This exhibition examines portraits of women by Camille Corot, a 19th-century French artist best known for his landscape paintings. Corot, who bridged France’s neoclassical era and Impressionist movement, influenced modernist […]
Thick, gestural brushstrokes and loose bands of color characterize Irish artist Sean Scully ’s acclaimed “Landline” series, now making its U.S. debut. The series spans a variety of media,including watercolor, […]
Photographs, sculptures, drawings and documentary materials form this extensive survey of the works British sculptor Rachel Whiteread created during her 30-year career. Whiteread’s pieces chart the transition from late 20th- to early 21st-century living through the memorialization of everyday objects and public spaces.
Los Angeles-born artist Mark Bradford mines the universe, Greek mythology and his own personal life in monumental abstract collages made of paper and scavenged materials such as billboards, fliers and graffiti. The exhibit explores the artist’s interpretations of identity and the embodiment of abstraction.
The introduction of the printing press and photography in the 19th century challenged traditional Japanese woodblock printmakers to adapt their craft. This exhibit examines the fall and resurrection of this ancient art form as artists became influenced by the challenges of modernity.
The Walters will display nearly 250 Chinese snuff bottles delicately crafted from stone, porcelain, lacquer and precious metals during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Reflecting the artistic virtuosity of their designers, these vessels once held a mix of tobacco leaves, spices and herbs.
A pop-up couture show and sale invites visitors to view and purchase wearable art in a reimagined, fashion-forward presentation of clothing, jewelry and accessories. More than 60 designers and artists from across the country will participate.
Azerbaijani artist Faig Ahmed creates striking, woven carpets that challenge conventional patterns. This exhibit debuts his new works and installations inspired by ancient Peruvian textiles in the museum’s collection and by the artist’s field research in Peru and Mexico.
The first major retrospective of avant garde director John Waters ’ visual art in his hometown of Baltimore brings together more than 160 photographs, sculptures, sound works and videos made since the early 1990s—all presented with his trademark renegade humor.
This survey of Nordic art displays works by 54 artists—many of them women—in genres ranging from landscape and portraiture to abstract and conceptual. Artists include Edvard Munch and Anders Zorn.
Members of the remodeling and home-improvement community converge at the annual Home & Garden Show, where attendees may purchase handmade crafts and gifts, or simply find inspiration for their home projects. The show will include an appearance by “MasterChef” Season 7 champion, Shaun O’Neale.
This museum-wide event features floral designs inspired by works in the VMFA collection. The festivities kick off with Kaleidoscope of Flowers, a gala in the museum’s atrium; on subsequent days, guest speakers, luncheons, guided tours and workshops are part of the mix.
While tattoos and piercings are commonplace today, body modifications in the ancient Americas were invested with spiritual transcendence. This exhibit explores these traditions via works spanning 1200 BCE to 1500 CE, illuminating the artistic metamorphosis of body and spirit.
This exhibit at The American Association for the Advancement of Science in Washington presents paintings and drawings inspired by astronomy, biology, physics and spectra. The show largely focuses on the work of artist Jody Rasch, who uses science images to look beyond what we see in the macro world of our daily lives and challenges […]
Korean artist Yun Suknam, a pioneering feminist, creates portraits of women past and present. Anchored by a wood assemblage portrait of her mother, this exhibition also features paintings of American artists such as Louise Bourgeois, Louise Nevelson, Kiki Smith and more.
This exhibit focuses on works on paper by Pakistani-American artist Ambreen Butt, who applies traditional Persian miniature painting to contemporary subject matter.
This exhibit examines the ways in which Japanese artists from the Momoyama and Edo periods (1573-1868) reimagined classical narratives and poetry dating back nearly 1000 years to the Heian period (794-1185). Handscrolls, hanging scrolls and albums are on view.
Mexican-Canadian artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer is known for blurring the lines between art and technology. In his DC debut, he has designed hypnotic audiovisual installations that measure and incorporate visitors’ own biometric data, from heart rates to fingerprints, to examine the notions of anonymity and community.
This exhibit sheds light on the methods behind chiaroscuro printmaking—an art form that flourished in 16th-century Italy. Artists interpreted works by masters of their time, such as Titian and Raphael, creating color prints using a succession of wood blocks.
During the 18th century, the French word toilette came to signify the pampered process of dressing. This exhibit from Hillwood’s collection features elegant period accoutrements for the toilette such as jewelry boxes, brushes, combs, cosmetic pots and perfume bottles. Costumes and prints on loan illustrate these luxurious rituals.
The first museum retrospective of Cuban artist Zilia Sánchez examines her prolific career, spanning nearly 70 years. About 65 paintings, works on paper, shaped canvases, sculptural pieces and ephemera trace Sánchez’s artistic journey from Cuba to Europe, New York and finally to Puerto Rico, where she now lives and works.
This juried craft show presents handmade works by more than 650 jewelry, clothing and home-décor artisans from around the country. “Let’s Make” sessions will offer attendees an opportunity to interact with local artists, observe demos and enjoy hands-on learning, while “Hip Pop,” will introduce emerging artists.
This exhibit spotlights 25 paintings done by American artist Oliver Lee Jackson during the last 15 years. The large-scale pieces—some of which have never been shown publicly—depict black figures against bright, abstract compositions. Jackson’s influences range from the Renaissance to modernism and are inspired by his study of African cultures and American jazz.
Section 14 refers to an area of downtown Palm Springs, California that was the site of a land battle that lasted from the 1940s to the 1960s between developers and Native Americans who resided there because the land was part of their reservation. This exhibition sheds light on the conflict through photographs, documents and plans.
The brainchild of a women-led collective of five artists, this digital installation celebrates spring with interactive, visual and environmental experiences revolving around DC’s cherry blossom season.
A gift from dedicated contemporary-art collectors Mary and Paul Roberts, 35 post-War works on paper are on view by such significant American artists as Ellsworth Kelly, Richard Diebenkorn, Jasper Johns, Sol LeWitt, Louise Lawler and Gerhard Richter. Drawings, photographs and prints explore politics and personal identity.
The activist and ceramicist Roberto Lugo has masterminded the first installation in the Walters’ nearby annex, 1 West Mount Vernon Place in Baltimore. Lugo, who aims to illustrate his experience as an artist of color, adorns traditional forms with contemporary likenesses, including those of Frederick Douglass and Freddie Gray.
An enduring slice of Americana, the basketball hoop is the subject of 75 large-format prints on display by photographer Bill Bamberger. His images capture hoops of every kind across the globe, from urban, graffiti-covered courts to the playgrounds of South Africa.
The National Building Museum mined its collection of 320,000 objects related to the built environment to put on this exhibit of architectural objects depicting animals as decorative elements. Sketches, sculptures, architectural drawings and decorative plaster molds are among the many treasures to be showcased.
Participants on this popular, self-guided tour can visit custom homes and renovations completed by top area builders and developers. Proceeds benefit HomeAid Northern Virginia, which connects regional builders with non-profits to combat homelessness in the region.
The works of 130 artists from around the country are on display during this annual event, where creations range from glass, furniture and ceramics to paintings, photography and jewelry. Live entertainment and cuisine from Bethesda’s top restaurants are also on offer.
Indian artist Ranjani Shettar’s “Earth Songs for a Night Sky” is part of The Phillips Collection’s series on the intersection between old and new in art, materials and techniques. Shettar’s hand-carved wood sculptures and installations respond to Sounds, a book of woodcuts by Wassily Kandinsky, and paintings by Paul Klee from the museum’s collection.
Museum founder Charles Lang Freer amassed the world’s largest collection of watercolors by James McNeill Whistler, most of which have never left the confines of the Freer. More than 50 are now on display, including figures, landscapes, nocturnes and interiors.
This is the first exhibit to highlight how animals have been represented in Japanese art over the past 16 centuries. The assemblage of 315 works focuses on a wide variety of media, including sculpture, painting, lacquerwork, ceramics, textiles, woodblocking and metal, by luminaries such as Yayoi Kusama, Issey Miyake and Murakami Takashi.
This exhibition showcases designs for DC landmarks that never made it past the planning stages. Discover unbuilt concepts for Memorial Bridge, the Washington Monument and more through historical prints and paintings from the museum’s Albert H. Small Washingtoniana Collection.
Sculptor and glass artist Ginny Ruffner combines traditional glasswork with augmented-reality technology to create an interactive experience. Viewers download an app that superimposes digital information over colorless glass tree stumps, then watch the sculptures “grow” mythical flora and fauna through the AR lens.
Through August 30 • This year’s exhibition of recent acquisitions showcases 25 new portraits of individuals who have influenced history and culture in the U.S. Subjects include Morgan Freeman, Audrey Hepburn and composer Philip Glass; depictions of 2019 American Portrait Gala honorees such as Philip Glass (left), Jeff Bezos and Anna Wintour are also on […]
The Art Nouveau movement experienced a boom at the end of the 19th century, popularizing works by Scottish artist, architect and designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh, who was part of an enclave of Glaswegian artists. This collection of 165 furniture pieces, textiles, posters, drawings and ceramics explores the impact of Mackintosh and Glasgow Style.
After the Corcoran Gallery of Art closed its doors in 2014, American University acquired nearly 9,000 works from its collection. Taking cues from the museum’s late, unconventional director Walter Hopps, 18 AU graduate students curated this exhibit of 87 pieces from the Corcoran Legacy Collection, dividing them into five sub-groups and juxtaposing them in provocative […]
Drawing from the gallery’s permanent collection, this exhibit traces the history of pastels from their Renaissance origins to the present day. Seventy works are on display, some for the first time, by luminaries including Claude Monet, Edgar Degas and James McNeill Whistler.
This exhibit celebrates women artists whose work reflects major 20th-century movements, from Cubism to Abstract Modernism. Georgia O’Keeffe, Maria Martinez, Grace Turnbull and Grace Hartigan are among those whose paintings, sculptures and decorative arts are showcased.
The DC/Maryland/Virginia area (DMV) is home to a rich community of women artists of color. This exhibit in the museum’s library showcases their eclectic, contemporary work, including books, graphic novels, photography and zines exploring themes of slavery, immigration and family life.
Collectors Barbara and Aaron Levine recently made a gift to the Hirshhorn encompassing more than 50 historical artworks—including 35 by French-American icon Marcel Duchamp, who pioneered the use of everyday objects in 20th-century art. This exhibit of Duchamp’s most famous ready-made sculptures, drawings and prints shares space with works by contemporaries whom he inspired.
More than 150 contemporary artists from across the country will gather in Main Street Station’s renovated train shed in downtown Richmond to showcase their ceramic, wood, metal, glass, mixed-media and wearable crafts.
While celebrated Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai is best known for his iconic woodblock print The Great Wave off the Coast of Kanagawa, he created thousands of works during his long life. Charles Lang Freer assembled the world’s largest collection of Hokusai’s prints, paintings and drawings, many of which will be on view in this yearlong […]
Japanese American artist Chiura Obata married East and West by depicting American landmarks like the Grand Canyon and Yosemite using Japanese calligraphic brushstrokes and washes of color. More than 100 of Obata’s sketches, woodblock prints, hanging scrolls and personal effects will be on display, many for the first time.
Ongoing • This unique exhibit celebrates African heroes through tales of human accomplishment that reflect the continent’s trials and triumphs. Pulled from the museum’s permanent collection, each of the nearly 50 works of art on display is paired with an historic African individual who embodies the values reflected in the selected work. africa.si.edu
In 19th- and 20th-century sub-Saharan Africa, artistic expression was divided by gender, with men glorifying leaders in wood and metalwork while women employed textiles, beads, jewelry and more for everyday creations. This exhibit of 24 pieces from the BMA’s collection demonstrates the critical role women played in shaping African social identity. artbma.org
The museum hosts its 14th annual market, displaying crafts by more than 30 Native American artists. Visitors can purchase silver and semi-precious jewelry, ceramics, apparel, woven baskets, traditional beadwork, dolls, paintings, prints and sculpture, made by hand in traditional and contemporary styles.
The Maryland Historical Society in Baltimore taps into its archive of costumes, clothing and accessories for an exhibit spanning four centuries. Hermès, Pierre Cardin and “Project Runway” alum Christian Siriano are among the designers featured; fashion pieces, rooted in the state’s history, have connections to former slaves, presidents and royalty. mdhs.org
Through February 9 • Six women photographers chronicle Iran’s social and political realities in this timely show. On view are images by Hengameh Golestan, who documented women protestors following the 1979 revolution; work by Newsha Tavakolian, Shadi Ghadirian, Malekeh Nayiny, Gohar Dashti and Mitra Tabrizian explores themes of defiance, memory, home and displacement in modern […]
Known for tonal compositions featuring solitary female figures, turn-of-the-20th-century American painter Thomas Wilmer Dewing was part of a bustling network of collectors and art dealers. This exhibition explores the influence of Dewing’s friendships and social life, supplementing his art with archival photography. asia.si.edu
In the 17th and 18th centuries, wealthy families decorated banquet tables with extravagant centerpieces made of sugar and fine porcelain. Displayed in the Hillwood House dining room, an elaborate centerpiece by present-day Dutch artist Bouke de Vries reinterprets these sculptures with seven vignettes made of sugar, porcelain and pieces of plastic toys—all ironically depicting an […]
The 20th century marked a shift in studio craft from practical to avant-garde. This display of embroidery, ceramics and jewelry by innovative mid-century American artists includes pieces by such craftspeople as Baltimore-based metalsmith Betty Cooke and the multinational textile artist Mariska Karasz.
More than 40 dealers from the U.S. and Europe will display their wares during this annual antiques show. Dubbed “Iconic George!,” the event includes an exhibit of George Washington-themed decorative arts from the Winterthur Museum. A preview gala, designer panels and dealer talks will also take place. washingtonwintershow.org
Fashioned out of jade, agate, onyx, amethyst, lapis and other semiprecious stones, about 100 decorative objects from the Marjorie Merriweather Post estate will be on display at Hillwood. The collection includes a chalice commissioned by Catherine the Great, a Fabergé snuff box and a Florentine mosaic tabletop.
Influential Washington, DC, artist Robert Franklin Gates (1906-1982) was a muralist, painter, printmaker, draftsman—and an American University professor of art for more than 40 years. This exhibit, featuring works in watercolor, oil-on-canvas and more, spans Gates’ career.
A solo show of American artist Ellen Lesperance’s work features gouache paintings based on clothing worn by women activists, warriors and cultural figures. The exhibit reveals seven pieces from the artist’s ongoing “Greenham Common Women’s Peace Camp” series, inspired by garments worn at the end of the last century by feminists protesting U.S. nuclear weapons […]
Organized by the Arab World Institute and UNESCO, this virtual exhibition takes viewers to three Middle Eastern cities: Palmyra and Aleppo in Syria and Mosul in Iraq. All three have been recently devastated by war; this exhibit intends to preserve them for future generations via large-scale projections and digital reconstructions of iconic monuments and ancient […]
Painting en plein air was a popular trend during the late 18th and early 19th centuries, when intrepid artists journeyed to breathtaking European spots to practice their craft outdoors. This collection of around 100 oil sketches from the period includes works by Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, John Constable and more. nga.gov
GWU undergraduate students curated this exhibit of letters, prints, maps and other artifacts from the Albert H. Small Washingtoniana Collection. Their selection showcases George Washington’s life through the places that shaped him: Mount Vernon, Alexandria and Washington, DC. museum. gwu.edu
Before becoming an artist, modernist Moira Dryer was a set designer for the avant-garde theater company Mabou Mines. This exhibition of 26 of her paintings and sculptures considers how Dryer’s theatrical roots influenced her work; photographs and personal notes provide context. phillipscollection.org
More than 600 jewelry, clothing, furniture and home-décor artisans from across the country gather at this annual juried marketplace to showcase their contemporary, handcrafted wares. craftcouncil.org
This landmark exhibition spotlights the artistic achievements of more than 115 Native American women from the U.S. and Canada. The collection of 81 works spans antiquity to the present and features a variety of media including textiles, beadwork, sculpture, paintings and photography. americanart.si.edu
This extensive exhibit brings together thousands of textile fragments, garments, rugs and other works of art assembled over a lifetime by the prolific collector and philanthropist Lloyd Cotsen, who was fascinated by indigenous cultures and vanishing artistic traditions around the world.
For the past 50 years, influential Latin American photographer Graciela Iturbide has employed black-and-white gelatin silver prints to create powerful, visceral images of her native Mexico. This exhibit of 140 photographs documents indigenous Mexican cultures and customs, from exuberant fiestas to processions honoring the dead. nmwa.org
This exhibit showcases works by 20th- and 21st-century African American artists alongside those of early-20th-century European modernists with whom they engaged, exploring the friction and connections among them. Pieces by Romare Bearden, Renee Cox and Carrie Mae Weems, for example, are juxtaposed with works by Kandinsky, Matisse and Picasso, among others. 76.137
The National Gallery pays tribute to the Paris Opéra’s 350th anniversary with an exhibit of around 100 works by Edgar Degas, who was known for his compelling depictions of the group’s dancers, singers and musicians both on stage and behind the scenes. Paintings, pastels, drawings, prints and sculpture are all part of the mix.
Bobby Berk is coming to Belfort Furniture, Sunday, March 1 at 2pm. This award winning interior designer and member of the Fab 5 from Netlfix's "Queer Eye" will be on-site for a conversation on design and to launch his exclusive new furniture collection in partnership with A.R.T. Furniture. Door prizes, refreshments, much more. The event […]
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 paintings, sculptures, maps and artifacts by Peale, George Catlin, Frederic […]
This exhibit of modern Japanese painting and calligraphy, from the Mary and Cheney Cowles Collection, showcases works by Japanese painter Tomioka Tessai (1836-1924), who studied the art of ancient Japan and that of China’s Ming and Qing dynasties. He developed an idiosyncratic style emphasizing a shared East Asian cultural fabric that feels relevant today.
Following the blockbuster 2017 exhibition “Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors,” the Hirshhorn Museum will showcase new acquisitions by the visionary Japanese artist with installations already in its permanent collection. Among the additions: “Infinity Mirror Room—Phalli’s Field” (now one of three infinity rooms belonging to the Hirshhorn); a more recent room installation, on view for the first […]
Notable Georgetown homes will be open to visitors for the 89th annual Georgetown House Tour. The event will include a parish tea and a panel discussion with Waterworks co-founder Barbara Sallick on her new book, The Perfect Kitchen, and DC architect Christian Zapatka, who designed some of the homes on the tour.
Occupying the whole of The Walters’ annex, 1 West Mount Vernon Place, this exhibit of vibrant majolica ceramics features immersive installations on each floor—including a recreation of a Victorian parlor, reflecting the era in which majolica was first introduced. Three hundred fifty pieces will be displayed around themes of food, fashion, immigration and labor.
The National Gallery pays tribute to the Paris Opéra’s 350th anniversary with an exhibit of around 100 works by Edgar Degas, who was known for his compelling depictions of the company’s dancers, singers and musicians against the backdrop of stage and backstage locales. Paintings, pastels, drawings, prints and sculpture are all part of the mix. […]
More than 25 designers will transform a new, two-story, 9,600-square-foot house in McLean (left) into a show house open for on-site tours (Wednesday through Sunday) as well as virtual visits. Designed by Harrison Design and built by Artisan Builders, the five-bedroom, five-bath residence features a billiard room, cinema and wine bar. Participating designers are Alaina […]
The sixth installation of the Women to Watch series demonstratesthe transformation of paper into complex works of art. Pieces by 22 emerging and under-represented artists from around the world will show what can be done when paper is cut, folded, torn, burned or embossed. Creations include a striking installation (left) by Angela Glajcar. nmwa.org
Fresh out of art school in 1906, Edward Hopper spent a year in Paris and subsequently made several trips to France. On loan from the Whitney, 11 works created during this period depict street scenes and landscapes that foretell elements which would characterize the artist’s mature body of work. phillipscollection.org
Raising the specter of how viewers experience art, Grosse will take over the central gallery of the museum’s Contemporary Wing with five of her exuberant, large-scale paintings enveloping its walls. The German artist will also create a piece in situ. artbma.org
In their depiction of the female form, central African artists in the 19th and early 20th centuries often paid homage to motherhood and the pivotal role women played as the pillars of family and morality. This exhibit assembles nearly 40 objects including monumental headdresses and sculptures of mythic female figures. artbma.org
A collection of murals displayed on the museum’s west lawn was created in response to last summer’s social-justice protests in Washington and beyond; six additional murals celebrate the life of the late civil rights champion U.S. Representative John Lewis. Murals on view in DC’s Gallery Place neighborhood are also part of the show. nbm.org
Responding to a population emerging into the world after a period of hibernation, the museum has mounted a show of 20 photographs from its collection that explore nature in all of its complexity. Works by 11 women photographers are on view, including For the Last Tree by Mwangi Hutter. nmwa.org
Visitors to this Richmond venue can peruse nearly 300 artifacts salvaged from the lost Egyptian cities of Thonis-Heracleion and Canopus, which flooded more than 1,000 years ago. The exhibit spotlights jewelry and coins, utilitarian and ritual objects, colossal statues and more. vmfa.museum
Nearly 100 oil sketches created en plein air capture scenes ranging from a simmering Mount Vesuvius to tumultuous seas along the Baltic coast. Notable 18th- and 19th-century luminaries such as Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot and Richard Parkes Bonington (above) are represented. nga.gov
This exhibit spans the 60-year career of Baltimore-based sculptor and printmaker Valerie Maynard. A highlight is her seminal “No Apartheid” series from the 1980s and 1990s, which combines varied artistic techniques. artbma.org
This exhibit chronicles the rise of Chicano graphics amid the 1960s social-justice movement that led to new political and cultural consciousness among people of Mexican descent in the U.S. Also on view, current works trace how Chicanx artists have adapted those methods and messages for today. americanart.si.edu
Built in the eighth century, the Tokaido Road connecting present-day Tokyo to Kyoto had become a well-traveled thoroughfare by the early 1600s. Artist Utagawa Hiroshige’s woodblock prints depicting landmarks along this 320-mile passageway, first published in 1833, later became one of Japan’s most iconic print series. Twelve of these prints are on view, providing viewers […]
Since the mid-1800s, Black craftswomen in Gee’s Bend, Alabama, have fashioned worn clothing, sacks and other fabric remnants into one-of-a-kind quilts. The Baltimore Museum of Art recently acquired five quilts by Gee’s Bend artists; four of these will be on view in the American Wing’s Berman Textile Gallery. artbma.org
This virtual, participatory exhibit combines the work of nine artists with submissions from the public, all of which will examine women’s role in providing sustenance and healing. The artists will share their own kitchen tables via photos, videos and stories that depict food as a creative medium; cooking-related submissions from the public will be layered […]
Ukranian-born artist Vladimir Kanevsky began his career as an architect before moving to the U.S. in 1989. After designing porcelain tableware for a project, he switched gears and wound up pursuing his fascination with botany as a flower sculptor. During winter’s throes, a profusion of the artist’s creations will bloom at Hillwood Museum. Each petal […]
This exhibit commemorates Mexican and Central American independence from Spain while exploring cultural exchanges between indigenous and European peoples. Perusing 19 works of art including books, gold adornments and ceramic vessels, viewers can reflect on the vibrant societies that once flourished in what today are Mexico and Central America. thewalters.org
This exhibit focuses on 15 large-scale landscapes by contemporary painter Lisa Yuskavage. Noted for their exuberant, ethereal flair, the works encourage viewers to immerse themselves in the mysterious worlds Yuskavage creates. artbma.org
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 other items used in their creation, these portraits make bold statements about African identity. Pictured: A portrait of actress Genevieve Nnaji.
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 these misfits who rejected societal norms.
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 the artist’s ground-breaking Infinity Mirror Rooms. One of these, called Infinity Mirrored Room—My Heart is Dancing into the Universe (pictured), is lined with reflective surfaces […]
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 media, from painting and photography to sculpture and performance art. npg.si.edu
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 works on paper made between 2019 and 2022—some for this exhibit—weaves together motifs from historical works and 21st-century events.
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 Marc Bohan, the one-time artistic director at House of Dior.
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 creations—most recent or promised gifts from the Robson family—encourage viewers to see the world through the eyes of others. americanart.si.edu
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 to present-day model kayaks and cribbage boards created for non-Native markets. artbma.org
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 and printed books; a dish by Ogata Kenzan (pictured) dates back to the 1700s. asia.si.edu
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 on view include Kate Roberts’ Gates to Nowhere (pictured), a hanging work made by dripping bits of unfired clay on fishing line.
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 are amplified.
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 at a 1930 event inspired the vibrant watercolors on view.
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 materials and leftover scraps of fabric, these sculptures, paintings, reliefs and quilts represent deep cultural traditions and outstanding artistic achievement. nga.gov
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.
