First Friday Dupont: Art Walk

Come explore art galleries around greater Dupont Circle for this self-guided art walk this First Friday, March 1, 2024 from 6:00-8:00 p.m.!

The Embassy of Argentina is opening “Inhabited,” by Argentine artist Cristina Mazzucchelli; works made in 2020 of oil and watercolors. From the confinement of the pandemic, the artist began to explore the notions of home, the house as the protective womb.  The artist was inspired by the essay “The Poetics of Space” by French philosopher Gaston Bachelard (1884-1962), and through his writings, she was able to understand that the spaces of a house can be inhabited according to the dialectics of life.  The Embassy of Argentina is located at 1600 New Hampshire, NW

 

The Embassy of Peru invites you to the debut solo exhibit of Cesamo in “art, dances & memories” – exploring the rich diversity of traditional dances in Peru. He sets the stage for each expression with a backdrop of color, shape, and texture that often is a most personal reflection of his emotional state, allowing the viewer an intimate glimpse into his soul. The subject is then painted more literally, inspired by physical reality.  “Arte es alimento del alma. ¡Buen Provecho! (Art is food for the soul. Enjoy!)”  The Embassy of Peru is located 1700 Massachusetts Avenue NW.

 

The Embassy of Portugal is showing “Terra Firme/Terra Fragil,” “Firm Earth/Fragile Earth,” by Elizabeth Casqueiro.  The artist is fascinated by the intricate interplay between nature, the built environment, and the individual self. Her work seeks to explore and capture the ways in which these three worlds intersect and interact, shaping the spaces we inhabit, the experiences we have within them, and the people we become.  In her paintings, she seeks to find the harmony in these seemingly disparate elements and to celebrate the ways in which they are woven together in our lives.  The Embassy of Portugal is located at 2012 Massachusetts Avenue, NW.

 

IA&A at Hillyer invites you to the opening reception for newly selected artists: Elaine Qiu, Kim Richards, and Alexandra Chiou. All three solo artists were selected from Hillyer’s Annual Call for Proposals which was released in July 2023. Join the artists in celebrating this momentous occasion, while extending your arts experience during the monthly art walk.  Free, but $8 donation is suggested.  IA&A at Hillyer is Dupont Circle’s largest nonprofit gallery, located in a carriage house at 9 Hillyer Court, NW – behind the Phillips Collection.  To learn more, visit www.athillyer.org.

The Mansion on O is showing Kallé Siekkinen, a self-taught artist from New Orleans who paints from the heart. He enjoys painting on recycled materials using house paint, wood stain, and stucco and is influenced by his friend and mentor the late, internationally renowned folk artist, Bill Hemmerling.  Most of his subjects are children and many of his paintings in some way represent his own life experiences.  Many of his paintings were created at the O Museum in the Mansion in Washington, D.C.  The Mansion on O is located at 2024 O Street, NW.  Free with cash bar.

 

The Middle East Institute Arts and Culture Center invites you to explore its latest exhibition, The Sea Of Life: Modern and Contemporary Art from the Kingdom of Bahrain.  Co-curated by Bahrain-based Hayfa Aljishi and MEI Arts and Culture Center Director Lyne Sneige, the exhibition features fourteen artists spanning different generations and art forms exploring their connection to their natural and built environment through painting, photography, sculpture, video and installation. The thirty featured artworks offer a glimpse into the legacy of Bahrain’s pioneering artists, the evolving arts scene and the ways in which younger generations are exploring new artistic expressions.  Participating artists: Rashid Al Khalifa, Marwa Al Khalifa, Mohammed Al Mahdi, Mariam AlNoaimi, Jaafar Al Oraibi, Abdul Karim Al-Orrayed, Mashael Alsaie, Jamal AlYousif, Nasser AlYousif, Ebrahim Bu Saad, Balqees Fakhro, Aysha Hafuz, Ghada Khunji, Abbas Yousif.  The Middle East Institute Arts and Culture Center is located at 1763 N Street, NW.

 

The Museum of the Palestinian People invites you to attend its ‘First Friday’ series as we continue to shed light on the ongoing tragedy unfolding in Gaza and the West Bank. You will have the opportunity to learn about the history, culture, and arts of Palestine, and to participate in a tour led by one of our Palestinian docents.  We also welcome you to view our two temporary exhibits. The “Gaza Pop-up,” our most recent addition to the museum, seeks to visually portray the losses endured in Gaza through a multi-media display. Our primary exhibit, “Huna al Quds,” explores the cultural and artistic life in Jerusalem during the British mandate. The Museum of Palestinian People is located at 1900 18th Street NW.

 

On March 1, the National League of American Pen Women, Inc. will again be welcoming visitors to its 1300 17th Street NW entrance. This First Friday will feature the architecture and woodwork of the first floor of this beautiful 137-year-old Pen Arts building and art works from its permanent collection as well as newer pieces being offered for sale. Please visit and enjoy the juxtaposition of new and old.  Come and enjoy this eclectic presentation of fine art at the NLAPW, a membership organization for women writers.  The NLAPW is located at 1300 17th Street NW.

Introducing new paintings by Rafael Gallardo.  Barbara Bennett is pleased to host an art reception at Q Street Fine Art on Friday, March 1, 2024 from 6:00-8:00 p.m.  This gallery, a unique treasure hunters paradise, is located in a Carriage House in the alley directly behind Saint Matthews Cathedral.  The address is 1 Saint Matthew’s Court, NW Washington DC 20036. If directions are needed, please call 202-255-2893.

 

Studio Gallery presents four brand new exhibits this March by local artists. On our upper level, “MEANING and REPETITION” is on display, featuring artists William Bowser, Bob Burgess, Kimberley Bursic, Jennifer Duncan, Pam Frederick, Alan Lipton, and Joan Mayfield.  “MEANING and REPETITION” is curated by Veronica Szalus. Together, these artists’ works offer a stimulating array of explorations of what they find meaningful through the process of artistic repetition. On our lower level, view “pivot/echo” by Robert Cwiok (curated by Helen Frederick), “Influence of the Earth” by Kathryn Camicia, and “Contemplating Grasses” by Jo Levine (curated by Deborah Addison Coburn, Miriam Keeler, Pam Frederick, and Veronica Szalus). “pivot/echo” touches on the phenomena of cycles and the influence of the grid on Cwiok’s colorful work. “Influence of the Earth” features paintings inspired by the quote “Resign yourself to the influence of the earth” by Thoreau.  And “Contemplating Grasses” features photographs of ornamental and wild grasses as visual metaphors for both mortality and the persistence of life. Studio Gallery is located at 2108 R Street NW; we hope to see you there!

As March unfolds into Women’s History Month, Synergy & Serenity’s collaboration with the visionary artist Britnee Scott takes on profound significance. Through her exhibition, “Women Have Super Powers Too,” Britnee encapsulates the spirit of Women’s History Month by vividly portraying the impactful journey of African American women. This artistic endeavor serves as a tribute to the resilience, strength, and pivotal contributions of women worldwide intertwining the celebration of women’s history with the vibrant strokes of Britnee’s creation.  Synergy & Serenity is located at 1803 Connecticut Avenue NW – on the second floor.

The Washington Center of ADA Art Gallery, an extension of ADA University’s Art Program, welcomes their Winter 2024 exhibition by noted Charlottesville, VA. artist Frank P. Phillips for his new works on paper and canvas from January 5 – March 31, 2024.  To learn more about this artist, visit EdithGraves.com.  The Washington Center of ADA University is a 501 (c) 3 organization aiming to promote social, fraternal, and networking opportunities, facilitate education activities, and advance cultural ties between the United States and Azerbaijan. You can find the ADA Art Gallery at 1627 21st Street, NW on Gallery Row.

 

Join the Washington Studio School for the opening exhibition of “Junction,” a solo show celebrating the works of our most recent  Masters Certificate Program graduate, Peggy Greene. Through mixed-media sculptures and drawings, Peggy draws insight from ancestral matriarchs and places them in dialogue with historic Roman deities, highlighting societal expectations of women throughout history.  The Washington Studio School is located at 2129 S Street NW.  You can sign up for classes too!