Results tagged “dccah”

With a small bit of fanfare, the Walter E. Washington Convention Center and the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities unveiled a public art project at the Convention Center this week. This "pop-up" gallery transforms empty retail, window and display space at the Convention Center into works of art.

Greater Greater Washington has been following the selection process for a planned public art installation that's going in at the northeast corner of 18th and Columbia Road for at least a few months now, so we tip our hats to them for first drawing our attention to it. Despite the call for artists having been initiated over a year ago, a list of semi-finalists having been selected back in March, a community survey posted online at the end of April, and a decision on the artist made in June, the thing simply managed to go largely under our radar until Friday, when GGW posted an announcement that the selection had been finalized. The chosen artist, James Simon, is planning a large set piece of statues called "The Bicycle Musician," depicting a musician playing a guitar while perched on a bicycle, with a little dog looking up at him. It hasn't been a popular choice with everyone. Writes David Alpert:

Many residents dislike the piece, and KCA President Denis James editorialized against it. It was my least favorite of the three, as well, and doesn't provide seating while the other two do. In our poll, it came in last.

Selecting public art has got to be one of the most frustrating jobs in government. There's no way everyone is going to be happy, and you're also stuck with choosing from among whatever proposals you get. Still, we understand why people might be put off by the rendering originally passed around and posted by GGW. It looks a bit silly, not to mention it's clearly not to scale.

Chinatown's famed Friendship Arch got a bit of a sprucing up this summer, and today city officials gathered to formally reintroduce the landmark.

Last week, the D.C. Commission on Arts and Humanities opened its call for applications for its 2010 grant season. Each year the well-funded DCCAH has hundreds of thousands of dollars to give away to the artistically-minded, and the crazy part is that they can't seem to find enough people to give it all away to every year. Free money, guys! You just have to ask!

Naturally, it's going to be a bit slow around the galleries this weekend, partly due to the holiday, and partly because everyone is scrambling to get their exhibits ready for the annual Art Basel Miami (and the many events leapfrogging off it nearby) next weekend, generally regarded as the most prestigious art fair in the country. Instead, let's catch up on some art news this week. Don't forget that most museums in town are open all weekend, including Thanksgiving.

The Washington Post reported yesterday that D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities Executive Director Tony Gittens will be retiring from his position at the end of July. Gittens has been the commission's director for almost 12 years, and has been active in the District's art scene since the 1960s. Most recently, he has also been the Director of the D.C. International Film Festival (Filmfest DC), a position he will continue to hold.