6/29-7/5
This week: Discover a visionary Indigenous artist's worldview, explore sculpture inspired by Roman mythology, and more.
This Week
Artist Talk: Embodied Transformations [Artist Discussion] June 29, 2 PM | The Athenaeum Gallery | FREE
Two regional artists examine transformation in the natural world through contrasting approaches. Sharon Fishel creates layered oil paintings that capture forms that are seemingly suspended in motion, building translucent layers to "grow" transformational shapes that mirror the life cycles of plants. Her poetic surfaces, inspired by a Matsuo Basho haiku, reflect our instinctive longing for disappearing landscapes. Elsabe Dixon incorporates materials created by insects, like worm-spun silk, beeswax, cochineal dye, and spotted lanternfly wings (better for them to be used in art than infesting our backyards), into compositions that read like scientific field notes. Together, they investigate how we embody and remember the ephemeral nature of ecosystems around us. Information
Blue and Beyond [Group Exhibition] June 29-August 2 | Gallery Neptune & Brown | FREE
Discover diverse interpretations of the color blue through works by New England artist Paul Inglis alongside a diverse roster, including Vija Celmins, Richard Diebenkorn, RB Kitaj, and others. This summer exhibition explores the emotional and visual depth of this color. Information
Opening Program for SURVIVA: A Future Ancestral Field Guide [Artist Talk & Book Launch] July 1, 3-7:30 PM | Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library | FREE
Join artist Cannupa Hanska Luger in conversation with Saisha Grayson, Curator of Time-Based Media at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, for an exploration of the artist's multimedia project. Luger's work challenges conventional thinking by envisioning a post-capitalist, post-colonial future where humanity restores its connection to earth and rebuilds a sense of community. Through his Future Ancestral Technologies series, which encompasses video, installation, regalia, science fiction, and poetry, Hanska Luger gives us a look into a vision of transformation and healing. This program launches alongside the artist’s new book and exhibition. Registration encouraged. Register
Palindrome by Virginia Van Horn [Solo Exhibition] July 5-27 | IA&A AT HILLYER | FREE
Experience three mixed-media sculptures inspired by artist Virginia Van Horn’s residency at the American Academy in Rome and the Academy's guardian figure, the two-faced Roman god Janus. Van Horn's horses, each bearing dual heads, echo the traditional symbolism of Janus's dominion over beginnings, endings, and transitions, showing one face turned toward the past, another toward the future. These works explore the wisdom that comes from seeing time's dual nature, while also capturing the stagnation that dwelling simultaneously in memory and anticipation can create. Information
Looking Ahead
Beyond the Studio: Paper Folding with Adi Segal [Workshop] July 13, 1 PM | Smithsonian American Art Museum | $15
Learn traditional folding techniques inspired by Japanese Menko envelopes and Victorian puzzle purses from artist Adi Segal, who incorporates these forms into narrative artworks that reveal stories when unfolded. This family-friendly event welcomes people of all ages. Registration required by 7 PM on June 29. Register
Take 5: Jazz at SAAM with Zoë Jorgenson [Concert] July 17, 5-7 PM | Smithsonian American Art Museum | FREE
Celebrate America's musical heritage in the beautiful Kogod Courtyard with bassist, composer, and educator Zoë Jorgenson. Known for her innovative approach to melodic bass and vocals, Jorgenson blends jazz with indie, folk, and ambient influences. She will perform original compositions and jazz standards with her quartet while you enjoy fresh air and refreshments from the Courtyard Café. Registration encouraged. Register
