“Off the Wall: Established Contemporary” at Contemporary Wing
Contemporary Wing at 1412 14th Street NW. (Luis Gomez Photos)
From Eliza French. Follow her on Twitter @elizaenbref; email her at eliza[AT]borderstan.com.
From now through next Saturday, August 4, “Off the Wall: Established Contemporary,” is on view at Contemporary Wing, 1412 14th Street NW. The small, carefully curated showing at Contemporary Wing features work by some of the most well-known contemporary artists.
The show’s 10 works include pieces by Nan Golding, Kara Walker, Shinique Smith, Andy Warhol and Young British Artists Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin. Lauren Gentile sourced the wide range of works from private collections in Washington, DC and New York City.
Andy Warhol, “Endangered Species: Bald Eagle”. (Photo by Eliza French)
A print from Andy Warhol’s “Endangered Species” series and a Damien Hirst woodcut, “Quinaldi Acid,” serve as larger scale anchors for the group of mostly smaller pieces. The vivid cibachrome prints by Nan Goldin (like “Toon, So, and Yogo on Stage,” the image used in the marketing materials for the show) also serve as a visual touchstone, drawing the viewer into the worlds occupied by her subjects.
The two most diminutive works in the gallery — Kara Walker’s “Untitled, Swimmer,” a delicately rendered gouache on paper, and Tracey Emin’s “Untitled, Nude,” graphite on paper — offer more subtle but equally compelling visual experiences.
The next installment, “Off the Wall: Street Art,” will run from August 16 to 25 and will feature works by Shepard Fairey, Faile, Blek Le Rat, James Marshall (Dalek),WK Interact and Gary Baseman. The opening reception is Thursday, August 16, from 6 to 8 pm.
