Time(s) - 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Location
Atlanta Photography Group
Beth Lilly, Denizens, #10
Eyes on Atlanta:
Lumen: Women and Nonbinary Artists
The Atlanta Photography Group is excited to present the next installment in our Eyes on Atlanta series. For this exhibition, we are featuring the works of 22 Atlanta artists, selected by Plushette Ellis, multidisciplinary artist, photographer, and curator.
Participating Artists
Beth Lilly
Brit Sadé Guerin
Charity Hamidullah
Christina Price Washington
Courtney Brooks
Evie Lozano
Grace Kisa
Julie Yarbrough
Lynsey Weatherspoon
Madison Nunes
Marryam Moma
Melanee Brown
Melissa Alexander
Moesia Davis
Rachel Warren
Rita Harper
Sasha Jelan
Selé
Stephanie Brown
Stephanie Hanlon
Susan J. Ross
Tara Coyt
Show Overview
Lumen begins with a simple truth: light is the essence of photography. The exhibition explores the many ways light can be recorded and transformed — through film, digital, photograms, mixed media, and sculptural forms. Each work becomes a record of light, carrying history, memory, and vision. This exhibition celebrates women and nonbinary artists whose practices expand photography beyond a single definition. Their works illuminate the seen and unseen, preserving personal truths while shaping Atlanta’s cultural record. Rooted in the city’s history and cultural landscape, Lumen positions photography as both artistic exploration and civic document.
Curatorial Vision
My vision for Lumen is to highlight how women and nonbinary artists use photography not only as a means of documentation, butalso as a transformative force. Photography is embraced here as a record of light, a preservation of culture, and a catalyst for shaping new narratives. The exhibition positions these artists as critical voices in Atlanta’s art history at a pivotal moment for the city’s cultural landscape.
Artist Talk
An Artist Talk will be held during the exhibition on October 5, 2025. This conversation will bring together participating artists to discuss their practices, the role of women and nonbinary photographers in Atlanta, and the broader themes explored in Lumen. Watch for additional information.
Exhibition Objectives
- Showcase the artistic and conceptual range of women and nonbinary photographers in Atlanta.
- Highlight photography’s power to preserve cultural and civic history.
- Contribute to Atlanta’s cultural identity through documentation and creative
- Position Atlanta’s visual artists within national and international conversations on art and culture.
Acknowledgments
With gratitude to the participating artists, whose contributions preserve and expand Atlanta’s artistic legacy.
Event Dates
Exhibition:
September 23 – October 18, 2025
In-Person Open House/Reception
September 25, 2025, 7-9pm ET
APG Gallery at Ansley Mall
1544 Piedmont Ave NE, #107, Atlanta, GA 30324
Located between LA Fitness and CVS Pharmacy
Plushette Ellis
Ellis is a multidisciplinary artist, photographer, and curator based in Atlanta. She currently serves as Chief Operating Officer of the Walker & Peters Project, overseeing three gallery locations in the Historic Arts District of Castleberry Hill: Nina Baldwin Gallery, Old Rabbit Gallery, and Hidden Gallery at Peters Street Station.
She is also the founder of Artistic Logistics LLC, a creative agency specializing in curatorial direction, artist representation, and operational strategy for cultural institutions and exhibitions.
Before fully transitioning into the arts, Ellis spent over 15 years in corporate management, where she developed expertise in leadership, team development, and operational systems. This experience now informs her approach to building sustainable infrastructure within the arts.
In addition to her leadership roles, Ellis is a practicing visual artist and photographer. Her work explores themes of identity, memory, and cultural narrative, often drawing inspiration from the intersections of history and everyday experience.
She also serves as the Economic Business Development Chair for Castleberry Hill, and sits on the advisory boards for Arts & Entertainment Atlanta and the Atlanta Art Fair (2025).
Artist Biographies
Beth Lilly
Artist, curator, educator, and former Executive Director of APG with over three decades of exhibition experience. Her photographs, installations, and video work explore identity and transformation. Her work is held in the collections of the HighMuseum of Art, New Mexico Museum of Art, Ogden Museum of Southern Art, MOCA GA, and the Zuckerman Museum of Art. Sheholds an MFA from Georgia State University and an ABJ from the University of Georgia.
Brit Sadé Guerin
Multidisciplinary artist, curator, and cultural organizer. She leads community-engaged projects, including arts education initiatives that connect artists across borders.
Charity Hamidullah
Atlanta-based muralist and multidisciplinary artist with roots in tattoo culture. She has created large-scale public artworks across the city in partnership with civic and cultural organizations, and is active in community-forward arts initiatives and education.
Christina Price Washington
Photographer and filmmaker whose work is included in the High Museum of Art’s permanent collection. She serves as AssociateProfessor and Art Program Coordinator at Oglethorpe University. She earned an MFA in Photography (2012) and an MA in Art History (2014) from Georgia State University.
Courtney Brooks
Visual artist, curator, and educator. Founder of Journey of a Black Girl and CBROOKS Gallery, she develops platforms that support women artists and community storytelling.
Evie Lozano
Creative director, stylist, and visual storyteller. Her practice centers Brown, Black, and Queer identities, creating images that foreground care, collaboration, and visibility.
Grace Kisa
Kenyan-born, Atlanta-based multidisciplinary artist whose practice spans sculpture, photography, and mixed media. Her work has been exhibited internationally, including Personal Structures: Beyond Boundaries at the Venice Biennale (2024). Public commissions include work for the Atlanta BeltLine, and her practice has been covered by regional and national outlets.
Julie Yarbrough
Atlanta-based photographer and educator working in digital and film since the mid-1990s. She teaches at the Atlanta School of Photography and maintains an active studio practice.
Lynsey Weatherspoon
Award-winning documentary and portrait photographer based in Atlanta and Birmingham. Her visual stories have appeared in TheNew York Times, The Wall Street Journal, NPR, TIME, USA Today, and ESPN. She is known for sensitive, community-rooted projects across the American South.
Madison Nunes
Queer, nonbinary lens-based artist, independent curator, and arts administrator. Programming Manager at The Bakery Atlanta, where they steward exhibitions, workshops, and community activations. Recognitions include the MINT Leap Year Artist programand other regional honors.
Marryam Moma
Tanzanian-Nigerian collage artist living and working in Atlanta. Her work has been featured in magazines and cultural publications and included in television productions. Residencies and recognitions include the Hambidge Center and otherregional fellowships, with solo exhibitions including the Emma Darnell Aviation Museum.
Melanee Brown
Photographer whose analog-focused practice explores family archives, memory, and representation. She has exhibited with APG and regional venues and creates public-facing programming through Museums With Mel.
Melissa Alexander (Phyllis Iller)
Atlanta-based photographer whose practice centers on community portraiture and Black Southern life. Her project Around the Way Dreams has been featured in exhibitions and public programs in Atlanta.
Moesia Davis
Editorial and wedding photographer recognized by national publications. Her imagery has been highlighted by outlets such as Harper’s Bazaar, Vogue, and Brides, with honors that include a Rangefinder “30 Rising Stars” designation.
Rachel Warren
Lens-based artist working across photography, installation, and performance. She graduated with her MFA and now serves as anadjunct professor of photography. Her practice examines ritual, grief, and embodied experience.
Rita Harper
Documentary photographer and visual journalist focused on community narratives and contemporary Southern life. Her work has been supported by grants and featured by outlets including National Geographic, The Wall Street Journal, and The Guardian.
Sasha Jelan
Archivist, photographer, and founder of Art x Colour. Her work bridges preservation and contemporary image-making, supported by fellowships in dance and cultural archiving.
Selé
Emerging photographer whose practice develops through Atlanta’s artist-run spaces and collaborative projects, including work shown with the Walker & Peters Project.
Stephanie Brown
Interdisciplinary artist working across photography, installation, writing, and participatory practice. She holds a BFA from SCAD and an MFA from the University of Michigan and works in knowledge and education roles within the photographic field.
Stephanie Hanlon
Fine art photographer whose work has been recognized by juried programs and regional exhibitions. Her images often consider family, time, and constructed memory.
Susan J. Ross
Atlanta’s long-time “photo-griot,” documenting cultural, political, social, and economic life for more than fifty years. She co-founded Sistagraphy and has photographed Atlanta’s leadership and communities across generations.
Tara Coyt
Author, visual artist, and strategist. Her book Real Talk About LGBTQIAP received the 2020 Next Generation Indie Book Award. She is a La Maison Baldwin Fellow, with exhibitions in regional museums and at APG.
