At Long View: Tony Savoie, “Flounder in the Void”, 50×50, reverse painted acrylic, mixed media. (Courtesy Long View Gallery)
The summer theater season in the Borderstan area is in its annual summertime lull, but not so with local galleries. There are exhibitions at 10 of 12 local galleries.
Transformer, 1404 P Street NW: “E8: Sculpture” is a series with the third and final artist on display — Sean Lundgren: “Nave.” His exhibition opens Thursday, August 4 and runs through the 13th.
Hamilton Gallery, 1353 U Street NW: “Fellows Converge: Broadly Thinking” closes Sunday, August 6, at the Hamiltonian Gallery on U Street.
Also, you’ve got nine more days to catch “Thomas Canavan and Arijit Das: Paint, Canvas, Walls, People” over at the Lamont Bishop Gallery, 1314 9th Street NW. It runs to August 13.
Two new exhibitions opened last week in the area. “Local Color” at gallery plan b on 14th Street NW features the works of more than 10 local artists and runs to August 28. See Large Crowd for Opening of “Local Color” Exhibition.
Over on 9th Street NW at Long View Gallery, “ReFresh“runs to August 28 and features “new work by some of the gallery’s favorites… pieces by Mike Weber, Scott Brooks, Tony Savoie, Michelle Peterson-Albandoz, Marie Ringwald, Anne Marchand, Zach Sherif, Tom Burkett, Mary Chairamonte, Paula Crawford, Ryan McCoy, Cheryl Wassenaar and many more.” (Long View)
Get more details below on the 12 galleries in the Logan-Shaw-U Street area. (more…)
What’s showing at 12 galleries in the Dupont-Logan area?
What’s happening at 12 galleries in the neighborhood? There are exhibitions at eight galleries — see the complete list below the fold.
- We are pleased to add a new gallery to our weekly listing: the Lamont Bishop Gallery at 1314 9th Street NW. They had their grand opening last week and the first exhibition is “Annie Kielman | Mirror Rim.” “Her work stems from an exploration of a deliberate distortion of the human form–not in a violent or grotesque manner, but rather with subtle tweaks that create intrigue simply because they are counter-intuitive.”
- The DCist Exposed photography exhibition runs through Sunday, March 27. This year’s venue is Long View Gallery, 1234 9th Street NW.
- “Viewing Rm.” at Hemphill Fine Arts, 1515 14th Street NW. Final day is Saturday, March 26.
- Check out this event on Saturday that a local gallery Transformer is helping sponsor: “The Corcoran Gallery of Art and College of Art + Design, along with partners Transformer and the National Coalition Against Censorship will present ‘Culture Wars: Then and Now,’ a free one-day symposium examining past and current debates about freedom of expression and public support for the arts. A reception for panelists and attendees will follow in the Corcoran Atrium from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Pre-registration is encouraged.”
Gallery listings for the U Street-Logan-Shaw area below.
Find out what’s on exhibit in the Logan-Shaw-U Street area. (Luis Gomez Photos)
Four of 10 galleries in the neighborhood have exhibitions:
- Victoria F. Gaitan & Cecilia Paredes: “Foto Baroque” is at The Curator’s Office through Saturday, January 8 (at 1515 14th Street NW).
- At the Hamiltonian Gallery through Saturday, January 15: Magnolia Laurie: “holding up” and Jon Bobby Benjamin: “going home” (at 1353 U Street NW).
- “New Work” by Paula Craford is at the Long View through Thursday, January 6 (at 1234 9th Street NW).
- “ALPTRAUM!” is at the Transformer through Saturday, January 15 (at 1404 P Street NW).
Plus, find out what’s opening in January. Check out the listings for exhibitions at 10 galleries in the Logan-Shaw-U Street area below.
Paula Crawford’s exhibition, “New Work,” opens Thursday, Dec. 9, with a 6:30 reception at Long View Gallery, 1234 9th St. NW. (Courtesy Long View Gallery)
From Cecile Oreste at danceDC. Have a question for Cecile? Send her an email.
Three exhibitions are opening in the neighborhood… First is the reception Thursday, Dec. 9, 6:30 to 8:30 pm at Long View Gallery with New York artist Paula Crawford:
“Several years ago, on the threshold of an unusual sickness, Paula Crawford began painting walls of spherical forms. When she was finally diagnosed with Hepatitis C, her doctor showed her an image of the cells causing the disease. They were clustered spheres, almost identical to what she had been painting. Whether this was a case of tuned inner eye or pure chance we will never know. Crawford’s call to paint these forms has remained after a yearlong treatment and final cure.” Read more.
A new exhibition opens Saturday, December 11 at Transformer, 1404 P St. NW: “ALPTRAUM! (translated from German as “nightmare”) is a comprehensive group exhibition of small to medium sized works on paper in a variety of disciplines (painting, drawing, screen prints, photography, collage) by an international mix of nearly 100 artists.” Read more.
At the Hamiltonian Gallery, 1353 U Street NW, a new two-person exhibition opens Saturday, December 11: Magnolia Laurie, holding up, and Jon Bobby Benjamin, going home. Join them at their opening reception on the 11th from 7 to 9 pm. Event info here, gallery info here.
At Project 4 Gallery, check out “Yuletide” and do some holiday gift shopping, too. The gallery says, the exhibition “marks the 1st year-end art festival at Project 4 Gallery. The exhibition features a selection of small works by artists who frequently collaborate with Project 4. All works of art are priced under $1,000. Yuletide offers an opportunity to find unique works of art during the gift-giving season ranging in price from $10 to $1,000.”
Listings for exhibitions at 10 galleries in the Logan-Shaw-U Street area are below.
One of three logo design options for arts district banners, which have not yet been installed. The final public meeting on the branding of the arts district was held Nov. 8 (Tom Hay)
Arts District Branding Project Hits Snag at ANC 1B
Lydia DePillis at the Washington City Paper’s Housing Complex blog has the latest on the 14th and U-Logan-Shaw arts district branding project. Her Saturday story, “Arts District Branding Project Still Running Into Questions,” gives us an update on the status of the project, including last Thursday’s ANC 1B meeting.
It appears the branding team’s presentation at Thursday night’s ANC 1B meeting was less than smooth, with commissioners raising issues about the branding team and the MidCity Business Association. Another issue was how long the branding program’s banners would be allowed to stay up; the banners were originally scheduled to go up this past weekend, but have not yet been installed.
According to the City Paper: “Leaders in our community are up in arms and very upset,” said commissioner Deborah Thomas [1B04]. “I don’t know why it’s not working….Find a way. Get it together.”
Read the full article. You can also check out Tom Hay’s coverage of the arts district branding project; a list of all stories is at the bottom of the most recent one, Wrap-up of Last Arts District Branding Public Meeting. (Full disclosure: Borderstan recently joined the MidCity Business Association.)
Tuesday Fundraiser for Dreaming Out Loud
Dreaming Out Loud, Inc. is holding a Tuesday, Dec. 7, fundraiser at Busboys and Poets, 14th and V St. NW, 6 to 8 pm: “When Dreams Emerge: A Dreaming Out Loud Celebration and Fundraiser.” Dreaming Out Loud is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to advance a more ethical world that allows underserved children, youth and families to thrive in the global community. Founded in 2008, Dreaming Out Loud, Inc. was created in response to the educational disparities in underserved urban communities. Our aim is to transform some of the prevailing negative attitudes youth have about education and to direct them towards positive character development. While Dreaming Out Loud works primarily in Wards 7 and 8, it’s offices are locally based Affinity Lab.
Transformer Protest at National Portrait Gallery
Dcist has pics from the Thursday-night protest in font of the National Portrait Gallery, which was organized by local gallery, Transformer. The protest was over NPG’s removal of the 1987 video, Fire in My Belly, from an exhibition. Transformer is continuously playing the video in its front-window space at 1404 P St. NW. Meanwhile, TBD reports that a local artists projected the movie onto the facade of the NPG.
Pics from ArtJamz Event to Benefit LGBT Youth
ReadysetDC has pics from last week’s event at LongView Gallery to benefit LGBT youth: “ArtJamz teamed up with The Youth Pride Alliance, B.O.I. Marketing & Promotions LLC, Capital Area Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, and The Longview Gallery to support LGBT youth.”
A List DC Did Not Make
We Love DC looks at GQ’s satirical, The 50 Worst States in America, and explains that only our lack of statehood kept us out of the rankings. Find out where Maryland and Virginia rank. Arizona came in at No. 1 (that’s bad, not good) and Massachusetts came in at No. 50 (that’s good, not bad).
Thursday evening: Transformer’s Victoria Reis in front of the gallery at 1404 P St. NW. (Luis Gomez Photos)
A group gathered in front of the Logan Circle gallery Transformer around 6 pm Thursday to march to the National Portrait Gallery downtown. Organized by the executive director of Transformer, Victoria Reis, the group was protesting the National Portrait Gallery’s decision to remove the 1987 video, Fire in my Belly, from an exhibition. The National Portrait Gallery is part of the Smithsonian Institution.
People gather in front of Transformer to march towards the National Portrait Gallery on Thursday evening. (Luis Gomez Photos)
The 1987 video, Fire in My Belly, is now playing continuously in the front window space at Transformer, 1404 P St. NW. The video was removed from the Smithsonian Institution’s National Portrait Gallery in downtown DC after complaints about depictions of Jesus. The video will run continuously in Transformer’s front window space until reinstated at the National Portrait Gallery, according to Transformer.
“Your right-wing critics, including in the Congress, know nothing and care nothing about art. They care not a wit about freedom of expression, or free speech, or “the American promise of equality, inclusion and social dignity.” – from Transformer letter to Smithsonian
On its website, Transformer states, “Under pressure from the Catholic League, The Smithsonian Institution has removed this work from the National Portrait Gallery’s current Hide/Seek exhibition. Starting TODAY, DEC. 1, Transformer began showing this video work in our 1404 P Street, NW Washington, DC storefront project space, and we will continue to run the video 24 HOURS A DAY until it is reinstated.”
Transformer had copies of a letter that was sent to G. Wayne Clough, secretary of the Smithsonian Institution (and available on the website). The letter addresses one of the main criticisms of Fire in My Belly — an image of an ant-covered Jesus. Of this scene, the letter notes:
Wendy Olsoff, who represents the Wojnarowicz’s estate, said: “David believed the imagery of ants’ society was parallel to human society.” You must know – but in the event you do not – we the undersigned are here to tell you that your right-wing critics, including in the Congress, know nothing and care nothing about art. They care not a wit about freedom of expression, or free speech, or “the American promise of equality, inclusion and social dignity.”
You can read the entire letter at the Transformer website.
Check the listings for 10 art galleries in the Logan-U Street area. (Luis Gomez Photos)
From Cecile Oreste at danceDC
If you are in the neighborhood this weekend, here are details on an opening reception and two closings at local galleries:
- Gallery plan b on 14th St. NW hosts the opening reception of its Year End Group Show on Saturday, Dec. 4, from 6 pm to 8 pm.
- Project 4 on U St. NW will also host an opening reception for its year-end art festival on Saturday from 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm.
- “Proofs” and “Recordings” closes this Saturday at Hamiltonian Gallery on U St. NW.
- Tang: “Freedom and Its Owner” also closes this weekend at Transformer on P St. NW. Saturday, Dec. 4 is the last day to view the exhibition.
Listings for exhibitions at Bronfman Gallery, Curator’s Office, Hemphill Fine Arts and Irvine Contemporary are below.
| Ann Loeb Bronfman Gallery DC Jewish Community Center 1529 16th St. NW 202.518.9400 |
Miriam Morsel Nathan “Memory of a time I did not know…” Through Friday, Dec. 17 Sunday-Thursday 10 am-10 pm Friday 10 am-4 pm |
| Curator’s Office 1515 14th St. NW 202.387.1008 |
Victoria F. Gaitan & Cecilia Paredes “Foto Baroque” Through Saturday, Jan. 8 Wednesday-Saturday 12 pm-6 pm |
| gallery plan b 1530 14th St. NW 202.234.2711 |
Year End Group Show Through Friday, Dec. 24Opening reception with the artists Saturday, Dec. 4 6 pm-8 pm Wednesday-Saturday 12 pm-7 pm |
| Hamiltonian Gallery 1353 U St. NW 202.332.1116 |
Elena Volkova, “Proofs” Renee Van Der Stelt, “Recordings” Through Saturday, Dec. 4 Tuesday-Saturday 12 pm-6 pm |
| Hemphill Fine Arts 1515 14th St. NW 202.234.5601 |
Julie Wolfe Through Thursday, Dec. 23 Tuesday-Saturday 10 am-5 pm |
| Irvine Contemporary 1412 14th Street NW 202.332.8767 |
Shepard Fairey, Jose Farla, Swoon, Romon Yang (Rostarr) “Street/Studio 2.0” Through Saturday, Dec. 18 Tuesday-Saturday 11am-6pm |
| Joan Hisaoka Healing Arts Gallery Smith Farm Center for Healing and the Arts 1632 U St. NW 202.483.8600 |
The gallery will be temporarily closed until expansion construction is complete, however the Center has invited artists to take over their window display.The In-Flux Window Peep Show is on display 24 hours during construction starting in January 2011. |
| Long View Gallery 1234 9th St. NW 202.232.4788 |
Paula Crawford “New Work” Opens Thursday, Dec. 9 Wednesday-Saturday 11 am-6 pm Sunday 12 pm-5 pm |
| Project 4 Gallery 1353 U St. NW 202.232.4340 |
“Yuletide” A Year-End Art Festival Dec. 4 through Dec. 22 Opening reception with the artists Saturday, Dec. 4 6:30 pm-9:30 pm extended gallery hours Monday-Saturday 12 pm-6 pm |
| Transformer Gallery 1404 P St. NW 202.483.1102 |
Tang “Freedom & Its Owner” Through Saturday, Dec. 4 Wednesday-Saturday 1 pm-7 pm |
“Fire In My Belly” is playing continuously in the front window space of Transformer, 1404 P St. NW. (Luis Gomez Photos)
The 1987 video, Fire in my Belly, is now playing continuously in the front window space at Transformer, 1404 P St. NW. The video was removed from the Smithsonian Institution’s National Portrait Gallery in downtown DC after complaints about depictions of Jesus. The video will run continuously in Transformer’s front window space until reinstated at the National Portrait Gallery, according to Transformer.
The video is also available on YouTube — you must sign in to YouTube and affirm that you are at least 18 years of age; length is just over 4 minutes.
Criticism of the video is centered around how images of Jesus are depicted. Blake Gopnik at The Washington Post wrote an article criticizing the removal of the video from the National Portrait Gallery. This evening Gopnik posted another article discussing the video. As noted in The Washington Post, “After the Catholic League complained about a video by David Wojnarowicz containing ants crawling on a cross — part of the sexuality-themed exhibit “Hide/Seek: Difference and Desire in American Portraiture” — the National Portrait Gallery removed the piece.”
On its website, Transformer states, “Under pressure from the Catholic League, The Smithsonian Institution has removed this work from the National Portrait Gallery’s current Hide/Seek exhibition. Starting TODAY, DEC. 1, Transformer began showing this video work in our 1404 P Street, NW Washington, DC storefront project space, and we will continue to run the video 24 HOURS A DAY until it is reinstated.”
On Thursday, Transformer is organizing a protest march at 6pm from Transformer to the National Portrait Gallery; participants are asked to meet at Transformer at 5:30 pm. The exhibition of “Hide/Seek” and Fire In My Belly at the National Portrait Gallery was paid for with private funds, not U.S. Government monies.
eaction to National Portrait Gallery’s ants-and-crucifix controversy
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Transformer is at 1404 P St. NW. (Luis Gomez Photos)
From Cecile Oreste at danceDC
Transformer hosted its 7th Annual Silent Auction & Benefit Party at the Mexican Cultural Institute Saturday, Nov. 13. The current exhibition, Tang: “Freedom & Its Owner,” is on display at their Logan Circle gallery space at 1404 P St. until Dec. 4. I recently spoke with Executive and Artistic Director Victoria Reis to talk about Transformer’s gallery space and to learn more about the organization.
Transformer is a non-profit visual arts organization founded in 2002 by Reis along with Jayme McLellan, Founder and Director of Civilian Art Projects.
Borderstan: Transformer is a catalyst and advocate for emergent expression. Why the focus on emerging artists?
Reis: At the point when I founded Transformer with Jayme, there were no consistent programs for emerging artists. None of the commercial galleries and no other nonprofits were consistently presenting works of emerging artists. We wanted to fill that need.
Transformer defines “emerging artist” somewhat broadly as someone who doesn’t have an established art career or who is seeking to build their career outside of his or her established base of operations. D.C. based artists Transformer exhibits may have been in group shows, but have not yet had a solo show. An artist based outside of D.C. may have more exhibition experience, but has not yet exhibited in D.C. Emerging is not necessarily tied to a specific age and the artist may or may not be represented. Transformer not only looks for artists who are just launching their careers, but are also launching new ideas or experimenting with processes and themes.
Borderstan: How do you find the artists you work with? What do you look for in artists and their work?
Reis: In launching Transformer, I personally knew so many amazing emerging artists who had recently graduated from the Corcoran and other area institutions like Virginia Commonwealth University. Additionally I had been building connections with many D.C. artists who were also musicians, as well as artists from outside D.C. that I connected with through my previous work experience with the National Association of Artists’ organizations.
I started with artists I knew and found other artists from referrals of artists and arts colleagues, and word of mouth. Transformer also gets referrals from our advisory council and our network of peer arts organizations that we are connected to via the Warhol Foundation and other networks.
In addition, Transformer staff members make frequent studio visits and see exhibitions around the region, nationally and internationally. We also have an open submission process for any artists who would like to submit work for us to consider.
It’s exciting for me to see an artist that is experimenting with a new process. I look for artists who are ambitious and really committed to furthering themselves, artists who are open to feedback and working hard. It’s a combination of talent and a unique voice. Transformer does have a certain aesthetic. Our program tends to focus on artists who want to present their work in a fully realized installation format.
Borderstan: What makes Transformer unique?
“Had a Little Faith” by Beau Chamberlain: His exhibit, “Landmarks,” opens Saturday at Project 4 Gallery on U Street NW. (Project 4 Gallery)
Check out the city’s free Art Bus service on Saturday evening with service to H Street NW, 14th Street NW and U Street NW.
Some great new exhibits and opening receptions at galleries on 14th and U Streets this weekend:
- Transformer Gallery, 1404 P Street NW: Meet Rebecca Key at the Friday opening reception for her show, “Archetype.” On Saturday at 2 pm, she will give an artist talk.
- Project 4, 1353 U Street NW: Catch the Saturday opening reception, 6 to 8 30 pm, for Beau Chamberlain’s “Landmarks.”
- Gallery plan b, 1515 14th Street NW: The opening reception is Saturday from 6 to 8 pm for a joint exhibit with works by Chad Andrews and Gail Vollrath: “Relative: Recent Paintings and Drawings.”
- Irvine Contemporary, 1412 14th Street NW: Several opening activities on Saturday for “Phil Nesmith: Flow” and “Bruno Perillo, Uniform.” Preview from 1 to 4 pm and artists talks at 4 and 5 pm. Opening reception 6 to 8 pm.
- Curator’s Office, 1515 14th Street NW, Suite 201: Eric Hibit’s “Picture Cohesion” opens Saturday with a reception from 6 to 8 pm.
Get the details about all the galleries in the Dupont-Logan-U Street area below the fold.
