Graphic designers: Back away from the computer and head to the Ballyhoo! Posters as Portraiture exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery. In the sixty displayed postered portraits, one can see an evolution of graphic design and advertising, with each era screaming its identity through fonts, colors and graphic techniques, as well as the obvious context of the featured face. Keeping true to the NPG’s mission, all 60 posters are about Americans or American films, however many of them were produced in Europe to promote overseas releases. In addition to the numerous film ads, the exhibit also highlights circus posters from the late 1800s, war propaganda, and the $100,000 reward poster for John Wilkes Booth and his accomplices (which, interestingly, screams "100,000 Reward! THE MURDERERS," only naming Lincoln and Booth in very small type beneath). more ›

At Irvine Contemporary is Introductions3, a group exhibition featuring works of thirteen recent MFA grads from art schools across the country. According to Gallery Director Martin Irvine, Introductions3 is the first show of its kind at a commercial gallery, since similar shows stick to regional artists; instead Irvine branched out and reviewed 300 emerging artists nationwide. The selections were narrowed to 60 before a panel of art collectors committed to the final 13 emerging artists,... more ›

DCist is feeling both excited and overwhelmed by the amount of independent film screenings around town this week. Two new ones kick off tonight: Black Maria Film Festival at the Hirshhorn and the 13th Annual DC Environmental Film Festival. more ›