Meet Madison Dailey | Founder & Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Madison Dailey and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Madison, every day, we about how much execution matters, but we think ideas matter as well. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
Memento art gallery has a fairly organic origin story. Art has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I grew up painting with my grandmother in her Smyrna home and quickly realized it was a great way for me to meet people as a super shy kid. I drew portraits because I was able to have meaningful conversations with anyone willing to sit and model for me. Those portraits landed me a spot at Parsons School of Design in their Fine Arts program and that’s where I quickly realized there were a lot of talented artists out there, both in my studio classes and quite literally on the streets of New York City (often with no formal training.) As my surroundings changed dramatically and I was able to adapt, so did my confidence.

Fast forward a few years and bouncing through the fashion, interior design and advertising industries and I am going back to Parsons to get my Masters Degree in Strategic Design Management, which is essentially just a business degree at an art school. At this point I am completely enthralled in all the talent I am surrounded by but I am seeing the competitive landscape of the art world just crumble the confidence of my peers. I knew what that felt like, so I sought out a way to bring multidisciplinary artists together in pop up spaces around New York with an event start up called Collabaret, which was also my grad program thesis. Everything was going great and I fell in love with showcasing and selling artworks through immersive experiences. The only problem was that it was 2019 and I had no idea what was right around the corner. By the end of March 2020, everything closed down and all events were canceled.

I got into a rental car and moved back to my hometown of Atlanta and took a remote job at Dagger Agency as a graphic designer. Right when things started to open back up, I got busy looking for spaces to pursue arts experiences but realized I was completely out of the loop in the Atlanta art scene. I came across the Memento space and even though it was in pretty bad shape, my jaw dropped. It was too unique to turn down so I got some amazing people on board from both NYC and locally to help me create the brand from the ground up. The space is built on all of these memories and I am really interested in how those memories, both past and present, can be embodied in objects such as pieces of artwork, which is how Memento got its name.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I believe that where Memento succeeds is the curation of the space, which is a form of art. My business partner, Briana and I wanted to create an inviting art gallery experience which is actually a very calculated process and isn’t the status quo in the industry. Instead of bright white walls, we have a slightly warmer white over granite walls from the 1940’s. We hang the art from industrial beams on the ceilings so that the natural curvatures of the granite walls behind the pieces create an organic sense of emphasis. We have modular funky furniture and even a European stainless steel kitchenette so visitors can envision the artwork in a home. As an artist myself, I had two lofty goals when creating Memento. One was to create a new age canvas for the artist’s work, instead of the traditional white box gallery of the past. The other is to curate for empathy. Each artist that is exhibited in the gallery has a story to tell that speaks to the contemporary art discourses of our time but also their individual journey and how their memories have shaped their work.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
My husband and I have an Airbnb rental in Summerhill so we actually do this all the time for friends, guests and artists we are hosting! Little Tart, first thing in the morning on a Saturday in Summerhill is an instant endorphin enhancer if you want to treat yourself. If I have guests looking for some relaxation time or ask for a salon nearby, Aviary Salon while still in Summerhill has everything (Ashley Gwaltney is a hair master.) It’s woman owned and a really beautiful space!

I think walking around the High Museum to visit their exhibitions is a must and you can really take your time viewing and still have some of your day leftover, unlike some museums that take a week to explore. I recently went to Koncept House in Castleberry Hill for an art show that took over three floors in a converted historic warehouse and I loved the mixture of local Atlanta artists and businesses sharing the space. I would of course take my friends to Memento Gallery for one of our casual wine & viewing events. We have our friends at Elevated Table make us a cheese and snack board and we talk about the shows that are up or that we are planning for the future. There is something really nice about the space in the evenings when the lights are just fixed on each piece of art.

For food in Atlanta, there are too many recommendations. Anytime a guest or friend is requesting a great dining experience in Atlanta for both ambiance and quality, I tell them Delbar. They have a really nice selection of Greek wines and the food is nothing short of incredible. I have told hundreds of people about Delbar and I have only heard excellent reviews in return. For those looking for a more casual lunch or dinner, Muchacho is always my recommendation. My husband and I can walk there from our home and it’s safe to say we spent too much time there and eat way too many tacos. They have the best energy in the space and they don’t mind if you stay all day – from coffees in the AM to cocktails at night before a concert at the Eastern. For a pick-up order, get a wrap from Tassili’s Raw Reality Café. You will thank me later!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would be remiss if I didn’t shout out three individuals who helped me keep my creative journey in motion, which lead to the creation of Memento. First, my professor Rhea Alexander at the New School was incredibly important in helping me envision and design the life I wanted while also creating realistic avenues on how to build a business. Second would be my best friend and creative partner I have known since nearly birth, Briana Hargrove, who has spent the last 8 months helping me build and now operate the Memento Gallery. My third shoutout would be to my husband, Jonathan Gragg who not only puts up with my creative chaos, but helps me channel it in the right ways. He also hangs all the artwork at Memento.

Website: https://www.mementoatl.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mementoatl/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/madison-dailey-204213a5/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093022896441

Image Credits
Annmarie Raskin, Courtney Gurlie, Lindsey Leonard