As a curious Belle in the City, I find joy in discovering new experiences to share with my readers here on Giselle Ave. This past Friday night, my husband and I—- I’m still getting used to saying this but in case you missed it… I AM MARRIED!
Okay, back to the art show. I had a chance to attend the A Million Likes Opening Reception by D.L. Warfield— and it was such a treat!
The Opening Reception was held at The Gallery, WISH located in Little 5 Points. This popular neighborhood is known as a hub for the corky creatives of Atlanta, so of course the venue was a perfect fit for the theme of the Art Show.
Meet the Artist: D.L. Warfield
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(L) Giselle Climpson (R) D.L. Warfield
D.L. Warfield is no stranger to Atlanta’s art scene, and may even be considered a living legend to some—- Ok, me. After reading his biography, I was blown away by his lifelong commitment to create, brand, think, design, run– yes, run– and cultivate culture throughout the country. He’s worked with multiple brands and musicians; delivering raw, original content that provokes a feeling of pride, cultural appreciation, and to be frank– higher consciousness. In his early career, D.L. served as resident Art Director at LaFace Records and received critical acclaim for designing the album artwork for my favorite rap duo of all-time– OUTKAST’S. 1996 LP, ATLiens.
Today, D.L. Warfield lives up to his alias of Creative Crusader, and continues to create amazing art experiences, much like A Million Likes.
Atlanta’s [New] Creative Class
Atlanta is well-known for it’s music scene, but rarely do we hear of the many other types of creatives that call ATL home. The art show attracted many of The Who’s Who of Atlanta, and paid homage to the cultural roots of Atlanta that today— influences everything. My vision for Giselle Ave. perfectly fit the aesthetic of the audience make up at the art show: diversity, class, style, individuality, and impeccable taste levels! As a black woman from the South– Huntsville, AL to be exact– my creative juices were overflowing in the midst of such a colorful room, filled with powerful playmakers of ATL and beyond. I even met two black women whom are High-End Art Dealers… and this was a first, for me!
The Intent: A Million Likes
According to the event page, the theme of D.L. Warfield’s art show– A Million Likes-– is to shed light on how social media is creating a false sense of self in the midst of filters, likes, followers, and filtered images. Here’s what the artist has to say about his inspiration for the art show:
“People today like to celebrate being fake more than being real,” Warfield says. “I hope the show will make people take an honest look at themselves, and maybe have an introspective thought on what’s really important.” – D.L. Warfield
After attending the event, I must agree that social media has created this entire new dimension of identity that, frankly, doesn’t add a ton of value to our everyday lives. I encourage anyone reading this to take a moment to realize that what you see online is merely that: online. I recently read where Instagram is testing a new feature that hides likes on the popular platform and I thought: well that’s genius. What would social media be like without the instant gratification of likes, loves, retweets and highlighting follower counts? A lot less isolation, depression, cyber bullying and lowered self-esteem.
Nevertheless, attending the A Million Likes Opening Reception reminded me that living and enjoying your life– in real life– is the perfect recipe for being intentional and sharing your light with the world.
For more information about the A Million Likes Art Show, visit the Wish Art Gallery’s website.
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D.L. Warfield’s Official Website
Giselle Avenue 