Exhibits and Programs at the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC
Opening Exhibitions
The Eye of the Sun: Nineteenth-Century Photographs from
the National Gallery of Art
September 8–December 1, 2019
West Building, Ground Floor, Inner Tier
On the 180th anniversary of photography’s introduction to the world in 1839, an exhibition of some 140 photographs offers an in-depth look at the development of the medium throughout its first 50 years. The Eye of the Sun draws from the Gallery’s rich holdings of 19th-century photographs and features many works which have not been on view previously.
More information…
Verrocchio: Sculptor and Painter of Renaissance Florence
September 15, 2019–January 12, 2020
West Building, Main Floor
The first monographic exhibition on Andrea del Verrocchio examines the wealth and breadth of his artistry by bringing together 50 masterpieces in sculpture, painting, drawing, and precious metals, with proposals for several new attributions. Technical research explores Verrocchio’s materials and techniques, offering revelations about his artistic choices. A film accompanies the exhibition.
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The Touch of Color: Pastels at the National Gallery of Art
September 29, 2019–January 26, 2020
West Building, Ground Floor, East Outer Tier
Some 70 exquisite examples drawn from the Gallery’s permanent collection trace the history of pastel from the Renaissance to the 21st century and examine the many techniques that artists have developed to work with this colorful and versatile medium. On September 29, exhibition co-curators Kimberly Schenck and Stacey Sell present an introductory lecture.
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Now on View
Oliver Lee Jackson: Recent Paintings
Through September 15, 2019
East Building, Mezzanine
Some 20 paintings created over the past 15 years—many shown publicly for the first time—weave together influences ranging from the Renaissance to modernism.
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By the Light of the Silvery Moon: A Century of Lunar Photographs
Through January 5, 2020
West Building, Ground Floor
The year 2019 marks the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing on July 20, 1969. This exhibition presents some 70 works, from the 19th century to the “space-age” 1960s, which merge art with science and transform the way that we envision and comprehend the cosmos.
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Programs
STORYTIME
September 6 from 10:00 to 11:00
(First Friday of the month through January 2020)
West Building, 6th Street and Constitution Avenue entrance
Together we’ll read a book aloud, move, and play. We welcome all ages, especially our youngest visitors and nursing parents. If arriving late, please meet in Gallery 39 on the Ground Floor, West Building. The featured children’s book will be read in both English and Spanish. Storytime is free of charge; advance registration is not required.
More information…
DROP-IN ART MAKING
September 7, 8, 14, 15, noon–4:00 p.m.
Education Studio, Concourse
Unleash your inner artist through a variety of hands-on art-making in the Gallery’s Education Studio. Designed for all ages and abilities.
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FILM SERIES
Barbara Hammer: Boundless
September 7–22; see individual films for dates and times
East Building Auditorium
For more than half a century, artist and filmmaker Barbara Hammer created works unique in sensibility, subject matter, and influence. Exploring lesbian identity, politics, and personal narrative, and delving into visceral manifestations of pleasure, pain, aging, and infirmity, Hammer used the camera as an extension of her body to discover ways of communicating experience. This series features shorter formats and includes new prints courtesy of the Academy Film Archive, as well as restorations by Electronic Arts Intermix and the Academy through the National Film Preservation Foundation and the Film Foundation.
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AFTER HOURS
NGA Nights: Back to School
September 12, 6:00–9:00 p.m.
East Building
School’s back in session during the Gallery’s first after-hours event of the fall. Relive your best (or worst) school dance memories with classic jams by DJ Heat, draw a Picasso-inspired portrait, and take a spin on the NGA trivia wheel. Pop-up talks explore elements of art, while Tracy Wilson and Holly Frey, hosts of the hit podcast Stuff You Missed in History Class, look at the lesser-known history of the color blue during a live auditorium show.
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LECTURE
Conversations with Artists: Oliver Lee Jackson
September 15, 2:00 p.m.
East Building Auditorium
A conversation between the artist Oliver Lee Jackson and Harry Cooper, senior curator and head of modern art, marks the last day of the exhibition Oliver Lee Jackson: Recent Paintings, which presents 20 paintings created over the past 15 years, many of which are being shown publicly for the first time.
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LECTURE
The Living Legacy National Speaking Tour: David C. Driskell and Curlee R. Holton in Conversation
September 22, 2:00 p.m.
East Building Auditorium
The David C. Driskell Center for the Study of the Visual Arts and Culture of African Americans and the African Diaspora organized the Living Legacy National Speaking Tour to present, celebrate, and document the achievements and legacy of its founder, David C. Driskell. This tour highlights Driskell’s contributions as an artist, scholar, and cultural historian and the contributions of African American artists to the country’s artistic heritage. The conversation will be streamed live at nga.gov/live.
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CONCERT
wild Up
September 22, 3:30
West Building, West Garden Court
In their Washington, DC, debut, Los Angeles–based new music collective wild Up presents “A Portait: Julius Eastman,” a program that includes Eastman’s “Joy Boy” and “Femenine.”
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NEW ONLINE
The Sculpture of David Smith (1906–1965), Parts 1 and 2
David Smith expanded the vocabulary of sculpture by employing welding and industrial processes and materials, laying the groundwork for the directness of minimalism and the realization that sculpture could be anything the artist desired. Here, senior lecturer David Gariff explores Smith’s revolutionary art through a discussion of some of his most important and innovative works, including the Agricola, Tanktotem, Sentinel, Zig, Voltri, and Cubi series.
View part 1 online…
View part 2 online…
SHOPS
Verrocchio: Sculptor and Painter of Renaissance Florence Catalog
In conjunction with Verrocchio: Sculptor and Painter of Renaissance Florence, a beautifully illustrated catalog presents a comprehensive survey of Verrocchio’s art, spanning his entire career and featuring sculptures, paintings, and drawings, including works he created with his students. In incisive scholarly essays, in-depth catalog entries, and breathtaking illustrations, exhibition curators and conservators draw on the latest research in art history and technical analysis to show why Verrocchio was one of the most innovative and influential of all Florentine artists.
Shop…
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For more information on this museum, visit our National Gallery of Art page.
Program and Exhibit information provided by the National Gallery of Art.
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