In-person
This Jane’s Walk, led in English and French, takes place on the BeltLine, and it focuses on themes of art, architecture, history, and culture.
All Aboard! Join the BeltLine Chronicles Poet "George" on a poetic journey on the Eastside Beltline.
The BeltLine Chronicles is a 68-page poem by author, professor, and Guggenheim Fellow Robert Barsky. It honors the living history of spaces along the Atlanta BeltLine and draws inspiration from literature spanning Lord Byron’s epic adventure poem “Don Juan” to Toni Morrison’s “Paradise,” and most recently, Salman Rushdie’s “Quichotte”.
The BeltLine Chronicles remind the reader/viewer of the many borders that we cross as we move through the BeltLine spaces and the great efforts that have been made by Ryan Gravel and the multitude of funders, visionaries, and developers who are bringing this dream to life. As we prepare to welcome light rail to the EastSide BeltLine, we will recall great epic journeys from the past, including Blaise Cendrars memorable trans-Siberian poem.
Robert Barsky, in partnership with Villa Albertine, will be leading a mile-long walk down the Eastside BeltLine, speaking to the locations that have inspired his poetry and recalling some of the works that have inspired his own.
More on “George”
The narrator of the BeltLine Chronicles is an enthusiastic and sweet poet named after George Gordon, Lord Byron. He invokes histories associated with BeltLine spaces and takes note of the people he sees along his journey. He also describes existing art installations, performances by BeltLine artists (both formal and informal), and emotions stirred by the amazing BeltLine environment. Along the way, George calls attention to issues of social justice and historical memory, while advocating for a more just future inspired by the ambitions associated with Atlanta’s “emerald necklace.” To that end, George recalls inspiring writings and utterances by the likes of Frederick Law Olmsted, W.E.B. DuBois, Ella Josephine Baker, Martin Luther King, Coretta Scott King, Andrew Young, Harry Belafonte, Aretha Franklin, John Lewis, Shirley Franklin, and Stacey Abrams, who have envisioned a better future for Atlanta, America, and the world.
The Details
Distance of Walk: 1 mile
Getting There: Parking can be a bit of a challenge here — we recommend parking at Piedmont Park, ridesharing, or connecting to our meeting spot from the BeltLine.
Accessibility: This walk is covers paved terrain and is wheelchair accessible.
What to wear and bring: Wear comfortable walking shoes — ideally close-toed — and consider sunscreen! Also bring a bottle of water.
Registration
Jane’s Walks are free to attend, but registration is required. Please click the link below to save your spot!
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Jane’s Walk is an annual global festival honoring the legacy of urbanist, activist, and writer Jane Jacobs with free, citizen-led walking tours through the neighborhoods that lend so much character to our cities.
The festival promotes civic engagement and encourages leaders and participants to share stories about their communities and use walking as a means of connecting with their neighbors.
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Robert Barsky is a Guggenheim Fellow and Professor at Vanderbilt University, and he’s the author of the BeltLine Chronicles -- a project for Art on the BeltLine. (Learn more HERE!)
His poem, which is posted at 4 locations on the BeltLine, aims to promote civic engagement. The Chronicles poet, the fictitious "George", encourages participants to learn stories about the communities that are connected by the BeltLine, and to connect quests along the BeltLine to great fictional quests of the Past (by the likes of Odysseus, Chaucer's pilgrims, Virgil, Dante the Pilgrim, Frankenstein's monster, Lord Byron, Mary Shelley, Blaise Cendrars, right up to Tony Morrison's characters in Paradise).
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Corner of Monroe Dr NE and 10th St NE, at the entrance to the BeltLine.
Our walk will conclude at the Kroger on Ponce de Leon.
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MODA reserves the right to cancel a program if the minimum enrollment requirements are not met.
If you need to cancel your plans for any reason, we kindly request that you notify us 48 hours prior to the event start.
By doing so, we can release your seat to another individual interested in joining us for this Jane’s Walk!
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Email Mary at maryk@museumofdesign.org with any questions.