Artist Schin Loong Tells Story of Life in Midtown Atlanta at Opus Place

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Stretching almost as long as two football fields in Midtown Atlanta, artist Schin Loong, a former Atlantan, was commissioned by the ownership of Opus Place, Atlanta’s newest future destination, to tell the story of life in midtown. She has depicted life in midtown with melodic peach trees and fictitious characters walking their dogs, strolling with friends and speeding by on bikes while whimsical airplanes performing overhead.

To capture the cultural life of midtown through her light-hearted illustrations, Loong turned to classical music as her muse. The results are images of musicians playing instruments outdoors and birds singing.  There is even a shaggy dog serenading and musical notes flying through the air. I should also mention there are a couple of cats (I’m a cat fan!).

“There was a specific look and feel I wanted to capture in the drawings— classy and elegant with a playful feel,” said Loong, who was discovered for the project by branding-firm Watson & Co.  “So I put on music that I thought would reflect that and culturally would absorb into my mind and come out through my hand. The classical music was a mood mover. If I put on hip-hop music, the art wouldn’t be the same.”

While the functionality of Loong’s work is to mark the construction site for a new residential tower, No2 Opus Place, her magical illustrations delight and surprise all who pass by its 600 feet of 153 panels.

The 4.5 acre destination is called Opus Place, paying homage to its Midtown cultural/symphonic site location. In musical composition, the “Opus number” is used to distinguish  itself within its composition. Opus Place is the composition and No2 is its second part. The destination is being designed by the best in class, including the iconic Richard Meier, known specifically in Atlanta for his work on the High Museum. Opus Place is where the arts—architecture, design, art and music—come together to create a symphonic whole—an Opus—that is the greater than the sum of the parts.

I have the complete panel illustration below for you to view (along with segments of the entire work of art).