APG Spring Photo Walk – Atlanta Beltline East Side Trail with Antar K. Fierce
Date(s) - 05/24/2026
Time(s) - 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Atlanta Beltline East Side Trail :
Time(s) - 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Atlanta Beltline East Side Trail :
APG Spring Photo Walk with Antar K. Fierce
The original Atlanta Beltline took shape in the early to mid 20th century as a network of freight rail lines serving a range of local industries. Together, these lines formed a loop around what was then a much younger Atlanta. By the 1990s, many of these corridors had been abandoned, eventually being transformed into a 22 mile walking trail in the mid 2000s. Today, the Atlanta Beltline stands as one of the city’s most visually and socially vibrant attractions. Following the path of the old railroads, it features bridges, native plants, trees, and expansive green spaces that contribute to the city’s enduring character and appeal.
To take advantage of morning light, cooler temperatures and limited parking, we’ll meet at the Ansley Mall parking lot near the Atlanta Photography Group Gallery. Our guide, Antar K. Fierce, has been photographing various locations on the Atlanta beltline for many years and will give a brief “tour” of the beltline’s rail history and then you’re on your own to explore as you wish. The section of the beltline that we will cover for this photo adventure is from Ansley Mall to Mayson St. It is approximately two miles round trip. All participants will be required to follow the park’s posted rules. At 11am, we’ll convene at a local cafe for some socializing.
Registration is limited to 18 people. This will fill up fast so don’t delay!
Instructor
Antar K. Fierce was born and raised in the Bedford Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, New York. His artistic education began on the subway platforms of New York City, where he discovered graffiti at age 11 (1983). By 1985, he was photographing subway graffiti to study its form, a practice that introduced him to photography and set him on the path to becoming a dedicated documentarian of the artform. From 1986 to 1989, he captured the final years of classical New York City subway graffiti, building one of the largest original photo archives of that era.
In the fall of 1989, Antar relocated to Atlanta, Georgia, to attend Clark Atlanta University, where photography temporarily took a back seat. He earned a bachelor’s degree in History in 1995 and launched Steel Wheels, a lifestyle brand celebrating the heritage of graffiti art on trains. In 2021, he completed a Master’s degree in Creative and Innovative Education at Georgia State University. Over the years, he has contributed to numerous periodicals, books, and films, including Rolling Like Thunder (Showtime, 2021) and City of Kings Atlanta (Independent, 2024).
Antar has curated several exhibitions centered on photography and the graffiti movement, including Back Then: A Retrospective Photo Exhibition of Early Atlanta Graffiti (One Contemporary Gallery, 2025), Kings Arrive (Eyedrum Art Gallery, 2024), and Jack Stewart: The Birth of Subway Graffiti (Gallery 378, 2022). He has also been contracted by the Atlanta Beltline and Emory University to lead tours exploring the intertwined histories of Atlanta’s railroads and graffiti culture.
In 2023, after a long hiatus, Antar returned to photography with a renewed focus on subjects beyond graffiti. While adapting to the digital era, he continues to merge his passions for graffiti and photography by advancing graffiti as a global art movement worthy of academic study. Drawing on his experience as a documentarian, he also brings the graffiti making process into K–Adult learning environments as a model for authentic, hands on education.
APG Spring Photo Walk – Atlanta Beltline East Side Trail
Instructor’s Name – Antar K. Fierce
Date – Sunday, May 24, 2026
Time – 9 – 11am ET
Fee – $10 Members (This is a members only event)
