Arts Agenda
This week the big news is the appointment (PDF) of Dorothy Kosinski as the new Director of The Phillips Collection. She's currently the Senior Curator of Painting and Sculpture at the Dallas Musuem of Art, and comes with an impressive résumé that include extensive curating, acquisitions, and teaching experience. Kosinski will officially take over next spring, to replace retiring Director Jay Gates, just in time to take the reins on a five-year strategy the Board of Trustees recently implemented to increase the Phillips' endowment and their educational outreach programs.
In other art announcements, the Smithsonian Latino Center recently signed a "memorandum of understanding" with the Mexican philanthropic organization Fundación Carso. The groups will work together to organize exhibitions, events and educational programming revolving around Latino culture, and may eventually develop fellowships for scholars and artists.
>> All dressed up and no where to go? Take that cocktail attire over to ARTrageous, the Smithsonian American Art Museum's annual benefit event, being held tonight in the new Kogod Courtyard from 7:30 to 11 p.m. Tickets, which run $125, are still available, and include a dinner buffet and open bar, along with music and dancing under that pretty canopy. Though you can purchase tickets online, since it's last minute, you might want to call (202) 633-4550 instead.
>> Another holiday art sale can be found at the Corcoran College of Art + Design this weekend, where the art students, faculty and alumni are holding Off the Walls. All sales of fine art, jewelry and other items go to benefit the Student Activities Programming Board. Admission is free and the fair is open tonight, 5 to 9 p.m., and Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Photo of The Phillips Collection by zachstern.
>> The large space at the Arlington Arts Center allows for some well organized, eventful opening receptions, and this Friday is no exception. They'll open Hope and Fear, a show that explores "beauty and unnerving tension in contemporary art" with works by eight local artists. Curator Carol Lukitsch will speak at 7 p.m., but you might want to get there earlier to catch the 6:30 p.m. dance performance by Bowen McCauley Dance (a second performance is at 7:30 p.m.). It'll be easy to spend all evening there, because there are two more shows at the Center: Winter Solos 2007, which includes 10 life-sized temporary portraits made of salt and clay by Young Kim, and an Art Enables exhibit, Outsider Art Inside the Beltway, with creative works by adults with developmental or mental disabilities. Reception is 6 to 9 p.m.
>> Bring the kidlets to American University's Katzen Art Center this Sunday to stuff them with some culture for the holidays with Kids @ the Katzen. Might be a good idea to cut the sugar cookie intake before you bring your ages 5 to 11 children for art programming that includes exploring metaphor and symbolism in art, as well as some hands-on activities. The event is $7, cash at the door, to cover materials, but advance registration is required. The event runs 1 to 3:30 p.m.
>> Speaking of the Phillips Collection and their many programs, tonight they'll hold the weekly Artful Evening, with a gallery talk about "Painting the Pleasures of the Beach" by impressionist artists. Then on Saturday stop by the opening reception for The Art of Healing which features work by kids at the Children's Medical Center who participated in a pilot art program while they were undergoing treatment. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., see web site for admission to events.
Art Notes:
- The Art League Gallery opens Dark Matters with a reception this Sunday, 2 to 4 p.m., featuring the black and white photography of Frank Fierstein.
- Check out Art Buzz tonight, an art party featuring works of five artists. Twenty percent of sales go to DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative. 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Acquisition Title, 1801 Belmont Road NW.
- More art for kids: sign them up for "Giftmania," a two day workshop at Arlington Arts Center held December 8 and 15. $40.
- Take in a free lecture tonight by arts and business leader William E. Strickland Jr., who will talk about using the arts to help troubled youths find direction. Co-sponsored by Artomatic and the Cultural Center of the Inter-American Development Bank. 6:30 p.m. in the Bank's Enrique V. Iglesias Auditorium.