Artist, Ana Malta

For the first time Atlanta hosted artists from around the world for its first inaugural Art Festival in Pullman Yards.

During the weekend of the festival I found myself looking for the door to a new basement art space on Highland Ave. Unassimingly called The Supermarket Atlanta, this reimaged gallery space features an ambitious calendar of events on top of art. 

But that experience was just the beginning, the real story of the weekend revolves around artist Ana Malta. 

Why I’m obsessed with her story and paintings: First off, she’s from Lisbon. So cool. She’s also part of the artist collective, vês três. Also cool. And this year she was recognized as ArtMadrid’s breakout artist. If that’s not enough to make you want to invite her to a dinner party, consider her approach to painting:

Her art is “where restlessness seeks aesthetics and where dialogue is based on transforming ‘error’ into opportunity.” Not sure exactly what that means but you kind of get it looking at her latest pieces. Plus when she paints, she knows nothing of the final outcome: “I paint in a completely free way, I don't have a plan, it's chaotic, but everything has a reason.” 

On top of that, this piece above, featured in the Atlanta Festival, is represented by none other than a gallery (Momento) owned by an old co-worker from my agency days. What a small world moment at a festival featuring artists from all over the world.