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UrbanizeAtlNewsBot@yall.theatl.social

Photos: East Atlanta church reborn as sleek, spartan art gallery Josh Green Wed, 10/09/2024 - 01:55 From Decatur offices, an Old Fourth Ward improv comedy club, a Reynoldstown duplex, and a proposed English Avenue brewery, former church properties around Atlanta are being refashioned into new uses at an accelerating clip, as available land diminishes and property values climb.

But in terms of sheer creativity, this latest example in East Atlanta Village could take the cake.

Following a three-year renovation process plagued by typical construction hurdles, design issues, and delays, Atlanta-based artist Greg Mike, founder of ABV Gallery + Agency, unveiled his contemporary art gallery, studio, event space, and retail store last month at a former 1206 Metropolitan Ave. church he owns. Mike’s uniquely playful, colorful, eye-catching murals dot Atlanta and many other cities.

The 1980s building, situated near the funky heart of EAV, previously operated as Holy Temple Deliverance Church. The black-clad redesign was led by Atlanta firm Kronberg Urbanists + Architects.

Mike’s previous studio and gallery was located on Auburn Avenue—in a space six times smaller than the light-filled, 8,500-square-foot former church structure.

Stark black facade of the 1206 Metropolitan Ave. facility today. Photography by Dave Roland; designs, Kronberg Urbanists + Architects

ABV Gallery’s airy main interior space where the “Chapter New” show is being held until Oct. 19. Photography by Dave Roland; designs, Kronberg Urbanists + Architects

The new ABV location is set among dive bars, local eateries, and boutique shops in a neighborhood long known for subversive creativity. The Marley EAV apartment complex (formerly Alexan EAV) stands across the street, while a long-shuttered Long John Silver’s where a specialized Starbucks was formerly planned is immediately to the west.

ABV Gallery, founded in 2010, showcases both established and emerging artists from around the world and in the process has established itself as a cornerstone of Atlanta’s arts scene. Mike has traveled the world the past 15 years painting murals—most emblazoned with his iconic “LOUD” characters—while working as a creative director for clients and brands.

The new space, ABV leaders have said, will exponentially increase their capacity for bringing artists’ work to the public.

Vestiges of the church, such as stained-glass windows, remain. Photography by Dave Roland; designs, Kronberg Urbanists + Architects

Inside ABV Gallery’s office section. Photography by Dave Roland; designs, Kronberg Urbanists + Architects

This month, the new gallery is hosting “Chapter New,” Mike’s first solo exhibition in Atlanta in a decade. Alongside original paintings, prints, and apparel, the show includes large-format sculptures of Mike characters built from metal and fiberglass.

“With so much more room to work with, I felt inspired to think bigger—both literally and creatively,” Mike said in a project announcement. “I was able to create larger-scale pieces that take advantage of the gallery’s high ceilings and expansive walls.”

Construction on the former church was led by Bayard Builders. Records indicate the .3-acre property sold for $875,000 in 2021.

The church property in 2021, located just east of Moreland Avenue with the Marley EAV apartments at right. Google Maps

The Metropolitan Avenue facade. Photography by Dave Roland; designs, Kronberg Urbanists + Architects

Examples of current pieces for sale (and prices) are here. Mike’s show runs until Oct. 19, and the gallery is open Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.), and on Saturdays (11 a.m. to 7 p.m.) at 1206 Metropolitan Ave. SE.

Find more context and a photographic tour of the sleek, spartan, and unique adaptive-reuse venture for EAV in the (website) gallery above.

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