Arts Agenda
>> Tonight is a good time to head to the Arlington Arts Center, where you can always see tons of art in one space. They'll open their annual Spring Solos show, featuring an in-depth look at five up-and-coming artists, curated by the Hirshhorn's Anne Ellegood and D.C. collector Philip Barlow. Also in the Center are two more exhibits: in the "experimental gallery" downstairs, catch Mel Chin's Fundred Dollar Bill Project, and in the Wyatt gallery, Lisa McCarty's Neutrogena ad gone wrong in Time Sheet, made from blotting papers pressed to her face over the course of a year. 6 to 9 p.m.
>> Another hot show this weekend is Inked Souls 2009 at Art Whino, a successful exhibit they started last year. A group of graffiti and graphic artists from around the country, including D.C.'s Decoy, in.fa.mousIKB, and Truth Among Liars, were given AKA Blank Tagür sneakers by the company to customize. A smaller related photography show is included, and the opening reception will feature tunes from D.C.'s DJ Lil'e and Los Angeles' DJ Heavy Grinder with a live performances from Big Benz, and a break dance performance by The Document. Catch it all Saturday, 6 to midnight.
>> On 14th Street NW, see Chan Chao's Six Years Eight Months at G Fine Art. Chao calls the photographic exhibit a "humanistic portrait project"; named after the standard sentence for drug trafficking in Peru, the images feature women held in Lima's Santa Monica low-security prison, all of whom are foreigners captured at the airport. Opening Saturday 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
>> You might call it the Baby Artomatic. Art Outlet's Flux event goes on from 6 p.m. to midnight this Saturday, featuring 40 artists, performers, documentaries, video projections, poetry, acoustic progressive, electronica and metal music "stuffed into neo-graffiti artist Kevin Irvin, aka Jazi Rock’s early 60s, second story storefront studio out on the Pike (Columbia Pike) in South Arlington." No cover, cash bar.
>> As part of Craftweek DC, the WPA will hold a panel discussion about the "Tug-of-War" between art and craft next Wednesday, 5:30 to 7:30 at their headquarters in Dupont, including DCist arts writer Kelly Rand. RSVP to kbilonick[at]wpadc.org. We'll have more for you on Craftweek DC a little later.
>> Pepco's Edison Place Gallery opens a retrospective of painter Lou Kaplan's work. A D.C. native, Kaplan studied at the Corcoran with big names like William Christenberry and Gene Davis, then spent a couple decades practicing law before returning to his roots. See his work at the opening tonight, 7 to 9 p.m.
>> Next Tuesday, head to the Dome Theater to hear winners from the 10th Anniversary Moving Words Poetry Competition present their works, 7 to 9 p.m. If you miss it, just look for one of the 330 Metro buses in Northern Virginia, where they'll be displayed through September.
Art Notes:
- Saturday, catch an artist talk by Lynn Cazabon, Hadieh Shafie and Tory Wright about their ongoing exhibit, Women's Work at Civilian Art Projects. 4 p.m.
- Hillyer's monthly open mic poetry night is tonight, 6 to 9 p.m. Next Wednesday, the gallery will host an artist talk with Gregory Ferrand, 6:30 p.m. Both events are $5 for non-members.
- For the photographers in the house, the Smithsonian has a new blog for their Photography Initiative, The Bigger Picture.
- The Robert Brown Gallery has organized an exhibition and silent auction for some of its works at Gallery Plan B this weekend. Featuring Diebenkorn, Matisse and many more, bring your gold plated checkbook to the reception Saturday, 6 to 8 p.m.
- The Orchard Gallery in Bethesda opens Urban Impermanence with works by Maki Teshima, tonight from 6 to 9 p.m.
- Del Ray Artisans has tons of ongoing classes and workshops. This Saturday take a card-making class focusing on collage on Sunday, 12 to 4 p.m.
- Monday at lunchtime, take in a free concert by Catholic University’s Altra String Quartet and live-art from University of the District of Columbia’s 2Stimuli at DPR Triangle Park (New Hampshire, M and 21st Sts NW); a promo event for The Soloist, which opens next Friday.