Art, Identity, and Fatherhood: EuGene V. Byrd III’s Beltline Residency

Art has always been a place for reflection, but for EuGene V. Byrd III, it’s also a place for vulnerability. As the 2024-2025 Curator-in-Residence, Byrd has used his time with Atlanta Beltline Art to create “Work in Progress: An Honest Look at Fatherhood,” a deeply personal yet universally resonant exploration of what it means to be a Black father. The project, which has unfolded in real time, invites the public to witness art in progress–just as fatherhood itself is a constant evolution.

Byrd, a gallery owner, artist, and curator, has a longstanding connection to the Beltline. His 2019 mural “Above Water (located along the Northeast Trail) captured the weight of life’s pressures, a reminder to push through even when it feels like we’re drowning. Now, with “Work in Progress,” he turns his lens toward the complexities of fatherhood, sharing the beauty of the journey.

The project began with a free Father’s Day photoshoot at Shirley Clarke Franklin Park during the 2024 No Tables No Chairs celebration, where families received portraits–images that later became the foundation for Byrd’s paintings. These real fathers, many of whom had never imagined themselves as subjects of public art, now stand at the center of a powerful dialogue about what fatherhood means.

Byrd’s approach is as much about process as it is about product. Rather than working in isolation, he invites conversation, shaping his paintings through community engagement. Each canvas is a reflection of lived experiences: his own as a father, his childhood as a son, and the collective narratives of other Black fathers in Atlanta. The paintings, which began on canvas, have now come to life in a new mural at 1200 White St., a tangible mark of the residency and a testament to fatherhood’s evolving definition.

For Byrd, the Beltline has been more than a backdrop; it has been a space of encouragement and connection. It gave him his first opportunity to paint a mural, and now, years later, it remains a canvas for his storytelling and a space where his work can be experienced outside traditional gallery settings. With “Work in Progress,” Byrd invites us all to reflect on the narratives we carry about fatherhood–our own experiences, the expectations we’ve inherited, and the possibilities for redefinition and growth.

Discover the mural for yourself at 1200 White St. along the West End Trail and experience Byrd’s tribute to fatherhood and community. Engage with the work and witness how public art continues to shape the stories we share.

The 2025 Atlanta Beltline Art exhibition is sponsored by Delta Air Lines and Norfolk Southern at the Gold level; Kaiser Permanente, Northside Hospital, and Ponce City Market at the Silver level; and Cox Enterprises at the Bronze level. This program is supported in part by the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs.

This program is supported in part by the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs. Major funding for this organization is provided by the Fulton County Board of Commissioners. This program is supported in part by Georgia Council for the Arts through the appropriations of the Georgia General Assembly. Georgia Council for the Arts also receives support from its partner agency – the National Endowment for the Arts. This project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts. To find out more about how National Endowment for the Arts grants impact individuals and communities, visit www.arts.gov.

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