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 […]

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 & […]

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, […]

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 […]

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 […]

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, […]

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, […]

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 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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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, […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]