History doesn’t repeat, it rhymes: Ralph Ziman brings South African art & history to Atlanta 

Photo by Noah Washington/The Atlanta VoiceBorn in Johannesburg, South Africa, Ralph Ziman, the South African artist behind The Casspir Project, uses his work to reflect on a lifetime shaped by the struggles of apartheid, militarization, and global cycles of violence. Unveiled at Atlanta Contemporary in a precursor to the Atlanta Art Week, the Casspir military tank, a 22-foot-long, 9-foot-tall installation that is a symbol for both oppression and transformation during apartheid, according to Ziman.For the installation, Ziman transformed the tank with approximately 70 million hand-strung glass beads. Taking three years to complete with the help of nearly 100 artisans.Floyd Hall, the Executive Director of Atlanta Contemporary, shared insights on bringing Ziman’s Caspir project to the gallery during Atlanta Art Week. Hall explained that Atlanta Art Week has grown significantly and attracted attention from artists beyond the city. He discussed the opportunity to feature Ziman’s large-scale vehicle installation, which was first showcased at the Seattle Art Fair. Once the team realized they had the space to accommodate the exhibit in the outdoor plaza, Hall saw it as a “no-brainer” to host it.“Our core mission is to provide free admission to world-class art, allowing a broad audience to engage with significant works...