WaPo's Fall Visual Arts Preview

In the past, I have been a harsh critic of the lack of depth in the Washington Post's seasonal visual arts previews, but in what is perhaps the paper's best-ever visual arts preview, the WaPo has a great handle on what's coming to the gallery and museum walls of the greater DC region here.

Bravo Zulu to the WaPo on a very informative falls preview! Here are my early picks from their preview:

"Lola Alvarez Bravo," vintage prints from Mexico's best-known female photographer, at the Smithsonian's Dillon Ripley Center. Through Nov. 11.

"The Freedom Place Collection," rarely seen paintings by Romare Bearden, Alma Thomas and others exploring the African American experience, at Zenith Gallery. Through Sept. 30.

Sept 13 -- "In the Flesh," a juried exhibition of contemporary figurative art, at Target Gallery. Through Oct. 13.

Sept 13 -- "Options 2007," the latest edition of this survey of emerging local talent organized by the Washington Project for the Arts, at Edison Place Gallery. Through Oct. 26.

Sept 14 -- "Michael Fitts," oil paintings on reclaimed metal by the Charlottesville artist, at Fraser Gallery. Through Oct. 6.

Sept 15 -- "Susan Jamison: Trust in Me," egg-tempera paintings addressing feminine identity and nature, at Irvine Contemporary. Through Oct. 20

Spet 15 -- "Jiha Moon: Line Tripping," drawings from the Korean-born artist, at Curator's Office. Through Oct. 27.

Sept 16 -- "Edward Hopper," a comprehensive survey of the American master's career, at the National Gallery of Art. Through Jan. 21.

Sept 20 -- "Morris Louis Now: An American Master Revisited," a retrospective of the founder of the Washington Color School, at the Smithsonian's Hirshhorn Museum. Through Jan. 6.

Sept 26 -- "John Dugdale," photographs by a New York artist who has lost 80 percent of his vision, in the gallery at the Maryland Institute College of Art. Through Oct. 28.

Sept 27 -- "Legacy: Spain and the United States in the Age of Independence, 1763-1848," examining Spanish influence on the formation of the United States, at the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery. Through Feb. 10.

Oct 1 -- "J. M. W. Turner," a comprehensive retrospective of the great British landscape painter, at the National Gallery of Art. Through Jan. 6.

Oct 2 -- "Fall Solos 2007," featuring Timothy Michael Martin, Chawky Frenn, Claire Sherwood, Gillian Brown, Alessandra Torres, Laurel Lukaszewski and Heidi Fowler, at Arlington Arts Center. Through Nov. 17.

Oct 12 -- "Herb's Choice: Manon Cleary," new drawings by the D.C. artist, at District of Columbia Arts Center. Through Nov. 4.

Oct 18-- "Currents: Recent Acquisitions," including works purchased for the museum by its Contemporary Acquisitions Council, at the Hirshhorn Museum. Through March 16.

Oct 27 -- "Margot Quan Knight," photographs, at Randall Scott Gallery. Through Dec. 8.

Nov 1 -- "Lucy Hogg: The Last Pony," a large canvas, digital photographs and a video all address "the end of painting," at Meat Market Gallery. Through Nov. 25.

Nov 3 -- "Kathryn Cornelius," video and photo-based performance art, at Curator's Office. Through Dec. 22.

Nov 3 -- "James Huckenpahler: Mindless Pleasures," images created by intentionally misusing software, at Hemphill Fine Arts. Through Dec. 22.

Nov 6 -- "Fernando Botero: Abu Ghraib," works reflecting on atrocities committed by members of the U.S. military in Iraq, at the American University Museum. Through Dec. 30.

Nov 9 -- "The Narrative Figure," showcasing storytelling works in clay and on paper, at the Ellipse Arts Center. Through Jan. 19.