Washington, DC
Yoko Ono
Inspired
Art After Dark
in Arts + Culture, Explore, Inspired, Style
National Portrait Gallery, Washington, DC
Presidential Portraits on View at the Portrait Gallery
Michelle Obama by Amy Sherald and Barack Obama by Kehinde Wiley on view at the Portrait Gallery! These portraits make lovely additions to the collection. Photos from a quick trip, below:
Do Ho Suh: Almost Home
"Hub" sculptures by Korean artist, Do Ho Suh are conjoined rooms and passageways that depict the artists childhood home. Made entirely of fabric by traditional Korean sewing techniques, combined with 3-D modeling and mapping technologies.
Modern Wing at NGA
After traveling through the dark "Multiverse" by Leo Villareal to get to the East Wing, the feeling of the warm sun through the glass ceiling, just may have been life-changing. So GLAD I had my wide-angle this time around - to capture the real ambiance of this vast and expansive lobby space. Enjoy captures below:
Multiverse
STILLS of this moving light sculpture - approximately 40,000 computer programmed LED nodes run through a 200 foot long channel. "The programming both instructs the lights and allows for an element of chance, so that it is very unlikely that any pattern will repeat during a viewer's experience."
No Spectators - The Art of Burning Man
Some very stunning show stoppers of the Renwick Gallery's Burning Man exhibit are pictured below, however as usual, photographs just don't do the experience justice. This exhibit will be on view throughout the year, so it's definitely worth to visit in person and more than once!
On a majorly busy opening weekend - experience was transformed and heightened by the crowd. Although the art is so loud by nature...the exhibit definitely assumed the energy of David Best's Temple installation and was quiet, peaceful, calming and introspective throughout.
“No Spectators’ is a long-standing saying on Playa. You are encouraged to fully participate. It’s all about being there, being fully present, and not just observing. Two of the ten principles of Burning Man are radical participation and radical inclusivity, meaning that there are no outsiders. Everyone is part of the experience.”
"Volume"
Volume, by Leo Villareal is made entirely of white LED lights + mirror-finished stainless steel + custom software, and electrical hardware. This dangling light installation is a show-stopping centerpiece, adding shine and sparkle and illumination to the grand staircase of the Renwick Gallery. From far away, Volume appears to be a chandelier, however, Villareal has created this light sculpture using tens of thousands of individual LED bulbs and a computerized program to give the illumination frequent motion.
Temple by David Best
I wasn't originally going to share, as I'm not necessarily proud of how these photos came out. Most importantly, this was a highly submersive experience. If you're any kind of reflective or contemplative person, this exhibit will truly move you, so be very open to the experience!
Built by David Best, a world renowned American sculptor, responsible for building these temple structures out of recycled wood materials for Burning Man, in which they are burnt to the ground at the end of the festival!
The Armory Show
To sum it all up, The Armory Show was a beautiful collision of artists, collectors, enthusiasts and champagne by Pommery. I was quite pleased to feel the ambiance as an all-inclusive and diverse environment. I met people, who like myself, traveled to New York exclusively for the Armory Show...in the name of art!
The familiar feeling of electricity is why I love attending these kinds of shows and events. Galleries from all over set up booths to showcase pieces by artists they represent. The Armory Show gave me intense nostalgia of Paris Photo LA. I was happy to see many sculpture pieces, installations and NEON art.
BMA Highlights
The Baltimore Museum of Art is NOT to be overlooked. Just one visit in and I am obsessed, already planning my next venture back here! This will definitely become a frequent stop in my travels between Philadelphia and DC - I actually can't believe that it's taken so long for me to discover this, but I think I had this experience at just the right time.
Their collection is certainly diverse - including pieces belonging to African, Asian, American, English and European genres. HOWEVER, the Modern and Contemporary collection (which is what I'm interested in) has been quite impressively curated - there are a few interactive pieces, some amazing installations and some key works by popular artists.
Please enjoy some of my favorite pieces from my afternoon tour, works by: Georgia O'Keefe, Hans Hoffman, Calder, Joan Miro, Andy Warhol, Bruce Nauman, Glen Ligon and more!
Untitled by Dan Flavin
Entangled Orbits by Tomás Saraceno
Internationally acclaimed artist and trained architect Tomás Saraceno uses iridescent panels, spider webs, and inflatable orbs in three fascinating sculptures on view. The centerpiece of the exhibition, Entangled Orbits, transforms the East Lobby with clusters of iridescent-paneled modules held in place by strings reminiscent of a spider web. Appearing somewhat like bubbles, these spherical modules evoke the artist’s visionary plans for “cloud cities,” which look to naturally occurring forms for inspiration and might provide environments for future human habitation. Similarly, the intricate spider web of ropes refers to a natural structure that encompasses the qualities of strength, beauty, and flexibility.
MoMA Highlights!
Oh, I would not describe this experience anything less than truly inspired and heartwarming. Getting to see all of these famous works in person, first hand, observing the size and scale of each piece and being able to intimately examine the artistic technique up close and personal.
In college, I studied bits and pieces of conceptual and new media art. Walking through the galleries at the MoMA, I was able to immediately recognize the names of esteemed works and artists - James Rosenquist, Edward Ruscha, Van Gogh, Henri Rosseau, Magritte and Kadinsky to name a few!
Moon Dust (Apollo 17)
While on a stroll through the BMA, I encountered the installation in progress of Spencer Finch's "Moondust"...upon first impression, I thought "oh, how clever, so many lightbulbs"...however, unbeknownst to me, this piece is very intricate with deep history and meaning to be displayed at the BMA for the next 7 years! So here's a first look at "Stardust" - still unfinished (undergoing installation), can't wait to get visit again when it's opened officially later this month!
Visit to George Peabody Library
Another one of those gorgeous locations - a well hidden gem and best kept secret. To be quite honest, if you're not looking for it, you likely wouldn't find it. This building was founded in 1857, designed by architect, Edmund G. Lind. Five tiers of ornamental cast-iron balconies, rise dramatically to the skylight, 61 feet above ground. When this historic architectural structure isn't hosting elaborate and decadent events, it moonlights as a functioning library, actually open to the public!
I was so lucky to be able to chill here for a few hours on a lazy afternoon AND even get a productive amount of work and brainstorming done. Certainly an inspiring location and the highlight of my day.
MoMa Rendezvous
The Baccarat Hotel
This decadent hotel lobby is made entirely of Baccarat crystal combined with some of the most luxe elements you can imagine! Oh, and theres no shortage of chandeliers - with many different styles and the many mirrors placed throughout, this space is truly special. Not to mention it smelled so amazing too! And check out the wood treatment a la Yakisugi method - a Japanese treatment in which wood is burned and cooled immediately causing a preservant and protective effect.
"Reanimation"
In The City
I live in a more "suburban, urban" area and I forget how much of a city girl I am at heart. Yesterday's quick run downtown has inspired me to get out and explore on a whim a bit more. After riding around for just a short period of time, I scouted so many locations that would be great for photo ops! Can't wait to get out and draft a SS17/18 location scout list!
