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    Homebuilder John Wieland created a contemporary art museum as a gift to Atlanta—and it’s free.

    ofwjlBy No Comments4 Mins Read

    Homebuilder John Wieland created a contemporary art museum as a gift to Atlanta—and it's free.
    John Wieland is finest generally known as the founder and former chairman of John Wieland Properties & Neighborhoods, however as his residence constructing enterprise has grown through the years, so has his artwork assortment. What began as a passion to fill workplace partitions quickly was an even bigger ardour. Wieland continues to be concerned in art-collecting, however through the years has employed specialists such because the late David Heath, Fay Gould and Annette Cole-Skelton to assist her purchase works. His son Jack Wieland is the curator of the warehouse.

    Photograph courtesy of Wilbert Group

    The 30,000 houses John Wieland in-built neighborhoods throughout Atlanta will at all times be his legacy to the town, however now he has one thing extra private for all of us. Wieland’s private assortment of artwork is now on show at his artwork museum, the Warehouse, which opened to the general public on April 13. The ability, positioned at 1643 Chattahoochee Avenue Northwest, will proceed with month-to-month open homes—free with an advance reservation. As a related theme of the museum on the second Saturday of each month from 11am to 6pm, the 400 artworks are associated to residence and the idea of residence.

    Wieland grew up curious about artwork, impressed partly by the spectacular artwork museums in his hometown of Cleveland. Within the Nineteen Eighties, when he and his late spouse Sue have been dwelling in Atlanta and started accumulating artwork, Wieland mentioned to himself, “Why am I combating about what to gather? I make houses.” The thought of ​​residence as a refuge, an escape and a mirrored image of our society is a giant motif, so his assortment can also be bold, with work, sculptures, movies, fiber artwork and ceramics that replicate the comfortable aspect of residence life, however broader social points. Everybody ought to have a house, Wieland believes, one of many causes he’s closely concerned with Habitat for Humanity.

    Homebuilder John Wieland created a contemporary art museum as a gift to Atlanta—and it's free.
    Howard Finster’s “Bible Home” is on show on the warehouse. Finster was a minister in North Georgia who mentioned God referred to as him to unfold the gospel by artwork. In his trademark mixed-media fashion, he used damaged mirrors, metallic letters and scrap wooden to assemble this tiny home. “Howard by no means noticed a chunk of junk he did not like,” Wieland says.

    Photograph by Mike Jensen/The Warehouse

    The 39,000-square-foot facility homes paintings from around the globe, together with items by notable artists corresponding to Roy Lichtenstein, Radcliffe Bailey, and Howard Finster. The museum’s rooms are divided by themes associated to houses, corresponding to short-term houses or subdivisions. The big-scale installations are fascinating, and the 3-D items fascinating to stroll round, however some compilations of a number of pictures are equally thought-provoking. A continuation The New York Instances-For instance, images by Gregory Crewdson have a cinematic method: he follows Julian Moore, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and William H. Invited well-known actors like Massey to pose in the identical modest ranch home, however every photograph was accompanied by a dramatic story.

    Wieland bought the property on Atlanta’s Westside in 2010, changing a former furnishings retailer right into a storage facility. Its renovation in 2023 made it a full-fledged museum with workplaces, a video theater and lounge space. Philippe Verre, previously chief working officer of the Excessive Museum of Artwork, is serving as curator, with John Wieland’s son Jack as director of the warehouse.

    Homebuilder John Wieland created a contemporary art museum as a gift to Atlanta—and it's free.
    The outside of The Warehouse Museum is unassuming, however inside is 39,000 sq. toes of artwork treasures.

    Photograph by Mike Jensen/The Warehouse

    Homebuilder John Wieland created a contemporary art museum as a gift to Atlanta—and it's free.
    Seven Steps East by Atlanta artist Radcliffe Bailey is a part of the museum’s assortment.

    Photograph by Mike Jensen

    Homebuilder John Wieland created a contemporary art museum as a gift to Atlanta—and it's free.
    Joel Meyerowitz ©, Truro, 1976.

    Courtesy of Howard Greenberg Gallery, New York.

    For his function as John Wieland round Atlanta, he could also be finest identified for welcoming subdivisions, brick household houses dotted round cul-de-sacs and neighborhood swimming pools. In recent times, nevertheless, his agency JW Assortment Properties has targeted on high-density communities — corresponding to One Museum Place, throughout from the Excessive Museum — which might be walkable to downtowns.

    Willand himself is an artist? “No, my artwork type is structure,” he says. “However we need to be a part of the Atlanta arts ecosystem with this museum.”

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