MEMENTO MORI
ABOUT
Memento Mori was an art exhibition that centered mindfulness around mortality and raises awareness of the Atlanta Cemetery Network (ACN). Presented through a collaboration between the Department of City Planning (DCP) and the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA), the exhibition thoughtfully examines the inevitability of life’s transitions while inviting reflection on how we honor those who came before us.
The project highlights artistic interpretations of mortality while bringing attention to the work of the Atlanta Cemetery Network—an initiative housed within the DCP Office of Design. ACN is dedicated to the stewardship, restoration, and long-term management of Atlanta’s cemeteries, with a particular focus on neglected and abandoned African American burial sites that hold significant cultural memory. Through art, education, and public programming, Memento Mori encourages deeper understanding of the city’s sacred landscapes and their connection to community history.
The exhibition featured a distinguished group of artists representing a range of media:
Radcliffe Bailey — Mixed Media Artist
Andre Henderson — Installation Artist
Arturo Lindsay — Painter
Lynn Linnemeir — Painter & Videographer
William Massey — Sculptor & Mixed Media Artist
Gabi Madrid — Sculptor
Charmaine Minniefield — Installation Artist
Lisa Tuttle — Painter
Harrison Wayne — Sculptor
Lynsey Weatherspoon — Photographer
Julie Yarbrough — Photographer
Public programming for Memento Mori included an Artist Talk, a Cemetery Talk with representatives from the Atlanta Cemetery Network, and a webinar titled Cemeteries: Sculpture as Art presented by Dr. Beth Roark. A digital catalog was also produced to document the exhibition and expand access to the artwork and curatorial themes beyond the gallery.
