Arts Agenda: Fake It 'Til You Make It

>> Artomatic comes to a close this weekend, after five long weeks of inundating us with massive quantities of art, free performances, lectures, concerts, film series, demonstrations and workshops, and spirited community building that even your old summer camp counselor couldn't match. If you haven't gone down to Crystal City yet, the old Patent Office location is only a few blocks from the metro, and the art fair only rises up every two (sometimes three) years in ever-changing forms due to venue and artist changes, so put this on your now-or-never list. Time your visit to hit up some of this weekend's events, including Friday and Saturday's fire dancing performances at 9 p.m. We're also mildly amused by Tim Tate's kidnapped art slash possible publicity stunt, reported by Reliable Source, who got roped in by the The Collector — the, um, long-awaited superhero the art world didn't ask for, but will nonetheless appreciate more if he loses the bandana and dons some spandex. His motto?

Only through the loss of art does society value its art ... This is not the end but the beginning. Whenever art is undervalued the collector will appear to remind this city that one of its most valuable assets is the creative community that is so deeply ingrained in its fabric.

>> Meanwhile, the ongoing "retrospective" Ian and Jan: The Washington Body School continues at the DCAC until June 3. Check out the elaborate reaction to the Washington Color School movement by Jeffrey Cudlin and Meg Mitchell, including an exhibit of work "by" Ian and Jan, lengthy analysis, and video featuring many well-known local art curators and writers talking about their favorite pieces by the duo. Wrap yourself in the parody during their regular hours, Wednesday through Sunday, 2 to 7 p.m.

>> The first installment of the third WPA\C Experimental Media Series passed us by at the end of April, but lucky us: G Fine Art has the video and sound works from the show and will continue to screen them until May 26. Stop by during their regular hours, Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., to see this ColorField.remix themed series, curated by Richard Chartier.

>> Mid City Artists will be holding another Open Studios event this weekend around the 14th and U Street areas, so grab a map from their web site with the locations and spend Saturday or Sunday, 12 to 5 p.m., peeking in artists workshops for the behind the scenes view.

Photo by outdoor_type.