Friday = Artomatic
Artomatic, the art show that art critics love to hate and everyone else loves to visit; the capital area's homegrown art extravaganza, opens to the public at noon on Friday, May 9, with art, performances and special events, including the fire-dancing troupe Flights of Fire and performance art in the form of a new TV game show, “The Road to Success!” in just the first weekend.
From past experience, there will be dozens of parties going on throughout the spaces. This is the DC event this week.
“NoMa is ready to welcome tens of thousands of visitors to Artomatic so they can see the transformation that is under way in NoMa,” said Elizabeth Price, President of the NoMa BID. “NoMa is currently a hotbed of construction activity and now, thanks to Artomatic, the neighborhood will be bursting with the energy and excitement that only the artistic community can create.”
Highlights of Artomatic’s opening weekend include:
• Unveiling of nine floors of 2-D and 3-D visual arts presentations by more than 700 local and regional artists.
• Flights of Fire – a fire dancing performance to be held outside at 9 p.m., Friday, May 9.
• “Electro-acoustic psychedelic world dance music” by Baltimore’s Telesma at 9 p.m., Friday, May 9.
• A Latin dance workshop with professional dance instructor Ibis Villegas, featuring salsa, merengue, samba, and other styles at 2 p.m., Saturday, May 10.
• Progressive rock by Guardians of Iridescence at 8 p.m., Saturday, May 10.
• “The Road to Success,” performance art by Carolina Mayorga in the form of a new TV game show at 8 p.m., Saturday, May 10.
• New wave/indie rock by Plastiq Passion, an all-girl band from Union City, New Jersey at 11 p.m., Saturday, May 10.
• An expressive drawing workshop with Giliah Litwack at 1 p.m., Sunday, May 11.
• "In-your-face" jazz/jam music "with a touch of funk" by Bethesda, JD-based Bassment Breaks at 4 p.m., Sunday, May 11.
A full schedule of events is available at www.artomatic.org/event.
Held regularly since 1999, Artomatic transforms an unfinished indoor space into an exciting and diverse arts event that is free and open to the public. In addition to displays and sales by hundreds of artists, the event features free films, educational presentations and children’s activities, as well as musical, dance, poetry, theater and other performances.
Who will be this year's AOM emerging star? Let's get those "Top 10" lists going!
May 9–June 15 at Capitol Plaza 1
1200 First Street, N.E., (Corner of First and M Streets)
Washington, D.C. 20002
(New York Avenue Metro station: Red line)
Free, but donations accepted
HOURS
Wednesday–Thursdays: 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Fridays–Saturdays: Noon to 2 a.m.
Sundays: Noon to 10 p.m.
Closed Mondays and Tuesdays
Directions- here.
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
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1 comment:
Okay, Top Ten Observations (no ranking):
1. There are more crow images in Artomatic 2008 than images of politicians. Is this progress or resignation? Whichever: love those crows, all of them.
2. The best work may not be a work at all, but an artist's statement. Joan Belmar (12 SW) writes the usual blah, blah, blah as literally "blah, blah, blah." Or are those blahs coming from the Capitol in her works? Perhaps from the actual Capitol, in the background?
3. The installation of piles of distorted and warped ceramic bowls poses so many questions. According the artist's statement, her inspiration was a decade of joy and sorrow working in an underprivileged community. The bowls are all so rigid, so uniform; was that her approach to working in that community? No wonder there were sorrows.
4. This is the best site ever for Artomatic, with great spaces and great views: the National Cathedral in the Northwest, Mount Olivet in the East, Union Station to the South.
5. Claudia Vess's statement (7 NW) about the installation "Ars Pacis" helps, lest the viewer think that refugees are living in the building. Eirene (Peace) may have been rescued from the pit in Aristophanes' play, but war soon resumed; hence, the Peace Flag ("Pace") is soiled and tattered, on the floor. It is an installation for our times, like the crows.
6. What a great giraffe mobile: you pull its tail, it turns and looks at you disapprovingly.
7. Paint scraps colorfully turned into flowers, done so well.
8. Great glass, as usual.
9. Wonderfully bad works, to fool the Washington Post (again).
10. Friendly people, great leadership. Thanks, Artomatic.
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