From priceless art to fantastic theater, the nation’s capital is more than monuments
By Tony Ware
Just a few hours by train or bus from New York City, Washington, D.C., sits at the heart of a region tasked with both changing and preserving history. And the arts have captured every dynamic shift in the cultural climate. Whether a fan of visual arts, theater, dance or film, visitors to the District and its immediate surrounding area gain access to cultural archives and contemporary interaction. From the Smithsonian Institution, the world’s largest museum complex and research organization, to independent gallery spaces tucked into vibrant neighborhoods, the nation’s capital paints a picture of creative expressions.
There’s no better starting point when surveying the District’s museums than exploring the National Mall. While there’s no retail therapy to be found around this grand avenue of landmarks, you’ll find plenty of priceless works of art sourced from around the globe. The National Gallery of Art offers two buildings: a permanent collection of European and American masterworks (including North America’s only painting by Da Vinci, “Ginevra De’ Benci”) in one, and the other more heavily concentrated on 20th-century artists. Currently, there’s a special Edvard Munch: Master Prints exhibit continuing through Oct. 31, and an exhibit of Allen Ginsberg’s photographs, titled Beat Memories, on view through Sept 16. The grounds also comprise a 6-acre Sculpture Garden, and on Friday evenings through mid-September jazz artists perform.
Those with an interest in the works of modern and contemporary artists can find an unconventional selection in the nearby Hirshhorn Museum, an iconic, cylindrical building lined with provocative works, and complemented by a multi-tier recess of sculptures. The current Yves Klein: With the Void, Full Powers exhibit continues through Sept. 12 and includes an incredible selection of Klein’s series, such as the Anthropometries, Cosmogonies, fire paintings, planetary reliefs and blue monochromes.
Not a far walk from the National Mall is the Corcoran Gallery of Art, the largest non-federal art museum in the District, with an emphasis on American (oftentimes contemporary) artists (Chuck Close Prints is on view until Sept. 12) and collectors of every medium. A similar focus on American art is concentrated within the Donald J. Reynolds Center for Art and Portraiture, the Greek Revival building within the Penn Quarter neighborhood that houses the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Portrait Gallery. And the second weekend in September, this site becomes the epicenter of the annual Arts on Foot art market and festival, featuring exhibitors, performances, tours of alternative art spaces, cooking demonstrations and more. A branch facility of the Smithsonian, The Renwick Gallery is located several blocks west (near the White House) and highlights domestic crafts and decorative arts. Current exhibits include Christo and Jeanne-Claude: Remembering the “Running Fence” (through Sept. 26) and Telling Stories: Norman Rockwell from the Collections of George Lucas and Steven Spielberg (through Jan. 2, 2011), which examines the connection between Rockwell’s iconic images and movies.
The Penn Quarter offers additional dynamic venues for the visual and performance arts, such as the nonprofit Flashpoint Gallery, featuring works by local residents. The associated Mead Theatre acts as a creative laboratory for more kinetic collaborations. The nearby Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company features a troupe of provocateurs that develop and promote boundary-breaking engagements; Sarah Ruhl’s Tony-nominated play In the Next Room, or the Vibrator Play will be mounted this summer (Aug. 23–Sept. 19). For something a bit more traditional, the Harmon Center for the Arts is home to The Shakespeare Theatre Company, which will be putting on free performances of Twelfth Night (Aug. 19–Sept. 5); All’s Well That Ends Well kicks of the fall season Sept. 7. A few blocks north, the Warehouse Theatre includes a black box performance space, emerging artists gallery and screening room, earning it the reputation of being, according to The Washington Post, “an avant-garde Kennedy Center,” referring to the cross-discipline arts facility along the Potomac, which sponsors events such as the Millennium Stage (free nightly performances).
Indeed, in the Penn Quarter, art is curated and exhibited in some unexpected spaces, such as in the lobbies of office buildings—including 901 E. Street, 1111 Pennsylvania Ave. and 555 9th St.—where art consultants such as Margery Goldberg (of Zenith Gallery) and Jean Efron organize revolving exhibitions. Additionally, those as fascinated by the world’s perceptions and reporting of cultural events as the works themselves can explore the Newseum, a seven-level, interactive showcase tracing the flow of information through centuries of award-winning prose and photography. This high-tech survey of historical journalism also stages special exhibits on groundbreaking news stories, such as Elvis Presley’s impact on popular culture (through Feb. 14, 2011).
Another neighborhood incubating a thriving scene is Dupont Circle. Those looking for a formal experience should first visit The Philips Collection, home to 2,500 Impressionist and modern artworks. The two current temporary exhibits—one focused on Pousette-Dart, the other on Robert Ryman—continue through Sept. 12. To observe a more cross-cultural, mid-Atlantic perspective, spaces such as the Hillyer Art Space (a nonprofit arts organization-backed gallery) and the Irvine Contemporary launch exhibitions focusing on emerging artists. Not far, and mere blocks to the east at equally gallery-enriched Logan Circle, The Studio Theatre is a playhouse that has been offering contemporary, innovative productions for over three decades. This summer they present a version of Passing Strange, Stew and Heidi Rodewald’s stunning theatrical rock musical (for which Stew won a Tony for Best Book of a Musical), without the indefatigable frontman, and have received positive response, extending the production through Aug. 22. From here, you can further explore the 14th Street corridor and U Street District, featuring dialogue-sparking venues such as Source for improv and indie theater, as well as local photography exhibits.
It’s difficult to find an area of the District without a destination of artistic value. Wandering around Georgetown, it might be the Byzantine and Pre-Columbian collection within Dumbarton Oaks, a Federal-style mansion/landscape architecture research library and gardens. Or venture a neighborhood north to Foxhall and you’ll find the Kreeger Museum, another “house museum,” an amazing example of modern/postmodern architecture and equally contemporary visual arts. You shouldn’t restrict your experience to D.C.’s borders, however.
Communities such as Bethesda, Md. (directly north of the District), and Arlington, Va. (just to the west across the Potomac), have established themselves as compelling entryways into the local scene. And with convenient transportation, such as Vamoose Bus, using these neighborhoods as hubs, it’s possible for visitors from New York to immerse themselves in art before even setting foot within D.C.
For example, wander only one block from the Bethesda Metro station, and you’ll find the The Roundhouse Theatre, dedicated to re-interpreting contemporary and classical novels through bold visuals (a theatrical version of The Talented Mr. Ripley written by Phyllis Nagy begins Sept. 8 and runs through 26). While mere doors down, you’ll discover the Waverly Street Gallery, a spacious setting that displays works of all formats and is one of a dozen venues that takes part in the Bethesda Art Walk every second Friday of the month (from 6 to 9). For those traveling with young adults, Bethesda also offers The Imagination Stage, a theater company geared toward inspiring and empowering kids. Located just a little north of downtown Bethesda, Strathmore is a scenic 11-acre site offering concerts, recitals, exhibits and limited engagements, such as the presentation of Louis: A Silent Film Aug. 28 (read our story about it here), with live accompaniment by Wynton Marsalis and Cecile Licad.
Arlington, meanwhile, is home to dozens of arts organizations and hundreds of arts events annually. The city’s Cultural Affairs Division promotes studios and exhibits in the Lee Arts Center. Similarly, the Arlington Arts Center displays works by those in residence. Plus, local universities such as Marymount and George Mason have student galleries open to the public. Similarly, many spaces are made available for rehearsal and performance of dance and physical theater to support fresh local talent at The Rosslyn Spectrum Theatre and Synetic Theatre, among other locations. On a nationally acclaimed level, Signature Theatre is a nonprofit dedicated to bold contemporary musical theater and unexpected invention of classic musicals, and was the recipient of the 2009 Regional Theatre Tony Award. The current production of Chess continues through Sept. 26 (last-minute, inexpensive tickets to shows at this and several other theaters can be picked up at the TICKETPLACE booth in the Penn Quarter).
This is just a small cross-section of the outlets for artistic and cultural expression available to survey within a highly compact area. While it’s hard to see everything in one trip, it’s easy to see something amazing.
