Image of “New Growth” by Adam Dwight, courtesy of Transformer

The topic of ‘community’ is a popular one in D.C. arts this summer. Perhaps it was already popular, even before noted collector Mera Rubell‘s notorious pronouncement that she’d never seen artists as isolated — as lacking in community — as in the D.C. area. Judging by the whirlwind of reactions following those comments, and the fact that Rubell’s words are still referenced even eight months later, she may have served as a catalyst for the recent discussions. In fact, recent research by clinical psychologists seems to confirm that artists fare better professionally, emotionally and physically when they are part of a community, such as a collective or an academic program.

But you don’t need to tell this to the folks at Transformer, currently showing E7: Tetrad, on display through August 14. They already know.

The Exercises for Emerging Artists program, currently in its seventh iteration, is meant to produce this sort of community post-art school, as artists begin working full-time jobs and losing their college studio spaces, likely becoming disconnected from their support networks. Victoria Reis, director of Transformer explains: “It’s an opportunity for artists to connect with their peers and mentors once they’re outside of the art-school experience…Unless you’re being nurtured by a gallery, you’re not always engaged by fellow artists.”