Arts Agenda
Linn Meyers, "Untitled," new acquisition by the Contemporary Art Purchasing Program at the University of Maryland
>> This week's heavy hitter exhibit opens tonight at Conner Contemporary. Conversations in Lyrical Abstraction: 1958-2009 asks you to compare work by Morris Louis, Alma Thomas, Leo Villareal and others. If you haven't visited Conner's new space, tonight is a great night to do so, as they open up their second floor for Washington Project for the Arts biennial OPTIONS exhibit, featuring talented emerging artists, including 2008 DCist Exposed winner Matt Smith. 6 to 8 p.m.
>> The D.C. Commission on Arts and Humanities has been holding pretty great monthly art salons. The next one is tonight from 7 to 9 at the Anacostia Art Gallery. Enjoy artwork by Corcoran Artreach, THEARC, and more, a performance by The Washington Ballet, and tunes by DJ Adrian Loving. A free shuttle will run from Dupont at 6:30 p.m. or the Anacostia Metro at 7 and 7:30 p.m. Free but please RSVP to dccahevents[at]gmail.com.
>> Established D.C. area artist Ellyn Weiss opens an exhibit of new work in Dark Matter, regarding the "mysteries of communication," at Nevin Kelly Gallery. 6 to 9 p.m.
>> The non-profit WVSA ARTs connection has a reception every third Thursday from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Enjoy art and meet the staff who support the community with workshops and vocational classes for children and adults.
>> Head to College Park for a unique exhibit by University of Maryland students. As part of their Contemporary Art Purchasing Program, five students were sent last spring to galleries in D.C. and NYC to learn how to and eventually purchase art, such as the Linn Meyers piece you see above. The work will be displayed in the Stamp Student Union and celebrated with a reception tonight from 5 to 8 p.m.
>> The NewCommunities ArtSpace will be open from 7 to 9 p.m. to feature Holga images by members of Joseph's House, a hospice for homeless men and women with AIDS and cancer. A Community Projects grant for young artists by the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities helped these photographers document their lives.
Friday:
>> See the work of some up & comers at the Gallery at Vivid Solutions in a certain longing. Fifteen recent Corcoran grads show off their photography skills – and a little existential angst – in this exhibit curated by Jared Ragland. 7 p.m.
>> Cities like San Francisco and New York have been doing this for years, but D.C. is finally getting into the annual Park(ing) Day, where artists and activists take over parking spaces all over the city and turn them into a serene mini-park for a day. The D.C. version will be a bit more modest, but check out the parking lot on 14th and S Streets NW between 11 a.m. and 9 p.m. to enjoy the 4-space "park" with your pet, a book, whatever. Park(ing) Day is brought to you by ReadysetDC, F1RSTNR, and Garden District.
Saturday:
>> Hamiltonian Gallery opens two new exhibitions, This Land is Your Land and Beacon Puritanus, with American history inspired paintings, sculpture and installation. Reception 7 to 9 p.m.
>> You're familiar with DECOY's work even if you don't know it. See more of this pervasive local street artist's designs at The Fridge from 6 to 9 p.m. in Memento Mori, which focuses on religious imagery. Pick up a print, a shirt or neck-tie or her limited-edition street art book while you're there.
Art Notes:
- As someone who grew up watching the Dodgers in the 80s, I got a chuckle hearing that the National Portrait Gallery is installing a portrait of Tommy Lasorda (audio very NSFW, as you might imagine) next Tuesday, his 82nd birthday, and the first night of a three game series against the Nats. Pay tribute to his baseball legacy and, of course, the f-bomb, through November 15.
- Renoir’s popular Luncheon of the Boating Party is the subject of tonight's gallery talk at the Phillips Collection. 6 and 7 p.m. Included with admission.
- The Hirshhorn's Friday Gallery Talk features "The Impact of the Global Art World: An Artist's Perspective" with New York and Beijing-based artist Jennifer Wen Ma. 12:30 p.m.
- The Capital Hill Art League opens the all media show Landscapes on Saturday from 5 to 7 p.m.
- Alan Binstock's sculpture has been in the space at 1275 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW since July, but join the artist tonight for a reception from 6 to 8 p.m.
- The Del Ray Artisans are holding a workshop 1 to 3 p.m. on Saturday about "Pricing, Marketing and Protecting your Artwork." $10. Must register by today.
- Next Wednesday join a panel discussion by the Pink Line Project at the Gallery at Flashpoint for a "Discussion about Absurdist Art," with exhibitor Bradley Chriss. 6:30 p.m., $10 donation, RSVP to info[at]pinklineproject.com
- Check out some great street art in Public Dialogues in Public Places, a series of park benches installed by Sarah Tooley installed at the intersection of 14th, Oak and Ogden Streets NW.