East of the river artists have been given the opportunity to show their greatness, which those in the neighborhood already knew existed.

A closeup of Chris Jordan’s Barbies, which is featured in Close Encounters at the Katzen Arts Center. Copyright Chris Jordan. Courtesy Paul Kopeikin Gallery, Los Angeles. Provisions Library, D.C.’s learning laboratory for the arts and social change, which opened its doors in September of 2001, launched a new initiative this past summer, BrushFire. By staging socially-minded public art events nationally, BrushFire aims to promote discourse about democracy, including key political and social issues such…

Exploring the themes of light, innovation and optimism, Into the Light, a juried exhibit now at Honfleur Gallery, brings together a well rounded group of talent that showcases various mediums, including photography, sculpture and installations. Artists Mark Planisek, Marie Cobb, Lynn Silverman, Craig Kraft, Emily Erb, Phil Stein, Joan Belmar, Cathlyn Newell and Kendall Nordin are all showcased. The exhibit is very dynamic as it presents the artists and their different media thoughtfully and uses…

As you might imagine, there’s not a whole lot going on in the art world this week, and unlike the last holiday, even the Smithsonians close on Christmas Day. Nevertheless, we found a few exhibits for you to poke around this weekend. And if you’re one of those last minute gift buyers and can’t bear to wage war at the mall, don’t forget our guide to art museum memberships for something a little more unique…

“Politics and sex.” That is how Arie Mandelbaum, speaking in English as best he could, simply explained his work during the opening of his first U.S. show, at Honfleur Gallery. And while Mandelbaum’s work exhibited in Die Umwelt can easily be divided into these two self-identified categories, they contain much more than these simple explanations and speak to his experiences. A critically acclaimed artist in Europe, Mandelbaum’s career is dotted with numerous accolades. His work…

>> Plans for the District’s biggest hotel, with 1,400 rooms, near the Washington Convention Center, are on the verge of being shelved. [WaPo] >> A healthy baby boy was born on I-270 this morning, proving once again that life is really just God’s cheesy network sitcom. [WJLA] >> Apparently those recent repairs at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library didn’t include water fountains, ceilings or bathrooms. [City Desk] >> A photography exhibit that…

Looks like August won’t be as slow in the art world as it will be in the business-suit-wearing part of city. Kick off the month of gallery openings at First Friday in Dupont. At the Hillyer Art Space, a gallery funded in part by the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities, get lost in Eve: A Series, a macro view of artist Mia Rollow’s invented, video projected landscapes. First Friday runs 6 to 8…

We told you about the sad news earlier this week that Warehouse will be shuttering its music venue, as well as the bar and cafe, come July 30, when the entire place will close for a month for vacation. Now the Warehouse has let us know it is looking for potential investors and advisers who can help draft not-for-profit status paperwork — depending on which route they end up taking. If you can help them…

>> Start your Thursday night gallery hopping at Flashpoint, where they’re holding an opening reception for Shifting Waters, a collection of drawings by Janis Goodman, an associate professor of fine arts at the Corcoran. Her gestural markings create animated representations of water in its many natural forms. Ask yourself if the dark graphite Goodman uses accurately translates her subjects’ connection to life and nature, at the opening reception from 6 to 8 p.m. >> It’s…

>> Celebrate the grand opening of the Honfleur Gallery this Saturday at 7 p.m. This very welcome addition to the city’s art scene is located near the Anacostia metro and appropriately begins its life with East of the River, a mixed media exhibition that includes both professionals and first-timers who celebrate their history with the area. Especially notable is the work by John Muller from DreamCity, an organization that does some serious community building in…