Emory’s Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library (MARBL). Burnaway is a nonprofit arts organization dedicated to providing critical coverage and dialogue about arts in Atlanta and the Southeast through an online publication, an annual print edition and public programs. The focus of the Atlanta Intersections series this fall has been on the arts, a reflection of the many arts-related collections among MARBL’s holdings. The point of Atlanta Intersections is to bring the city’s past into conversation with its present. MARBL’s distinctive collections about dedicated to providing critical coverage and dialogue about arts in Atlanta and the Southeast through an online publication, an annual print edition and public programs. The focus of the Atlanta Intersections series this fall has been on the arts, a reflection of the many arts-related collections among MARBL’s holdings. The point of Atlanta Intersections is to bring the city’s past into conversation with its present. MARBL’s distinctive collections about Atlanta trace the history of the city’s arts community since the 1960s, and BURNAWAY examines and engages with today’s vibrant and diverse arts scene in Atlanta and the Southeast.Atlanta trace the history of the city’s arts community since the 1960s, and BURNAWAY examines and engages with today’s vibrant and diverse arts scene in Atlanta and the Southeast.

On April 8, 2014, longtime Atlanta LGBT community activist Jesse Peel was the guest in the Atlanta Intersections series at Emory University's Robert W. Woodruff Library. Randy Gue, curator of modern political and historical collections at Emory's Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library (MARBL), directs the series and conversations. Peel, who was instrumental in building local organizations to support people with HIV/AIDS and their families as the epidemic gained momentum in the early 1980s, donated his papers to MARBL in August 2012 as the library began assembling a dedicated LGBT collection. "Jesse Peel had a front-row seat when the AIDS crisis arrived in Atlanta, and he has inspiring stories to share," Gue says. "He talks about how the LGBT community had to develop its own support, invent its own organizations, and provide its own services because there were no services available to respond to the epidemic."

On March 18, 2014, Atlanta-based urban photographer Chip Simone discussed “Photography, the Beautiful Lie” with Randy Gue, curator of Modern Political and Historical collections at Emory’s Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library (MARBL). Simone was a founding member of NEXUS, Atlanta’s first photography gallery, in 1973. Simone studied at the Rhode Island School of Design with modern American photography master Harry Callahan and first exhibited his work in 1966. His photos are included in permanent collections at the Museum of Modern Art, the High Museum of Art, the Houston Museum of Fine Art, the Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia, the Corcoran Gallery of Art, and in the Sir Elton John Photography Collection. Simone has published two books of his photography: “Chroma: Photographs by Chip Simone” (2011) and “On Common Ground: Photographs from the Crossroads of the New South” (1996). This was the first in the Atlanta Intersections series led by Randy Gue.