Courtesy Contemporary Wing

>> Over 50 years ago the knife-slashed work of Italian painter Lucio Fontana made its debut in the United States. This Saturday his work will be on display at Contemporary Wing alongside the work of three emerging artists – Michael Cor, Toym Imao and Ali Miller – in BEYOND THE FRAME: Spatial Composition After Lucio Fontana. Fontana stabbed and slashed his paintings as a way to free it from its traditional frame limitations and open it to universal space while Cor attempts to enlarge painting so it can embrace the remains of industry and culture, Imao uses canvases as artifacts to receive the the impact of his exploding effigy-monuments, and Miller breaks her paintings free from their frames as the barriers between subject, object and fantasy begin to unravel. The opening reception for the exhibit will be held on Saturday from 5:30 to 8 p.m. during which Imao will blow up an effigy of the artist Damien Hirst. Surely some pyrotechnics will make it worth your while to attend.

>> Opening Saturday at The Fridge is an exhibit of post-industrial romantic style paintings by David Molesky. His previous work focused on a romanticized view of nature but after the BP oil spill his focus changed and in AIR/WATER he now aims to take a closer look at how man and his environment cause conflict. Scenes of explosions, fire, smoke, turbulent water, and clouds all illustrate this apocalyptic vision of nature. The show will have an opening reception from 5 to 9 p.m. on Saturday and Molesky will give an artist talk on Sunday from 12 to 2 p.m. During the talk he will also demonstrate his creative process by completing a new painting on site.

>> Saturday, the Curator’s Office brings the opening of Jiha Moon’s Souvenir Valise. Taking inspiration from Western-style painting practices and merging that with Eastern-style aesthetics Moon’s brightly colored work represents the cultural exchange that occurs with tourism, travel, and interaction. She also works to address the conflicts between hand-rendered craft work and mass produced objects that attempt to mimic traditional techniques. Three of the works in the exhibit are collaboration pieces with American artist Rachel Hayes. The opening reception will be from 6 to 8 p.m.

>> Connersmith Gallery will be hosting the first solo exhibition of paintings by D.C. native Lisa Ruyter beginning on Saturday. In Let us now Praise Famous Men, Ruyter’s new series of paintings use appropriated 1930s-40s black and white photographs from the archive of the Farm Security Administration/Office of War Information in the Library of Congress. At 11 a.m. Ruyter will be at the gallery to speak on the new body of work and will also be attending the opening reception that evening from 6 to 8 p.m.

>> Jill Townsley’s first solo exhibition in the U.S. at Project 4 examines the role of repetition in art production. How the hours and hours of doing the same thing can result in transforming otherwise meaningless objects into something greater. Townsley spent time doing mind numbing activities such as scribbling, counting, or stacking while at the same time accumulating everyday materials such as till rolls and hairgrips. Many of us can surely identify with this behavior. TOIL features sculpture, installation, drawings, and video that work to question “wider cultural concerns of time and temporality, the concept of the moment, failure, erasure and authorship.” The opening reception will be on Saturday from 6 to 8:30 p.m. and on Sunday, before she returns to the UK, Townsley will be on hand to give a talk at 2:30 p.m.

>> International Visions Gallery has an exhibition open featuring new work by Michael Platt and Stan Squirewell. Platt’s new work is influenced by the Australian and Aboriginal cultures and his usual techniques of digital image making, conventional photography, drawing, and printmaking all work toward the goal of exploring and exposing “the human condition…in particular, the history and experiences of African and African Diaspora culture.” Squirewell’s work with photography, painting, collage, and sculpture fuses ancient forms and spiritual symbols, which are also influenced by the African Diaspora, with contemporary technology as a way to positively envision the future. An opening reception for the show will be held on Saturday from 6:30 to 9 p.m.

>> The 10th anniversary of the Alexandria King Street Art Festival will bring a world-class outdoor art gallery to the city’s historic mainstreet on Saturday and Sunday. A wide variety of mediums will be represented including sculpture, photography, paintings, glass, jewelry, wood, ceramics, and more. There are quite a few activities going on associated with the event including a drawing marathon presented by The Art League, as well as giveaways and fundraisers. Admission is free. Festival hours for Saturday are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and for Sunday are 10 a.m to 5 p.m. The 6th Annual Art Activated will be going on at the Torpedo Factory during the Festival on Saturday from 12 to 4 p.m. Make your own screen print, chew on some Bubble Gum Art, Create-Your-Own-Button, and go on a Q-ART scavenger hunt. Admission to this event is also free. It’s sure to be a fun time for everyone.

>> Inspiration can come from anywhere and in the case of Rebecca Kamen inspiration for her sculptures came from rare books and scientific manuscripts. Her sculptures were created by layering different media through which she evokes the physical forms and figurative narratives that are found in the books. Some of her work was inspired by Georgetown University Library’s own Special Collections which will be displayed alongside the sculptures. Manuscript as Muse – Sculpture by Rebecca Kamen is on display at The Spagnuolo Gallery.

Art Notes:

• The Phillips Collection will be holding a party for the relaunch of the Phillips After 5 website on Thursday from 5 to 8:30 p.m. Highlights include live music from Christylez Bacon, temporary tattoos, gallery talks, a tasting by Chocolate City Brewery, and a Twitter Scavenger Hunt. Reservations strongly advised. $12
• What looks to be a very interesting collection of photographs will be open to public viewing beginning on Friday at the Carroll Square Gallery. An opening reception for From The National Geographic Image Collection: Photographs of Social Life in Washington DC, 1900-1960 will be held from 6 to 8 p.m.
• Friday from 7 to 9 p.m. a reception will be held at Honfleur Gallery for the closing for The Sixth Annual East of the River Exhibition at which time the East of the River Distinguished Artist Award will be given to BK ADAMS*I AM ART.
• The National Geographic Museum is hosting a Family Festival on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to celebrate the opening of their newest exhibit 1001 Inventions: Discover the Golden Age of Muslim Civilization. The festival will feature crafts, workshops, performances, and food from local vendors. Free.
• If you like art and you like dogs consider making the trip to Ballston on Saturday for the 2012 Ballston Arts Market with special guest Lucky Dog Animal Rescue. Buy a raffle ticket for a chance to win an artisan basket worth $250 and help out some needy dogs. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Saturday at The Textile Museum offers some additional family fun, they invite you to spend the afternoon from 2 to 4 p.m. creating your own dragon puppets! Free; no reservations required.
• Hemphill Fine Arts Gallery will host an opening reception for William Christenberry: Assembled Memory on Saturday from 6 to 8 p.m.
• Opening Saturday at G Fine Art Gallery will be Patrick McDonough’s all i want is to be a happy man. The reception will be from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
• Adah Rose Gallery’s current exhibit Kiss the Name of the Nine Muses Goodbye featuring work from Tom Block and Micheline Klagsbrun will host an opening reception and private viewing with the artists on Saturday from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. White Chihuahua will provide live music.
• Former court architect of the Czech Republic Borek Sipek has an exhibition opening at Industry Gallery on Saturday. A special opening event will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. that evening.