Edward Hopper often conveyed a sense of loneliness and isolation by painting subjects in hotels, motels and boarding houses. This Richmond exhibit highlights 65 paintings and works on paper by the artist depicting such settings, plus 35 pieces by John Singer Sargent, David Hockney and others who explored similar themes. vmfa.museum
Though he earned a degree in architecture, DC-based Alan Karchmer has devoted his career to photographing buildings rather than designing them. This show presents images of structures Karchmer has captured around the world—including Washington National Cathedral’s Visitor Gateway (below), designed by SmithGroup Architects—and sheds light on his creative process.
Over a decade, American artist Sharon Lockhart documented the lives of children in Lodz, Poland. Over time, she produced a film, photographs and sculpture based on workshops she conducted in a center for young women. Now on exhibit, the series creates a profound sense of place and a commentary on children’s resourcefulness.
Harlem-born artist Tschabalala Self explores the significance of the Black female form in contemporary culture through her work. Two sculptures and 13 paintings that incorporate stencils, tracings, prints, casts and mechanically stitched lines of thread are on view.
Modern Australian artist Marley Dawson has created ghosts, a two-part kinetic sculpture installation that riffs on The Phillips Collection’s art and architecture. One installation consists of five chairs in brass, suspended from the gallery’s domed stairway (above), while the other is a wall-mounted work made of hundreds of brass rods, hung to spark a dialog […]
Museum director Jack Rasmussen curated this exhibit that assembles works by 32 Washington-area artists, including Sam Gilliam, Lisa Montag Brotman and Gene Davis. In an illustrated catalog available online and in print, Rasmussen reflects on the period, when, he writes, Black and women artists were “systematically underrepresented” and examines how memories of this formative period […]
In 1804, Prussian naturalist and author Alexander von Humboldt spent six weeks in the U.S., exchanging ideas about art, science, politics and nature with luminaries such as Thomas Jefferson and Charles Willson Peale. This exhibit examines von Humboldt’s impact on American cultural development through 100 sculptures, maps, artifacts and paintings—including Albert Bierstadt’s 1864 Valley of […]
From 1954 to 1956, Jacob Lawrence painted a 30-panel series entitled “Struggle…From the History of the American People.” It depicts early decades of the republic through the words and actions of founding fathers as well as enslaved people, women and Native Americans. Assembled for the first time in 50-plus years, the panels—including We crossed the […]
The Phillips Collection asked DC-area artists to submit work created between March 2020 and February 2021 that expresses the struggle and resiliency of the human spirit in the context of the pandemic and recent social upheaval. Many of these submissions are now on view in a juried exhibit that carries on museum founder Duncan Phillips’ […]
In her depictions of immigrants seeking a better life abroad, contemporary Chinese-American artist Hung Liu speaks volumes about exile, identity and the Asian Pacific American experience. Her multi-layered portraits, many based on photographs, will be on view in the artist’s first major East Coast exhibit.
Rebecca Kamen’s paintings and sculpture explore the confluence of art and science. Working with scientists and researchers, she creates abstractions that shed light on the world around us.
In 2006, artist Diane Burko switched her focus from landscape painting to work that captures the effects of global warming. Informed by science and technology, pieces on view include Sphere 4 (right) and a 56-foot-long “World Map” series documenting changes in glaciers and reefs.
In celebration of The Phillips’ centennial, Spanish-born artist Daniel Canogar created a digital work that seamlessly “melts” together pieces from the museum’s permanent collection in an ever-changing abstract animation. Following its September 8 YouTube debut, “Amalgama” opens in the gallery on September 14.
Now in its 30th year, this festival will showcase the work of more than 200 artists in the fields of fine art and craft. Visitors will have an opportunity to engage with artists from around the country and will also enjoy dance performances, a family-friendly art park and more. The event is hosted by Tephra […]
This event puts a modern spin on the ancient Jewish festival of Sukkot, which celebrates the fall harvest. During the holiday, families build temporary structures with partially open roofs called sukkahs, where they share meals, rejoice and even sleep. Notable DC architects have taken on the challenge of designing sukkahs of their own that explore […]
The work of seven contemporary artists reveals the profound ways in which humans impact the planet. A photograph by Edward Burtynsky (above) documents the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
Northern Virginia’s largest self-guided home tour encompasses properties in Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William Counties. Visitors are welcome to view houses from 11 am to 5 pm both days.
During a 43-year friendship with Henri Matisse, Baltimore collector Etta Cone acquired more than 700 works by the French master—the majority of which she bequeathed to the museum upon her death in 1949. This exhibit chronicles their relationship and the evolution of the renowned Cone collection.
This exhibit documents the Venetian glass revival on the island of Murano between 1860 and 1915, which coincided with Grand Tours of Europe made by American luminaries. The period produced a wellspring of art depicting Venice and its illustrious glassblowing studios. Works by Sargent (right), Whistler and many others are on exhibit alongside exquisite hand-blown […]
This exhibit features more than 50 paintings, collages, prints and drawings by artist, educator and art historian David Driskell, who died last year at the age of 88. A 1955 graduate of Howard University who later taught at University of Maryland, Driskell focused his own work on abstraction, the natural world and the Black Christian […]
Anil Revri’s complex geometric abstractions embody spiritual ideas from the East and West. Born and raised in India and a U.S. resident for nearly 40 years, the artist employs tantric visualization techniques in his paintings and drawings that tap into unexplored realms of the unconscious.
Pieces in this show depict a cross-section of 17th-century Dutch and Flemish life. Among the 27 paintings on view: landscapes by Jacob van Ruisdael and Salomon van Ruysdael and winter scenes by Jan van Goyen and Adam van Breen.
This global survey on glass-making features objects, installations, videos and performances by more than 50 artists, designers and architects from 23 countries. Works on view include Promise (right), made of blown and sculpted glass and mirror by Nadège Desgenétez. americanart.si.edu
This survey of work by Canadian artist Jeff Wall showcases nearly 30 photographs made between 1978 and 2018. Ranging from everyday moments to urban scenes and landscapes, Wall’s enigmatic, carefully crafted images convey the depth and gravitas of paintings seen through a camera’s lens.
This retrospective spotlights Baltimore artist Betty Cooke’s jewelry creations, dating from the 1940s to the present. Cooke’s iconic work—collected by museums around the world—is inspired by nature and kinetic forms. About 160 objects drawn from public and private lenders are on view.
Tracing the career and life of the beloved American landscape photographer, this retrospective displays more than 70 photographs taken by Ansel Adams over five decades. Visitors will not only peruse Adams’s most famous and lesser-known works but will also learn about his passions for conservation and classical music.
Marking the 100th anniversary of Man Ray’s 1921 arrival in Paris, this exhibition assembles portraits taken by the photographer of the city’s avant-garde residents between the two world wars. Among the 100-plus subjects on display are Ernest Hemingway, Gertrude Stein, Jean Cocteau and Aldous Huxley.
A GW art history professor invited artists and cooperatives in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh to create new textiles inspired by works in The Textile Museum Collection. This show displays the results, as contemporary makers have interpreted century-old patterns and techniques in novel ways.
Some 100 works in aquatint—a printmaking technique that became popular in 18th-century Europe—are included in this exhibit that explores the medium’s influence on art publishing, travel and the rise of neoclassicism.
Glenstone spotlights American artist Vija Celmins, known for her powerful depictions of the natural world, from ocean currents to the night sky, as well as her portrayals of everyday objects. Works on view include paintings, drawings, mezzotints and sculpture.
Amber Robles-Gordon, a mixed-media visual artist of Puerto Rican and West Indian descent, examines past and present policies of the U.S. in its territories and in Washington. Her abstract paintings, collages and quilts spark a dialog about marginalized communities and their access to resources and citizenship—especially during crises.
This show chronicles the life and work of Alma Thomas (1891-1978). Raised in rural Georgia, Thomas was Howard University’s first art department graduate and the first Black artist to have a solo show at New York’s Whitney Museum. The Phillips spotlights many of her watercolors, aerial landscapes and colorful, large-scale abstractions that celebrate beauty […]
A mammoth work by Swiss artist Nicolas Party, 829 feet in circumference, hides ongoing construction outside the recently reopened Hirshhorn. Digitally printed on scrim, the work encircles the museum with portraits based on classical sculpture, peeking out from trompe l’oeil drapery. Photo: Tony Powell
Visitors experience what it would be like to travel through the human brain during this immersive, technology-driven event. A collaborative project between artists and scientists, it simulates neuron activity throughout the life cycle.
After this exhibit was cut short by the pandemic in 2019, the Freer has reopened it with more works by Katsushika Hokusai. Among the folding screens, scrolls and drawings on display, visitors will have an opportunity to view the Japanese artists’ rarely seen masterpiece, Breaking Waves.
James Van Der Zee’s images captured during the Harlem Renaissance celebrate the people and places of this historic bastion of African American culture. Portraits are on display, along with photos of nightclubs, storefronts and religious, social and political groups.
Local designers create stunning holiday trees and festive wreaths to be auctioned off during this virtual event. Proceeds benefit Special Olympics District of Columbia. Now in its 37th year, the gala will include entertainment, a make-your-own cocktail demonstration and live and silent auctions, all held via Zoom. Participating designers include Studio Q Designs, Kristin Try […]
The Dutch master Rembrandt left an indelible mark on the art of printmaking. This exhibit chronicles his influence on printmakers prominent during the Etching Revival (1850 to 1920), presenting his work alongside pieces by 19th- and 20th-century artists such as Edouard Manet, James A. M. Whistler and Mary Cassatt.
Bronze sculptures and works on paper from the museum’s collection illustrate Henri Matisse’s ability to capture graceful forms and movement in his work, from simple sketches to elaborate compositions. Pen-and-ink drawings, etchings and lithographs are part of the show.
Featuring monumental glass works and installations by Tlingit American artist Preston Singletary, this immersive exhibit chronicles the story of Raven, believed to be the creator of the world. Viewers will discover how Raven transformed darkness to light by releasing the sun, the moon and the stars. Original music and storytelling round out the experience.
This annual event welcomes more than 40 exhibitors from the U.S. and Europe showcasing broad collections of antiques and fine art. Scheduled lectures include a panel on January 8 with area designers Laura Hodges and Janie Molster.
This survey of works by Washington printmaker Lou Stovall will offer a comprehensive look at his career, from the 1960s to today. The show will document Stovall’s collaboration with fellow artists including Elizabeth Catlett, Gene Davis and Sam Gilliam. An accompanying exhibit examines Stovall’s “Of the Land” series, a collection of poems, drawings and […]
Exhibits by more than 200 home-improvement companies will connect attendees with specialists in the fields of kitchen and bath design, appliances, home décor, construction and renovation, smart-home technology and more. Experts will present useful and informative lectures and seminars throughout the event.
Attendees will view a vast array of fabrics, from vibrant abstracts, florals and figurative motifs to simple stripes and block prints, created in India between the ninth and early 20th centuries. Masterworks from The Textile Museum and the collection of Karun Thakar make up the show.
Taking inspiration from young patients at Childrens National, local designers fabricate festive trees and other holiday décor—all on display in the Four Seasons lobby. Visitors are welcome to view these one-of-a-kind creations there or at a weekend holiday market featuring the work of local artisans. Proceeds benefit Childrens National.
Showcasing landscapes depicted in various media, this exhibit of Israeli art from the 1950s through the early 2000s applies the formal language of Western modernism to narratives about myth-making, forced migration and displacement. Pictured: "Crazy Tree" by Tal Shochat.
The Katzen presents some 70 paintings, drawings, prints and sculptures created by 12 women and nonbinary artists from the Mid-Atlantic region. Infused with emotional and metaphorical content, the selection celebrates these artists’ often under-recognized contributions to the color field movement. Pictured: "Flow" by Jae Ko.
Ongoing—New York-based artist Iké Udé paid homage to Nollywood, the $3 billion film industry in his birthplace of Nigeria, by photographing its most famous celebrities. On view with garments and […]
A necklace by Amy Blair. Now in its 45th year, the event formerly known as the Baltimore American Craft Show returns. More than 300 artists will display creations in ceramics, glass, jewelry, clothing, furniture, basketry and more. For the first time, admission is free but donations are encouraged to support the nonprofit event. The show […]
This comprehensive exhibit traces the complex history of porcelain, from its ninth-century origins in China to the 18th century, when Europeans finally unraveled the mystery of porcelain production and factories sprang up in Saxony, Vienna, Russia and France. Visitors will peruse more than 125 objects from the late heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post’s holdings, from vases […]
More than 70 paintings, sculptures and works on paper from Picasso’s early career (1900 to 1904) shed light on how the master’s famous Blue Period evolved. In addition, the exhibit will share the results of research conducted on several works from the period, revealing hidden compositions and motifs.
While temporarily closed for renovation, the museum will display a series of public commissions on its scaffolded façade. The first is a mural by DC-based MISS CHELOVE, also known as Cita Sadeli. Titled Reseeded: A Forest Floor Flow, the 60-by-40-foot work (shown in a rendering) speaks to the resurgence of the natural world during the […]
Chronicling the life and work of American abstract artist Joan Mitchell, this retrospective presents paintings, pastels and works on paper. Viewers will discover the influence poetry and music had on the artist, who died in her adopted home of Paris in 1992.
Historical maps, prints and documents explore the complex relationship between the city and its adjacent rivers. Above: art from an 1866 publication, National Farm School for Children of Colored Soldiers and Colored Orphans.
The museum shines a light on the myths and legends surrounding subjects living on the fringes of society in early modern Japan. Works on view reflect on the virtues of […]
Visitors can experience five installations by Yayoi Kusama, who at 93 is still creating art in her native Tokyo. The show includes sculptures, an early painting, photographs and two of […]
This exhibit assembles more than 130 works including paintings, sculptures and photographs to reflect upon the African Diaspora since the 17th century. Artists from Africa, Europe, the Americas and the Caribbean are represented. Left: Into Bondage, a 1936 oil on canvas by Aaron Douglas.
Now in its 89th year, this event opens the doors of a handful of historic Georgetown homes and gardens. Attendees are invited to a tea reception at St. John’s Episcopal Church, which sponsors the tour. Proceeds support many of the church’s outreach programs. Photo: John Magor
Situated in the picturesque Shenandoah Valley, historic Burwell-Morgan Mill is transformed into an art gallery each year as more than 300 artists display their creations. Works on view include paintings, mixed media, sculpture, fine woodworking and pottery.
This triennial competition recognizes work that challenges traditional definitions of portraiture. Open to artists living and working in the U.S., this year’s contest received entries in a wide range of […]
A selection of works from the museum’s collection illuminates Henri Matisse’s ability to speak volumes about his subjects with a few simple lines. Pen-and-ink drawings, aquatints and bronzes reveal the artist’s shift from classical style to a more fluid treatment of the body. artbma.org
Seventeen local designers will transform 22 rooms in Oakdale, a 19th-century estate that once belonged to Maryland’s 45th governor, Edwin Warfield. Visitors can tour the revamped spaces and peruse a boutique, estate sale and art galleries. Situated on 180 acres, the property, including a manor house with an addition, is currently listed for sale at […]
An artist whose work focuses on the social history of plants, Beatrice Glow has turned her lens on tobacco and the repercussions of its trade. Digitally printed and embroidered silk textiles, 3D-printed objects and watercolors express both the decadent opulence and unsavory realities of the industry. artbma.org
Glass bowls by Kenny Pieper. More than 350 jury-selected craft artists display their work in a wide range of media, from ceramics, glass and jewelry to clothing, furniture and basketry. An online marketplace will accompany the show from May 16 to May 29.
Born in Pakistan and living in New York, Salman Toor upends tradition and outdated notions of power and sexuality in his work. This assemblage of 45 of his paintings and […]
The museum celebrates the late Washington-based abstractionist with an exhibit of his circular paintings, or tondos, created in 2021. Ranging from three to five feet in diameter, each starts with a beveled-wood panel on which the artist layers dense, vibrant pigments, sawdust and metal fragments to reveal a bold combination of colors and textures. Rail, […]
Hamiltonian Artists is a DC incubator that promotes the careers of emerging visual artists. This indoor-outdoor exhibit presents new work by seven Hamiltonian Artists’ fellows alongside pieces in the museum’s permanent collection to examine how subject matter and media shift over time. The new creations include video, mixed media, photography and sculpture (such as a […]
After studying fine arts at the Corcoran in DC and working under several Washington Color School artists in the ’80s and ’90s, Mokha Laget eventually moved to Santa Fe. The Katzen will display more than 40 of her abstract geometric expressions, from paintings and drawings to sculpture and lithographs. american.edu/cas/museum
More than 80 pieces of couture, accessories and photographs on loan from the Palace of Monaco shed light on the glamorous wardrobe of Princess Grace and her longstanding collaboration with […]
This exhibit displays drawings, paintings and sculptures by 43 seminal self-taught artists of the 20th century; it includes a painted work on cut-and-pieced sheet metal by David Butler (pictured). The […]
The gallery displays a selection of rare prints, engravings, etchings and woodcuts created in Northern Europe from 1450 to the 1600s. Originating in the region that now comprises Germany, Switzerland, Belgium and the Netherlands, the works on view are a testament to the creative masters of the period.
This exhibit is the first to examine the life of Joanna Hiffernan, a model who was depicted in many early works by James McNeill Whistler and who played an integral role in his life. An impoverished Irish immigrant living in London, she and the artist had a five-year romance. Later, she served as Whistler’s manager […]
Twenty works explore the evolving role of indigenous artists in the North American Arctic. The exhibit traces the transition from the ornate, ritualistic and utilitarian objects crafted for many generations […]
Through January 29, 2023 This show explores various brush techniques Japanese artists applied in their depictions of birds over several centuries. On view are hanging scroll paintings, folding screens, ceramics […]
Curated by Rebecca Cross of Cross MacKenzie Gallery, this exhibit of powerful ceramic sculptures created through accumulation and repetition demonstrates the principle: “out of many, one.” Pieces by eight artists […]
This installation blurs the lines between real and imagnary. Sculptures by Georgia Saxelby (pictured) and paintings by Devan Shimoyama explore alternate realities in a post-pandemic world where fantasy and imagination […]
More than two dozen works on paper by the French Fauvist artist celebrate the pomp and pageantry of British horse racing. Sketches of the famous Ascot course made by Dufy […]
Working in a range of media, seven Hamiltonian Artists Alumni mimic surfaces, spaces and objects, exploring the aesthetic possibilities of materials and textures.
In 2020, the museum acquired 40 works from the Souls Grown Deep Foundation—all created by Black artists who were seldom recognized for their contributions. Though many were made from recycled […]
Past meets present in this immersive exhibit that juxtaposes futuristic digital imagery with two paintings from the museum’s permanent collection. Drawing on disparate influences, from video games to Baroque architecture, Monaghan’s work poses provocative questions about consumerism and today’s technology-driven society.
Rather than working in a vacuum, many artists seek feedback and criticism from their peers. Eight pairings of works on view shed light on how artists support each other outside […]
This exhibit documents the buildings, parks and businesses that lined Washington’s historic promenade from the White House to the U.S. Capitol in the 19th century. Pictured: A depiction of President […]
John Singer Sargent traveled extensively throughout Spain, capturing its landscapes, marine scenes, street life and architecture in his work. This exhibit assembles more than 120 of the artist’s oils, drawing and watercolors—including Camprodón, c.1892, pictured—that depict the wonders of Spain and its people. nga.gov
Consumers will be treated to a personalized design experience during the American Society of Interior Designers Washington Metro Chapter’s first annual Makeover Day. Participants will not only receive a 45-minute consultation with an ASID designer but also enjoy seminars, showroom tours and lunch. Partial proceeds from the $125 admission fee benefit wishuponateen.org and ASID educational […]
Mysteries have long surrounded the acclaimed 17th-century Dutch master’s process and technique. During covid closures, National Gallery researchers performed a deep study of the museum’s four Vermeer paintings, as well as two 19th-century forgeries, using advanced imaging technology. This exhibit shares their findings.
Now in its 40th year, this popular event showcases an array of furniture, American and European silver, art, Asian antiquities, porcelain, Americana, antique and estate jewelry, glass, textiles, contemporary fine crafts and more. baltimorefallshow.com
The museum shares the work of six winning teams that participated in a three-year, $20 million initiative to find innovative ways to close the economic gap in the affordable-housing market. […]
This Baltimore exhibition focuses on the joy of the here-and-now with more than 200 daring works created by self-taught artists using found or discarded materi- als. The show promotes the […]
Closed to visitors for renovation, the museum continues to engage patrons with online content as well as displays on its exterior. In her first U.S. installation, Austrian artist Katharina Cibulka […]
Addressing themes surrounding climate change, this hour-long video features new and archival footage of disappearing landscapes from Greenland and Alaska to the Tahitian peninsula. Created by London-based artist and filmmaker […]
The Rubell Museum DC, a new venue dedicated to contemporary art, has opened in a reinvigorated 1906 building in Southwest DC that once housed Randall Junior High. Its inaugural exhibit honors the late Marvin Gaye, an alumnus of the school, and his 1971 album, “What’s Going On,” which voiced powerful commentary on issues of its day. […]
Participants can peruse seven stunning Reston homes on this annual, self-guided tour. Proceeds benefit the Reston Museum.
Modern design buffs will will get a very unique look into the homes of the architects, designers, and builders that created them on this self-guided tour. Organized by the Modern Architecture + Design Society and local partner/sponsor listModern, this tour invites guests to explore some of the area’s most spectacular modern homes. Architects, designers, and […]
Italian artist Giuseppe De Nittis, who was very much a part of the Paris art scene in the 1870s and ’80s, is known for his detailed realism. The Phillips unveils paintings from all periods of his career, including The Place du Carrousel: The Ruins of the Tuileries (pictured). Work by some of his comrades, including […]
This assemblage of paintings on paper and cloth created between 1700 and 1900 celebrates the palaces, lakes and mountains of Udaipur, a city in northwestern India, illustrating the region’s cultural […]
The first exhibition outside of Italy to be dedicated to this 15th-century master displays some 75 of his creations, from large-scale narrative paintings to drawings that once graced the homes of Venetian elite.
Charm City icon John Waters bequeathed 372 objects from his art collection to the Baltimore Museum of Art in 2020. This exhibit reveals about 90 of the works, including paintings, […]
Matisse has long inspired contemporary artist Stanley Whitney, who was commissioned to create stained-glass windows for the BMA. This exhibit explores parallels between the artists’ work. Several Matisse prints—including The […]
The BMA shines a light on Senegal-born Omar Ba, who explores the notion of power through paintings, modular works and a site-specific mural. The artist portrays a range of people […]
During his short career, New York-based Darrel Ellis redefined Black male identity and family through his complex paintings, drawings and photography. This show presents 60 works on paper plus archival materials that chronicle the life and work of the mixed-media artist, who died in 1992 at age 33 of an AIDS-related illness.
Local designers partner with showrooms to create festive tabletops and seasonal décor. A party on December 6 kicks off the celebration; displays remain on view through the 16th. Home & Design is the media sponsor of the event, which benefits Children’s National Hospital. Pictured from last year's Fete: A stunning table by Myron Wolman in […]
This immersive, 10-screen film installation by Sir Isaac Julien focuses on 19th- century abolitionist Frederick Douglass and the influences of technology and images on human relations. Spanning space and time, the display interweaves Douglass’ speeches and writings with reenactments of his travels around the globe.
Charles Lang Freer, patron of the museum’s Freer Gallery, was intrigued by ancient Egypt. He visited the country three times, collecting works ranging from glass vessels to amulets and a Byzantine jewelry set, many of which will be on view for the first time in this exhibit. asia.si.edu
For centuries, some of the most ambitious and compelling art in Europe was painted on ceilings in styles ranging from Baroque to Neoclassical. The National Gallery spotlights 30 examples of remarkable ceiling decoration, from preliminary studies to large-scale models.
This immersive installation combines thousands of fine chromatic yellow and blue threads to create a color scheme that the eyes and mind cannot perceive. In what she calls an “imaginary, mysterious, unnamed space,” the multi-media artist pushes viewers to contemplate the divine—which, like these colors, she says, “is unnamable, untouchable, intangible.”
For 20 years, The Trawick Prize has recognized exceptional artists in DC, Maryland and Virginia. The Katzen celebrates 18 past prize-winners with a showing of their work in sculpture, painting, mixed media, film and more.
This ground-breaking show is not only the first major exhibition of Aboriginal Australian bark-painting in the U.S., it’s also the largest display of Aboriginal Australian art to be seen in the Western Hemisphere in 30 years. The Yolngu people in northern Australia’s Yirrkala region tell stories about the interconnectedness of man, animals and the land; […]
The Hirshhorn focuses on Chinese photography’s recent shift away from realism and toward conceptual art. The 186 images on view, made between 1993 and 2022, reveal how Chinese artists have independently embraced the immediacy of print and digital photography, recorded performance and video art.
Originally trained as a classical pianist, Linling Lu creates exuberant works of art inspired by the properties of sound. For this solo show, she created a series of abstract paintings that translate the musical notes of Philip Glass’ Etude no. 16 into spatial configurations, shown in the artist’s trademark rings of brightly colored, concentric circles.
Like the first installation of this exhibit, which remains on view through January 29, the second part also presents portraits by Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Brian Lanker of Black women who changed America. Subjects include seminal figures such as Cicely Tyson, tennis champion Althea Gibson (pictured) and Oprah Winfrey.
Léon Bonvin (1834-1866) is known for his exquisite watercolors, inspired by Japanese prints, photography and trends of the day. Following the French artist’s tragic suicide, Baltimore patron William Walters began to acquire Bonvin’s paintings, amassing what became the largest collection of his work in existence; Walters’ son later bequeathed the collection to the city of […]
An accomplished businesswoman and legendary arts patron, Hillwood founder Marjorie Merriweather Post applauded female artists and designers. Hillwood displays art and objects from its collection that depict women whom Post admired, along with work created by women—from an 18th-century Fabergé pencil holder to a 1790 French painting of Princess Elizabeth (pictured).
The museum presents a stunning array of antique Islamic prayer rugs collected around the globe from Ottoman Turkey to Mughal India. Exploring the spiritual meaning behind the rugs’ iconic motifs, the show also offers comparisons to Jewish traditions.
A major retrospective surveys the 50-year career of modern artist Philip Guston (1930 to 1980). Some 110 paintings and 115 drawings on view run the spectrum from figurative and abstract […]
Now in its 46th year, this craft show will host more than 350 artists displaying handmade treasures. Attendees can browse basketry, ceramics, furniture, fiber art and works in wood and […]
In this collection of newly acquired work, 25 modern and contemporary artists reveal their emotional and spiritual selves. Taken as a whole, the pieces on view illustrate the power of […]
This novel exhibit explores how the materials and methods artists employ in their work evoke history, memory and meaning among viewers. Paintings, sculptures, photographs, drawings, prints and textiles are among […]
Approximately 80 recently acquired watercolors and drawings in the museum’s permanent collection provide a vast overview of British art created over two centuries. The display features portraits, landscapes, historic scenes […]
Commemorating hip hop’s 50th anniversary, this exhibit surveys the cultural, conceptual and aesthetic attributes that have made the art form a global phenomenon. Ninety works by famed contemporary artists such […]
Twenty-nine tours will take place throughout Virginia during this annual event, sponsored by the Garden Club of Virginia. Among them: a walking tour in Old Town Alexandria and visits to […]
Now in its 90th year, this spring event offers participants a glimpse into some of Georgetown’s most spectacular homes and gardens. A parish tea at St. John’s Episcopal Church follows […]
April 23, ongoing Featuring some 500 objects from The Walters’ permanent collection, this landmark exhibition illuminates both Asian and Islamic art traditions dating back thousands of years. The historical examples […]
Marking the 125th anniversary of the Spanish-American War, this exhibit examines the rise of the U.S. as an empire through the lens of portraiture and visual culture. More than 90 […]
In the 1990s, Drexciya, a Detroit-based techno duo, imagined an underwater kingdom populated by the offspring of pregnant women who were either pushed or jumped overboard during voyages of the […]
Now in its 41st year, the Smithsonian Craft Show will display creations by 120 artists representing all facets of craft and design, from ceramics and basketry to glass, jewelry, furniture, […]
When they envisioned Washington’s architectural profile, America’s Founding Fathers and subsequent leaders frequently invoked Greek and Roman styles as a link to America’s political roots. This exhibit explores depictions of […]
Martha Jackson Jarvis’ great-great-great-great grandfather, Luke Valentine, was a free Black militiaman who served during the Revolutionary War. In a series of 13 large abstract works on paper, the multi-media […]
This retrospective celebrates the 50-year career of Robert Houle (Saulteaux Anishinaabe, Sandy Bay First Nation). Embracing Western and Indigenous artistic traditions, Houle pays homage to the earth, the sacred and […]
Lego lovers of all ages will delight in an around-the-world tour featuring reproductions of 37 iconic structures and places made entirely of Lego bricks. Edinburgh-based artist Warren Elsmore constructed the […]
Italian Neoclassical sculptor Antonio Canova (1757–1822) started each of his masterpieces in marble by producing a model in clay. More than 30 of some 60 surviving clay sketches shed light on the artist’s creative process.
The Renwick Invitational showcases mid-career and emerging artists deserving wider national recognition. Jurors selected six Native American artists for the 2023 exhibit, which examines the honors and burdens facing Native artists as they express their cultural traditions. Creations on display by Joe Feddersen, Lily Hope, Ursala Hudson, Erica Lord, Geo Neptune and Maggie Thompson address […]
This retrospective commemorates the life and work of artist and educator Benjamin Wigfall (1930–2017) in his native Richmond. After launching his career, Wigfall studied at Hampton University and Yale and later became a professor at State University of New York (SUNY), New Paltz. It was there that he founded his studio, Communications Village, as a […]
This show explores the powerful connection between video art and music, showcasing 29 time-based installations by 10 award-winning creators. Harnessing genres from hip-hop and jazz to spirituals and lullabies, the works explore personal and universal themes that form a commentary on contemporary life. This is the museum’s first fully accessible exhibition, designed in conjunction with […]
A text-and-image-based installation by New York conceptual artist Jessica Diamond offers a commentary on American culture and commercialism. Thirteen new wall drawings play off two of Diamond’s preexisting works.
The museum spotlights a 12-panel screen depicting women in an imperial palace during the Han dynasty. Visitors will learn about the 1672 screen’s meaning and manufacture as well as about recent conservation efforts to bring its intricate beauty back to life.
The rise of stylized, mass-produced posters in late-19th-century Europe and America blurred the lines between fine and applied art. Works by top French, Belgian, Viennese and American artists emphasized natural beauty in the flowing lines and flourishing patterns of the Art Nouveau movement. These posters represent early depictions of women as fashionable, independent individuals and […]
The Washington Metro Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) hosts this annual consumer event. Attendees can join seminars, tour Design Center showrooms and register for one-on-one consultations with professional designers.
By expressing the personal stories and experiences of makers and their communities, quilts often illuminate historical events and cultural trends. Drawn from the collection of New York’s American Folk Art Museum, creations on display range from traditional early-American quilts to contemporary sculptural assemblages. museum.
Mounted in partnership with Hemphill Artworks, this exhibition shines a light on Washington-based artist Steven Cushner, showcasing 34 small-scale works on paper, woodcut prints and large paintings.
DC artist Franklin White has spent the past two decades in Merida, Venezuela, enamored by its scenery and traditions. The Katzen presents a selection of White’s expansive oil pastels on handmade paper, depicting the mountain village’s natural beauty.
This exhibition focuses on sculptures by Rachel Rotenberg created using cedar planks and other materials. The artist, notes the Katzen, “has managed to build works on a heroic scale without sacrificing intimacy.”
Science and imagination collide in a mind-bending video experience developed in collaboration with NASA. Exploring light as a thread connecting history, science and technology, the show reimagines cutting-edge processes and discoveries, including newly analyzed galactical data captured by the James Webb Space Telescope.
The museum reflects on the career and work of late African American artist Alma Thomas, who was born in the Jim Crow South but spent most of her life in […]
Pieces by some 50 living Native American artists are a testament to indigenous survival and knowledge of the land. Works on view run the gamut from weaving and sculpture to beading, painting and more.
The museum displays more than 200 objects illustrating the integral role women played in the development of art, culture and commerce over four centuries. This vast display of royal portraits, devotional sculpture, tapestries, printed books, drawings, metalwork, ceramics and furniture made by both acclaimed and amateur women artists dispels the belief of the time that […]
The Modern Architecture + Design Society and listModern host a celebration of residential modern architecture and design. From DC to Arlington and McLean to Chevy Chase, come see the inside and out of some of DMV's most unique modern homes; meet the local architects, designers, and builders that created the homes; and find some inspiration […]
Featuring more than 70 creations by 50 artists, this exhibition explores art networks and exchanges between Africa and the U.S. during the postwar period. Organized into four parts, it reveals the depth of experimentation and diverse artistic practices that emerged in Africa in those years and the connections that challenged academic assumptions and biases.
Inaugurating its new modern and contemporary galleries, the museum spotlights the photographic work of Park Chan-kyong—the Korean artist’s first solo exhibit at a major U.S. institution. Visually powerful still and […]
