In Pieces with R. Land

If you're in Atlanta, you've seen it. It's been on underpasses, your neighbor's car bumper - it's even tattooed on the skin of some proud locals. The simple image of praying hands became the unofficial seal of our city well over two decades ago. But, before it was a sticker, it was a call to activism when artist R. Land feared Atlanta might be losing its soul. Today, we talk about the origin, impact, and evolution of one Land's most well-known pieces, "Pray for ATL."   Special thanks to DJ, composer, and producer Chris Devoe for providing the theme music for this podcast.   If you’re enjoying “In Pieces with R. Land,” consider leaving a rating or review to help others discover the work. And if you’d like to support the podcast’s production with a small donation, we’d be truly grateful.

Before algorithms. Before memes. Before anything went viral on purpose. Loss Cat began late at night in a Kinko’s, with a forgotten image, a marker, and a joke that landed harder than expected. What started as a spontaneous, funny gesture, a sad-looking cat with exaggerated eyebrows and a few carefully chosen words, slowly made its way onto walls, poles, and sidewalks across Atlanta and beyond. In this episode, we talk with artist R. Land about how Loss Cat quietly became part of the visual landscape and how it morphed from a one-off flyer into a shared cultural reference point. We talk about the power of simplicity, the strange emotional weight of a pair of drawn-on eyebrows, and what it means to claim authorship once something you made starts living its own life. Special thanks to DJ, composer, and producer Chris Devoe for providing the theme music for this podcast.   If you’re enjoying “In Pieces with R. Land,” consider leaving a rating or review to help others discover the work. And if you’d like to support the podcast’s production with a small donation, we’d be truly grateful.

Coming soon: In Pieces with R. Land. Join artist R. Land and executive producer Kim Drobes for a conversation about art- one work at a time. Through stories, reflection, and the occasional surprise, In Pieces with R. Land offers a closer look at the unpredictable life of art- the small decisions that shape it, the meanings that gather around it, and the ways a work continues to evolve long after it’s finished. This is art, after it leaves the studio.