Artwork
Artist Statement: Peachtree Street is an iconic part of Atlanta, but until I did research, I had no idea the amount of changes it had seen. In this piece, I wanted to show as many of the changes as possible. I often use bright colors and marbling in my work. I think animating them in this piece is a perfect way to symbolize Peachtree Street's ever-evolving fluidity. Using archival photographs, we see the many different faces of Peachtree Street throughout the years. We see how it has gone from primarily residential, to commerce center, to business center, to the amalgamation that it is today, as one of the busiest and active streets in Atlanta. The juxtaposition of these historical photographs and the swirling visuals gives the viewer a psychedelic walk down memory lane, or rather, Peachtree Street.
A graduate of Georgia State University, Lewis H. Foster is a graphic designer and multidisciplinary artist who focuses primarily on illustration and mixed media collage. His collages provide a juxtaposition of stark imagery enhanced by marbled, watercolored ornamentation — placing his work firmly in the intersection of psychedelia and surrealism. This combination forces a conversation about the story behind each piece, spanning from whimsical & aesthetically pleasing, to striking & thought provoking, the duality of these suggesting a mutualistic relationship. His work provides relevant commentary on substantial topics, such as race, sexuality, and mortality using real life images with psychedelic fluidity.