Forward Warrior returns to Cabbagetown for fifth year

• YouTube screenshot/AtlantaPlanIt
• Forward Warrior 2014 in Cabbagetown

Forward Warrior, an annual live painting performance organized by artist Peter Ferrari, comes back to Cabbagetown with its biggest lineup yet this weekend. A total of 33 artists, including local favorites Catlanta and Paper Frank, will be adding more works of art to the Wylie Street mural wall by Krog Street that was used last year. See the full list of artists here. According to Ferrari, this year has “almost three times as many artists as our first event.” The artists will start painting at 10 a.m. on Saturday and pack up their brushes on Sunday evening. Forward Warrior will also be the kick-off event for the OUTER SPACE Project, a week-long event organized by ABV Gallery that merges art, music and design.

Here, Ferrari talks to Creative Loafing about selecting new artists, working with the OUTER SPACE Project and what his hopes are for Forward Warrior this year.

There are some new faces joining Forward Warrior this year, like Jonny Warren and Lela Brunet. Tell me about selecting this year’s artists and the walls they’ll be taking over.

I try to choose artists based on a few different criteria. Obviously I look for talent, I look for a distinct style or aesthetic in their work, but maybe most importantly, I look for people who embody a progressive, open attitude towards art. I look for people who aren’t bogged down in politics or popularity contests. It’s about passion and commitment to their work, regardless of external opinions and trends.

Do the artists have individual walls this year or are they collaborating on a massive wall? Are they painting over last year’s murals?

There is no overall theme. I try to allow the artists as much freedom as possible. My only rule is that the pieces be appropriate for all ages. Artists were encouraged to collaborate and communicate with each other during planning. There are some who chose to work on the same piece together and others who are trying to intertwine their individual pieces. I like to compare it to a tattoo sleeve. It’s made up of many components, but the flow of whole piece is very important, especially since we are all on the same wall. Some of the murals from last year will be painted over and some will not. There’s simply not enough space to keep them all.

What do you think is the biggest obstacle the artists will encounter during those two painting days — aside from the heat, of course. Do they already come in with their mural plans?

Planning is usually the biggest obstacle. Typically everyone has an idea coming into the event and we have to try and fit all those ideas into one meaningful piece of art. This can be especially tricky with such a large group. I’ve found that if we plan a lot on the front end the actual painting part goes very smoothly. I just let them do what they do best.

Tell me more about the OUTER SPACE Project? How does it fit into Forward Warrior?

The OUTER SPACE Project is a week-long art event organized by ABV agency. I’ve worked closely with them for years now and we thought it would be a good idea to come together and work as a team. Forward Warrior will be the kickoff for a week of events, murals and other happenings in the city. It will culminate in a big party at Terminal West called “the Big Bang.” It will incorporate art, live music and action sports all in one place. Should be a blast.

What are your hopes for this year’s Forward Warrior, your fifth year?

My hope is that we create something the people of Atlanta will enjoy. It’s that simple. We have an amazing community of creatives in our town and for the most part, we have been allowed to thrive here. This is simply our way of giving back to a great city that supports us and our passion. I’m looking forward to painting with my friends. That’s what this has always been about for me.