Artwork
Artist Statement: Sweet Auburn: Atlanta’s Black Main Street uses elements of collage and stop motion animation along with hand ripped archival photos mixed in with my own photography to celebrate the people and businesses that were instrumental in making the “The Ave” the heart of Black Atlanta prior to the Civil Rights movement.
Each piece of paper in the collage represents every Black person that contributed their talents to transform Sweet Auburn into the cultural and financial epicenter of Black life in Atlanta. From activists to religious leaders and tastemakers, to the historic buildings and the important events held in them, the two mile road is a historic collage of Black excellence. Although the street is far from its glory days, Sweet Auburn Avenue is still a reminder of the brilliance and resilience of the people that paved the way for the success of today’s Black Atlantans.
Natrice Miller is an Atlanta-based photographer and filmmaker. She graduated from Florida A&M School of Journalism and Graphic Communication in 2005 and since then, she has created imagery for a variety of clients and publications including Emory University, Creative Loafing and The United Negro College Fund. Natrice has exhibited her photography in institutions such as Rockefeller Center in New York City, Cape Cod Museum of Art and Xavier University Art Gallery in Cincinnati. Her short films have shown internationally in the CRASSH Film Festival in Cambridge, England and in museums in the U.S. such as Atlanta Contemporary, Swan Coach House Gallery and The Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art. From photojournalism to fine art photography and short films, Natrice is interested in using various forms of mediums to create photo based work to tell overlooked stories about the Black experience in America. In addition to creating fine art photography and film work, she is also a staff photojournalist at The Atlanta-Journal Constitution and lives in Atlanta with her husband and son.