The Smithsonians: catch them if you can

American Art Museum

By Lanie Rivera
Editor

If you’re planning to visit the Smithsonian art museums in D.C., you might want to make other arrangements — six of the galleries are closing their doors at random and without warning, according to an article on The Verge.

Sequestration budget cuts are forcing the Smithsonian to close the doors of the National Portrait Gallery, the American Art Museum, the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, the National Museum of African Art and the Freer and Sackler Galleries of Asian Art, six of the Smithsonian’s most prestigious galleries.

The details of the closings have not been disclosed, and the news came as a surprise to many because the Smithsonian vowed to keep its doors open despite the sequestration, according to CBS. Now, The Verge reported that the museums are supposed to cut off nearly 5 percent of its budget, approximately $42 million, in this year alone.

Employees and visitors alike are flustered that the closing schedule is not posted. Many contracted security guards from AlliedBarton (a private firm that details the staff at the Smithsonians) will be affected, but this statement from the company shows they neglect to release information about the employees’ future:

“AlliedBarton Security Services does not release information related to client contracts. We work in conjunction with our clients to meet their ongoing needs for security officer services.”

Not only will the security guards take a toll, but there will also be a freeze on new hires, a decrease of employee travel and postponed maintenance at major museums such as the National Air and Space Museum.

The Smithsonian Institution’s Secretary G. Wayne Clough testified before Congress last week to outline the effects of the sequestration:

“We have little budgetary flexibility remaining, and these required reductions will be felt by our visitors and those who are increasingly expecting services online.”

So why leave employees and visitors in the dark? 

Linda St. Thomas, a spokesperson for the Smithsonian Institution, told The Verge that none of the officials even know when the exhibits will be closed:

“The reason we can’t post [closing information] online is because we don’t know … We won’t know enough time in advance to do a web post.”

Decisions will be made on a day-to-day basis by the Institution’s museum directors and heads of security.

Although these budget cuts are temporary, Smithsonian officials are not at ease. Both Clough and St. Thomas cautioned that the cuts could become permanent if they continue past 2014.

Clough didn’t expect the effects of the sequestration to even get this bad, according to the CBS article from February of this year. Clough told CBS he wanted to avoid layoffs and museum closings.

The effects of the sequestration could “translate into permanent staff reductions,” and museums will be “forced to postpone or cancel exhibitions,” Clough told The Verge.

Despite rumors of the Smithsonian Institutions charging admission, authorities made it clear that the museums will remain open to the public without a fee. The Verge reported:

The idea has been floated repeatedly by members of Congress and other parties throughout the Smithsonian’s 167-year history, but each time, the Smithsonian’s Board of Regents — the governing board of the institution — has summarily rejected it.

[WC: 540]

Blue Streak invades your space

Photo courtesy of the Hamiltonian Gallery

By Lanie Rivera
Editor

Art has been known to defy conventional practices and surprise viewers for years. But this recent installation at D.C.’s Hamiltonian Gallery goes one step further — it invades your personal space.

A giant blue construction in the gallery’s hallway makes it hard for visitors to walk through without feeling uncomfortable.

You must be thinking: what’s the artist’s point?

“Blue Streak,” as it’s named, “is about these moments of awkward choice. It’s more about art-making and art-experience than it is about the distinct interpretation of a made object … about contemplating space, the memory of space, the expectations of space, and the mechanics of space as experienced by each individual viewer,” according to the Examiner.

Go check out artist Timothy “Mike” Thompson‘s piece in the “Gathering Space” exhibition.

One Million Bones installation to speak for over a million stories

*Check out this video of a similar project (50,000 bones) in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 2011 

By Lanie Rivera
Editor

An art installation made of one million bones is scheduled to be displayed at the National Mall in June; the goal is to make a minute but powerful representation of the people who have suffered from mass genocides and atrocities across the globe.

Photo courtesy of http://www.kearneyhub.com

The One Million Bones project demonstrates the strength of art as a social call to action against injustices.

The bones, created by art students and teachers of Kearney High School, Horizon Middle School, Kearney Catholic and Sumner Public School, are ceramic.

Residents of central Nebraska were invited to participate in the project on April 6 at the Museum of Nebraska Art by molding bones themselves.

To learn more about the project, visit the project’s website. Read the full article here.

Art used to merge the District’s two cities

Left: The District’s famous Washington Monument, frequented by tourists. Right: a mural in Brookland, a less-visited neighborhood that has attracted visitors with its art.

By Lanie Rivera
Editor

District Mayor Vincent Gray recently proposed a budget for fiscal year 2014 that would raise the public city arts budget by $2.3 million; city officials wish to invest the funds into neighborhood art projects to encourage tourists to visit under-trafficked areas of the District, according to the Washington Examiner.

I hold the belief that this infusion of funding is an attempt by Gray and other city officials to create a city with appealing aspects beyond its historical and political landmarks.

And if neighborhoods and historic landmarks were equally inviting, I would also argue that the duality of the District would intertwine. Washington, the political, wealthy city, would merge with D.C., the multigenerational residents who have a stake in the District.

Lionell Thomas, executive director of the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, told the Examiner that the neighborhood projects would establish the whole District as an artistic epicenter:

People think of the Mall as the place to go for artistic activities … The new strategy creates that whole vision — the city is a vibrant and wonderful place.

And an influx of visitors in lesser-visited neighborhoods would likely promote neighborhood beautification and renovation. Neighborhood visitors would see there is more to the District than the famous statues and museums that people typically plan to visit.

Furthermore, tourism in both Washington (museums and politics) and D.C. (neighborhoods and local hangouts) would weave the two parts together. This contrast is well explained by Adam Serwer in a 2011 article titled “A City Divided,” published on the American Prospect:

Washington spills out of downtown Metro stations at 8 A.M.; D.C. huddles on crowded buses at 6 A.M. On Sundays, when Washington goes to brunch, D.C. is in church. Washington clinks glasses in bars like Local 16 in its leisure time, while D.C. sweats out its perm at dance clubs like Love or DC Star. Washington has health-insurance benefits, but D.C. is paying out of pocket …

Although this duality has existed for quite a while, these two parts of the District have, arguably, already begun to meld together within the past few years, but not equally — some residents believe Washington has overshadowed D.C.

In his 2013 State of the District Address (according to the prepared text), Gray said that the District is becoming a higher class area. The city was previously recognized for its cultural and economic diversity; the career-focused transplants from all over the country mingled with the District locals whose families had grown up in the area for generations.

Now, though, Gray noted that he was afraid the city was overwhelmingly inhabited by residents with white collar careers:

We once worried about the District becoming a city of “haves” and “have-nots.”  But now we are increasingly in danger of becoming a city of only “haves.”

Some District natives have noticed the same shift.

NY Times writer Latoya Peterson, a District resident, shared her experience with the city’s divide that confirmed Gray’s worry. She wrote that the political bustle of Washington is taking over D.C. in her January 2013 op-ed piece:

My block today looks completely different from the way it did when I moved in just a few years ago. Italian wine bars and trendy street food arrived, bringing a diversity-lite mix of patrons. Washington is taking over, yet vestiges of D.C. remain.

Under-trafficked neighborhoods may be considered these “vestiges.” If tourists were drawn into local neighborhoods, I argue that central Washington and hidden D.C. would be equally celebrated. Art installations, as suggested by city officials, would be one method to entice visitors into neighborhoods and promote equality among the two faces of the city.

Although I have not read any residents’ reactions to this proposition, many officials have endorsed the idea. At-large Councilman David Grosso told the Examiner that an artistic landmark would create a well-rounded city, adding a creative, authentic flare to a predominantly federal city:

Just like Chicago has “The Bean” (officially titled Cloud Gate), a shiny, odd-looking, permanent fixture of Millennium Park that draws flocks of gaping onlookers, the District needs its own distinctive centerpiece, [Grosso] reasons – not another obelisk for a former president.

Grosso and others think that the District is not a large player in the arts scene. These city officials support Gray’s decision to fund the arts because most big cities have large art pieces that attract visitors.

Jennifer Cover Payne, head of the Cultural Alliance of Greater Washington, told the Examiner that she believes the Gray’s proposition is a great sign following years of an artistic drought.

” ‘When there was an downturn in the economy, the arts downturned even more,’ she said. ‘Now … D.C. is ready for a renaissance.’ “

[WC: 777]

National Gallery of Art promotes self-guided tours with new mobile app

Image courtesy of the National Gallery of Art

By Lanie Rivera
Editor

The National Gallery of Art (NGA) encourages visitors to be their own tour guides.

NGA released “Your Art,” its new, free app for the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch last week.

The app allows visitors to explore the galleries through two self-guided tours. It also keeps consumers up to date with a list of events and exhibitions, images of various works housed at the museum, as well as visitor information.

And if you haven’t jumped onto the Apple bandwagon, NGA allows visitors to borrow one of 20 iPod Touches from the West Building Audio Tour Desk.

For more information, read this article by the Washington City Paper.

The District seen through an artistic lens

Photo courtesy of Google Maps

By Lanie Rivera
Editor

While on your everyday commute, you pass by that colorful mural in your local metro station twice a day — do you ever wonder what it means? Which artist painted it? If there are any more like it in the District, and where?

Well, lucky for you, District art lovers combined their local art findings onto one convenient map, creating a simple way to plan a weekend trip to explore the city and quench your thirst for D.C. art culture.

The map features locations, descriptions and titles of public art pieces, delving deeper into the District’s rich artistic history.

Check out the mural details and the interactive map here.

Philanthropic salsa dancing

Photo courtesy of Catholic Charities

By Lanie Rivera
Editor

A night of salsa dancing in tempo with musical tunes from a live DJ pulled the District’s fun-loving philanthropists together to support the local Latino community.

On March 22, D.C.’s Catholic Charities’ Spanish Catholic Center hosted Música y Sueños (Music and Dreams), a Latin-style salsa dance party held at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Over 400 locals attended the event and were provided salsa dance lessons by Ricardo Loaiza, a professional D.C. salsa dancer.

The proceeds benefitted the Spanish center, which has served the District’s Latino community for 45 years by providing health clinics, food pantries, employment, legal aid and language classes.

Continue here to read more about the event.

Redesigned Chuck Brown Memorial Pavilion does not alleviate community concerns

Left: original design, right: new design
Photos courtesy of Marshall Moya/Department of General Services presentation

By Lanie Rivera
Editor

The plans for the Chuck Brown Music Pavilion at Ward 5’s Langdon Park were recently redesigned, scaling down from an outdoor concert venue with a capacity of 900 visitors to a capacity of 200 concert-goers, according to an article by the Washington City Paper.

Not only did the new plans scale back the seating capacity, but they also tweaked the venue’s acoustics, changing the direction and improving the sounds quality the amphitheater would produce.

With the sound directed inward, the venue’s noise level will be reduced to alleviate the worries of surrounding residents. But, many residents are still uneasy about the outdoor theater’s installation within the neighborhood.

The amphitheater was dedicated to musician Chuck Brown, the “late Godfather of Go-Go” music, as named in this article by the city paper.

The Cleveland Park design firm Marshall Moya created the layout of this outdoor music pavilion in tribute to Brown, signifying the type of intimate venues at which the musician preferred to play, according to ABC 7 News.

Relative importance of community-based art projects climb

Photo by Art Matters, on Easy City Art

By Nicole Lafond

Editor

Two University of Vermont students recently curated a community art project on the school’s campus, encouraging student and faculty members to express what makes them feel “Alive.”

The two Davis Center curators and juniors at the University of Vermont were inspired by a recent gallery at the Penny Cluse restaurant, and decided to bring the idea to their campus, the Vermont Cynic reported. The exhibition is currently being featured in the Dudley H. Davis Center on campus.

The Dudley H. Davis Center is a community center on the university’s campus. It claims to be student focused, complements the university’s academic mission, supports social justice and is environmentally conscious, according to the center’s website.

Maya Curtis and Blair Borax were the brains behind this community art project. The two-student team arranged the specifics of the exhibit and held an opening reception on March 20. The exhibit opened March 19 and will last until April 12, according to the University of Vermont’s arts calendar.

Community member participants were given few instructions for this exhibit. They were given an eight by eight piece of plywood, asked to express their notions of the word “alive” and then return the finished product to be displayed in the exhibit.

The exhibit’s inspiration, “Run” featured at Penny Cluse, functioned similarly to “Alive,” but Curtis and Borax told the Cynic they hoped to make their exhibit more community focused.

“It is definitely important to value fine art, but I think it’s equally important to level with a public who aren’t all art critics, to makes this space inclusive.”

A vast array of skill levels and artistic mediums was the goal of the exhibit, according to the student curators. Community artists who have contributed to date utilized products such as markers, glitter and fake flowers, according to the observations of the Cynic reporter.

Borax has worked with the concept of community art before, and said she sees it as an important part of any art gallery’s relations with the public.

“This is not a super fine art thing, but I think it’s important to get the student body involved.  Especially in the Davis Center where their mission is related to social justice and environmental sustainability.”

Despite experience with community-based art projects, Borax was disappointed with the level of engagement she has encountered so far at her university’s art center. Only 15 people had signed up to participate in the “Alive” exhibit, but the pair said they were expecting more to express interest after the opening reception.

The pair also plans to engage in and curate more community art projects in the future.

Community-based art projects are not a new concept in Washington, D.C. and the surrounding area. Organizations such as Civilian Art Projects and City Arts exist because of community engagement in artistic exhibits. These community-based art projects could be the future of art programs in D.C. and beyond.

Civilian Art Projects is a gallery located on Seventh Street in the North West that exists solely to help spread the vision of amateur artists. The gallery provides a platform for community members to engage in the art works of local emerging artists while allowing community members a place to explore their own interests and engage in expression.

Similarly, City Art has created a business model based around the importance of community art.

“City Arts also conducts mural and mosaic residencies at Washington, DC area public, private, and charter schools. These projects involve hundreds of students – most of whom do not have formal art training – in the creation of artworks that pay tribute to their schools and surroundings. Through partnerships with local nonprofits, City Arts offers after-school and summer art workshops.”

I argue local community art projects are one of the most productive means of engaging locals in the power and importance of the arts, and may be the answer to art education in the D.C. community and beyond.

Local D.C. school officials have recently made plans to close 15 public schools in the district, the Washington Post reported. Plans to cut art funding to a prominent art organization, Fillmore, have also been recently announced.

These cuts have local parents and community members frustrated with the priority quality education, specifically arts education, has in the local community.

An increase in the number of art, music and foreign language programs was used as a justification for the “consolidation efforts”  of the DCPS, in response to a recent law suit filed by activists hoping to halt the closure of these 15 schools.

School officials should be criticized for the lack of evidence behind this claim made by DCPS spokeswoman Melissa Salmanowitz. The connection independent community art projects have with schools in the district could be the source of DCPS’ claim, making the claim invalid, as these independent organizations do not claim to be active DCPS affiliates, but rather affiliated with student based non-profit organizations.

The importance of community of art projects is more prominent now that community members fear art funding cuts and public school closures, but should not be cited as a justification behind such actions.

The future of the local art industry in D.C. may lie in the hands of community-based projects, such as “Alive.”

Fillmore Arts Center faces significant budget cuts

*Video produced by students of the Fillmore Arts Center.

By Lanie Rivera
Editor

DC Public Schools (DCPS) recently announced budget cuts facing the District’s Fillmore Arts Center for the 2013-14 school year, according to this letter from the Friends of Fillmore group, a non-profit volunteer board that supports the Fillmore Arts Center.

The downsized arts budget is baffling, as it conflicts with assurances from city officials such as DCPS Chancellor Kaya Henderson, as well as the District’s $6.8 million arts budget increase from fiscal year 2012-13 (a $2.3 million arts funding increase was proposed by Mayor Vincent Gray for fiscal year 2014 but has yet to be approved).

Henderson, who has recently been under fire for closing D.C. schools, promised that local schools’ arts programs would flourish after 15 schools close. Additional revenue that funded the schools will be allocated to those schools that remain open.

But an article on the Georgetown Dish noted that the arts budget decrease contradicts Henderson’s predictions:

“This year’s cuts to arts and music education at the eight schools come at a curious time: When Henderson announced her citywide school closure and consolidation plan last November, she that said by [closing] 15 schools … the school system would be able to fund more programming, including arts and music, at those that remained open.”

In response to the budget cuts, the Friends of Fillmore group, housed in the same building as Hardy Middle School, created a petition to rally parents together on the issue. Their goal is to force Henderson to stop the impending cuts and restore $300,000 to the program.

Fortunately, the Friends of Fillmore petition has already received tremendous support from Disrtict residents who also value the arts program.

According to a March 22 blog post by the Kelly Richmond, board chair of Friends of Fillmore, “over 250 Fillmore ‘friends’ sign[ed] the petition [since March 21] and reading all the tremendous comments of how Fillmore touches the lives of children past and present who have been able to attend touches my heart.”

Established in 1974, the Fillmore Arts Center provides art education to students at eight public schools in the District. Students are bused to one of two Fillmore locations in the District for two hours of art instruction, which includes classes in music, painting, graphic design, ceramics, theater, dance, architecture and sculpture.

So, I raise this question: why are programs such as Fillmore’s facing threats of budget decreases despite Henderson’s promise? And why cut funding when the District’s budget for arts programs recently increased?

The author of an article on Georgetown Patch posed a related question while noting that Fillmore provides a comprehensive, unmatched service to children through the arts:

“Why would DCPS take money away from a school that offers more in-depth programming —including an auditorium, graphic design lab and kiln — than any neighborhood school could provide on its own?”

In response, Peter Eisler, treasurer of Friends of Fillmore, told Patch that DCPS is “strapped for cash” and it is easier for them to take money from a comprehensive program rather than a single school.

Eisler also told Patch he assumes that Fillmore was subjected to drastic cuts because of the program’s schedule:

“Fillmore lacks the same level of dedicated constituency that you might find in a neighborhood school in part because the children only attend class there once a week, Eisler explained.”

Although Eisler implied that Fillmore has been pushed under the rug, DCPS differed in its response. A DCPS representative told Patch that the cuts were the schools’ fault because several schools stopped using Fillmore’s services.

Nonetheless, the budget cuts have undeniably upset the community. Many city officials do not support the budget decrease, including Councilman Jack Evans of Ward 2.

“I don’t agree with these kinds of cuts,” he told Patch.

When will authorities realize the valuable role art plays in the development of young children?

According to Facts and Figures, a 2012 report compiled by Americans for the Arts and Vans Custom Culture and cited by the Friends of Fillmore website, students who spend four years in art and music education earn an average SAT score of 100 points above those students who are exposed to one-half year or less of arts education.

The budget cuts will inhibit the award-winning program and will surely be a loss to students in the area. Luckily, many parents have recognized the importance of the program for their children’s education and are fighting against the funding decrease.

[WC: 730]