Exhibits and Programs at the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC
Opening Exhibitions
The Chiaroscuro Woodcut in Renaissance Italy
October 14, 2018–January 20, 2019
West Building, Ground Floor
Explore the first comprehensive exhibition devoted to the Italian chiaroscuro woodcut, among the rarest and most beautiful prints that flourished throughout Renaissance Italy. On October 14, exhibition curator Naoko Takahatake, curator of prints and drawings at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, gives an introductory lecture followed by a signing of the exhibition catalog.
More information…
——————————
Now on View
Jackson Pollock’s “Mural”
Through October 28, 2018
East Building, Upper Level
This installation features Pollock’s Mural, on view for the first time in Washington, DC, juxtaposed with a selection of his paintings and works on paper from the Gallery’s collection. Originally commissioned by Peggy Guggenheim for her New York City town house, Mural is Pollock’s largest work at nearly 20 feet long and represents a major turning point in his career and style.
More information…
Water, Wind, and Waves: Marine Paintings from the Dutch Golden Age
Through November 25, 2018
West Building, Main Floor
This exhibition explores the deep, multifaceted relationship the Dutch had with the water, including their gratitude for the sea’s bounty and their fear of its sometimes destructive power. Drawn largely from the Gallery’s own collection, the exhibition features nearly 50 paintings, prints, drawings, rare books, and ship models. From quiet harbor scenes and frozen canals to fierce naval battles pitting Dutch crews against their Spanish foes, the range of images reveals the extraordinary impact the water had on art of the Dutch Golden Age.
More information…
Corot: Women
Through December 31, 2018
West Building, Main Floor
Experience 44 of Corot’s paintings of women, each rendered with a sophisticated use of color and a deft and delicate touch.
More information…
Sense of Humor
Through January 6, 2019
West Building, Ground Floor
Prints and drawings have long been ideal vehicles for conveying humor. Celebrate this incredibly rich though easily overlooked tradition through some 100 works including Renaissance caricatures, biting English satires, and 20th-century comics.
More information…
In the Library: Rachel Whiteread’s Ghost
Through January 11, 2019
East Building Study Center
In conjunction with Rachel Whiteread, the National Gallery of Art Library presents materials related to the artist’s sculpture Ghost (1990), made by casting the interior of a Victorian room at 486 Archway Road, North London, in plaster. Ephemera documenting the history of the sculpture, as well as photographs of the space’s inhabitants, reveal the personal dimension of this seminal work.
More information…
Rachel Whiteread
Through January 13, 2019
East Building Concourse Galleries
See the first comprehensive survey of Whiteread’s work, featuring more than 100 objects including sculptures, drawings, photographs, archival objects, and several new works on view for the first time. Ranging from the modest to the monumental, Whiteread’s works memorialize everyday objects, domestic interiors, and public spaces in a variety of industrial materials. Exhibition co-curator Molly Donovan will give an introductory lecture on September 16, followed by a signing of the exhibition catalog.
More information…
Dawoud Bey: The Birmingham Project
Through March 17, 2019
West Building, Ground Floor
This exhibition presents selections from Bey’s The Birmingham Project, a tribute to the victims of the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing in Birmingham, Alabama, on September 15, 1963. Coinciding with the 55th anniversary of this tragedy, the exhibition explores how Bey represents the past through the lens of the present, pushing the boundaries of portraiture and engaging ongoing national issues of racism, violence against African Americans, and terrorism in churches.
More information…
Spaces: Works from the Collection, 1966–1976
Ongoing
East Building, Mezzanine
Inspired by presentations of single-room artworks at the Dwan Gallery (1959–1971) and the exhibition Spaces (1969–1970) at the Museum of Modern Art, this installation features five significant minimal and post-minimal sculptures; several of these works have been donated to the Gallery by Virginia Dwan or given in her honor.
More information…
——————————
Programs
COMMUNITY EVENT
Sketching Is Seeing
Various dates; see website for full schedule
Join us for a month of drawing programs and activities for all ages and interests. Throughout October, guests can pick up a sketchbook and pencil at any Information Desk and go on a sketching adventure. Additional programs include mindful sketching and art making alongside teaching artists. The month concludes with The Big Draw Festival on October 27 and 28.
More information…
LECTURE
Caitlin Teal Price
October 7, 2:00
East Building Auditorium
Caitlin Teal Price, artist and co-founder of STABLE, discusses her practice with John Pilson, photographer, video artist, and senior critic and acting director of graduate studies, Yale School of Art. Held in conjunction with exhibition of Price’s new work, Green is the Secret Color to Make Gold, on view through November 24 at the Greater Reston Arts Center (GRACE).
More information…
FILM PROGRAM
Alberto García-Alix. La línea de sombra (The Shadow Line)
October 7, 4:30
East Building Auditorium
Filmmaker Nicolás Combarro debuts the Washington premier of his portrait of renowned Spanish photographer Alberto García-Alix, whose story is told in first person by the artist. Combarro, an artist and curator himself, has organized many exhibitions of works by García-Alix, primarily portraits of people who, like the photographer, lead excessive lives. A discussion with Combarro follows the screening. Special thanks to the Embassy of Spain.
More information…
EVENINGS AT THE EDGE
October 11, 6:00–9:00
East Building
Celebrate 40 years of the East Building with a disco birthday party, complete with music from DJ Kelton Higgins, a film inspired by the East Building, and pop-up talks featuring works of art from the 1970s. Design birthday cards, play beloved games from the disco era, and indulge in cake pops and a variety of empanadas. Register now.
More information…
CONCERT
PUBLIQuartet with Ian Rosenbaum, percussion
October 28, 3:30
West Building, West Garden Court
PUBLIQuartet’s genre-bending programs span the classical canon and feature open-form improvisations. They will perform three original works from their MIND|THE|GAP initiative—developed to generate interest in new music and keep traditional classical music relevant—as well as composer Andy Akiho’s LIgNEouS for string quartet and marimba, featuring percussionist Ian Rosenbaum, for whom the piece was written.
More information…
——————————
NEW ONLINE
The East Building at Forty: Reflections from Curators Past and Present
In a panel held exactly forty years after the opening of the East Building on June 1, 1978, the Gallery’s current and former head curators of 20th-century art reflected upon their experiences acquiring art and planning special exhibitions. Additional lectures honoring the anniversary are available online.
View online…
SHOPS
2019 Engagement Calendar
The National Gallery of Art engagement calendar is a perennial favorite for art lovers. Keep track of your appointments alongside masterpieces from the Gallery’s collection. Featuring one week and one work of art per spread, this calendar makes a perfect gift for busy loved ones.
Shop…
——————————
For more information on this museum, visit our National Gallery of Art page.
Leave a Reply