WPA on the move

Washington Project for the Arts Announces Move 

to Capitol Skyline Hotel

Washington, DC, January 10, 2013 - Washington Project for the Arts (WPA) announces the move of its administrative offices to the Capitol Skyline Hotel at 10 I ("Eye") Street SW, Washington, DC on February 1, 2013. WPA will take up temporary residence in a suite on the fourth floor of the Capitol Skyline for the next year as it finalizes plans for securing a long-term location which will house both administrative and exhibition space.

WPA's Executive Director Lisa Gold explains, "We are extremely excited about moving to such a creative and flexible location which will allow us to continue our programming throughout the DC region, while offering a home base for our administrative operations and a gathering place for artists to meet and share ideas. We look forward to presenting ongoing exhibitions and projects in collaboration with other organizations and institutions as well as offering new programs and events at the Capitol Skyline Hotel."

Well known for its support of contemporary art and artists, the Capitol Skyline Hotel is owned by internationally renowned collectors Don and Mera Rubell. Mera Rubell, co-founder of the Rubell Family Collection, stated, "WPA has always been at the heart of what defines the Capitol Skyline Hotel. It was the artists of WPA that performed at the SynchroSwim (WPA's synchronized swimming performance art competition inaugurated in 2009) to launch the South Beach pool experience for the community at the Hotel, along with the CONNERSMITH gallery who started an innovative cutting edge artist video program in collaboration with the Rubell Family Collection. The Rubell family and its entire team are excited to welcome WPA to its new home at the Hotel."     

 

Fluid Movement performs an excerpt from Jason and the Aquanauts at the WPA SynchroSwim 2010. Photo by Max Cook.

In addition to the SynchoSwim events in 2009 and 2010, WPA has organized and participated in other programs at the Hotel over the past few years including a panel discussion about the state of arts coverage in the mainstream DC media in 2010 and participation in the (e)merge art fair held at the Hotel for the past two years. Rubell added, "We welcome the staff to its new headquarters and all of the 1,000 artists that make up its membership to feel at home at the Hotel.  We invite them to see the Hotel as a place to engage with each other and the many global guests who frequent the Hotel. And, we believe that new and inspiring collaborations will result from these encounters at the Hotel."

 

WPA Chairman of the Board, Frederick P. Ognibene, M.D., noted that taking up temporary residence in the Capitol Skyline during its search for long-term, permanent space will afford the organization the ability to continue and even expand its community outreach while facilitating the kind of flexible and innovative programming for which WPA is known. "The ability to offer artists a venue to convene for formal programming as well as casual conversation is equally important," stated Dr. Ognibene. The hotel's location in the rapidly transforming Capitol Riverfront area is a mere 4 blocks from the Navy Yard Metro station and 5 blocks from the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities' new offices. 

Over its 37 year lifespan, WPA has had multiple homes from its founding  location at 1227 G Street NW to the Jenifer Building at 400 7th Street NW to 434 7th St NW to the Corcoran Gallery of Art in 1996 and then to its current location at Dupont Circle in 2008. Read more about WPA's history on the 35th anniversary exhibition (Catalyst) website at http://wpadc.org.         

 

WPA will announce plans for a welcome reception at the Hotel after the annual SELECT Art Auction Gala on March 16, 2013 at 64 New York Avenue NE.

More information: www.wpadc.org

The curious case of the art fair model

For years I have been proselytizing about art galleries and art fairs and artists and art fairs. In a nutshell my gospel is simple: if you are a 21st century artist (or gallery) and you're not in Miami in December, then your business model is hopelessly bound to the meager crumbs of your local area and the random shot from your Internet website.

I know the costs are brutal, and that leaves a lot of galleries out of the equation in round one; but there are techniques and processes and approaches to diluting the "cost shock" - much like a cooperative gallery dilutes the huge odds against a gallery staying open more than a year by spreading out the costs amongst its members. In the last few years I have been hired by almost a dozen art centers, coop art galleries and even some commercial art galleries to advise them on how to approach the daunting task of "going to the fair" - to this date, ALL of them are returning to art fairs after their first, second or third fair -- All of them.

And that leads me to highlight that there is a most curious effect that I've been observing over the last few years.

In spite of the horrible economy, and in spite of the current administration's dated academic approaches to kick-starting the economy (and if it doesn't work, whatever it is, we blame Bush), and in spite of the threat of a financial doomsday with no happy ending no matter who wins (the who being the left wing or the right wing, with the rest of us caught in the middle)... in spite of all that... in my own empirical experience, and in talking to dozens of my fellow art dealers, it seems as though art fairs are doing OK.

Want empirical evidence Lenster?

Here locally, (e)merge has survived the most dire of predictions of the local art buying market and will return in 2013, stronger than ever. In Miami, this year there will be a record number of art fairs - even some of the top dogs (such as Art Miami) are so flooded with applicants that they've quietly started a second fair under a new name - all together there will be about 26 art fairs going on at once all over the Miami/Miami Beach region - 26!

The people who run Pulse also run the Affordable Art Fairs, and they're expanding to a bunch of new cities; DC was one of the cities on the draft list, and they came, explored, talked to a lot of people and decided that the DMV is not a viable market, but Seattle is.

But the biggest surprise of all (in my learned opinion) is the fact that a record number of DMV galleries and DMV area artists are heading south to the most Cuban of non-Cuban cities in the world next week to sell art and expose themselves to art!

If the mountain doesn't come to Mohamm ahhh... Monet, then Monet will come to the mountain.

We're heading to the Aqua Art Fair next week - if you want some free passes, drop me an email.

Jarvis Grant on (e)merge

In case you missed it, Jarvis Grant has a really interesting article/review on the impact of Photoshop on some of the work on exhibit at the recently concluded (e)merge art fair.

Check it out here.

(e)merge's performance and critics

I've been scrubbing what art critics have been writing about the second iteration of DC's (e)merge art fair, which...
(a) they all agree has become the world's leading "performance art fair" and
(b) mostly get overwhelmed by sooooo much performance offerings that they get Artomatic Syndrome and
(c) are unable to have the brain power to process sooooo much performance,
 and then shut down after the first two or three and call it a day some, (such as the CP's fired-then-rehired art scribe), even make some newbie reporting mistakes (but hey - not the first time... right?). You get what you pay for...

But - and this is a nice surprise - the Pink Line Project's Eames Armstrong delivers what is the best piece on (e)merge's spectacular delivery of performance art. It is clear that Armstrong didn't just hang around the Skyline's Hotel's cool bar, drinking on the job after just watching a couple of performances, but returned to (e)merge a few times, watched several artists and then put down some intelligent thoughts for a superlative and insightful review of (e)merge's best offerings in their surprising unique strenght: performance art.

Bravo Zulu Eames! Check him out here.

(e)merge visiting

The second iteration of the (e)merge art fair ended today. I went visiting yesterday (that's me with the amazing Mera Rubell and the amazing Dr. Anderson de Campello hanging out at the bar of the Skyline Hotel).

This second (e)merge cements this art fair as unique not only in its stated goal to focus on emerging artists - it does that and it does it well - but also it has become the leading art fair in the world for performance art.

Last year's (e)merge was the springboard for the extraordinary talent of Wilmer Wilson IV - a spectacularly intelligent performance and installation artist (and one of the artists that I mentored last year!) who used (e)merge to spring straight from student status to worldwide exposure via art fairs from DC's Connersmith.

This year the fair's center of attention was the brilliant performance of my good bud Andrew Wodzianski, whose Ishmael performance was described by a New York gallerist as "heroic" and he added that he needed to "look this guy up!."

Wodzianski (see photos from WJLA TV here), was a little shaky when he was finally "rescued" from the waters of the Skyline pool yesterday, but this multi-talented and multimedia artist was the hit of this second version of (e)merge. Let's all hope that good things happen to him as a result of (e)merge.

That's Andrew below with Mera Rubell.

WaPo looks at (e)merge

Lavanya Ramanathan has a really excellent review here and Michael O'Sullivan has some great photos here. I'll be there tomorrow and review will be up NLT Sunday morning.

(e)merge art fair opened yesterday in Washington DC

The (e)merge art fair opened yesterday and runs through Sunday, October 7th at the Capitol Skyline Hotel in Washington, DC. The fair features new talent presented by an international mix of 80 exhibitors showing art from 152 artists from 24 countries.

(e)merge combines an exhibition platform for galleries and nonprofit spaces with that for vetted projects by unrepresented artists. Both platforms present new works by emerging artists in performance, installation, painting, sculpture, and video on multiple levels of the hotel.

EXHIBITOR LIST: HERE

(e)merge will present panel discussions on performance art and arts funding at 2pm on Friday and Saturday afternoons. The fair will also include artist performances, interactive works, large-scale installations, and special projects.

PANELS + PERFORMANCES: HERE

Thursday, October 4: 7pm - 11pm
Preview Opening Party and Concert by Thievery Corp with Eric Hilton
Friday, October 5: 12pm - 7pm
Saturday, October 6: 12pm - 7pm
Sunday, October 7: 12pm - 5pm

The Capitol Skyline Hotel
Washington, DC
http://www.emergeartfair.com

36 Hour Live Performance at (e)merge starts at 5AM

(e)merge is here again!

OCTOBER 4 - 7, 2012    Follow us! The (e)merge art fair advances multiple platforms where artists, gallerists, curators and collectors can discover and experience emerging art.

(e)merge opening preview party + concert by the pool

DC to host photography fair

My good friend Kathleen Ewing, whose iconic photography gallery has been the standard bearer for fine art photography in the DMV (and the nation in general) for decades, is launching a satellite photography fair to coincide with Connersmith's (e)merge art fair.

This is good for the DMV art scene... the more art fairs the better... and if (e)merge can continue to spawn satellites, that is a sign of success... now all that we need to do is to have the region with one of the world's highest concentration of wealth (I'd guess 25% of the 1% lives around here) start buying some original art to hang on their walls instead of framed [fill in the hoity toity college of your choice] posters or vintage movie French or Italian movie posters of old Cary Grant movies.

The fair will feature more than fifteen established fine art photography galleries from across the United States, with representative samples from their gallery inventories. An extraordinary range of photographic images—from 19th-Century Images to cutting-edge contemporary visions—will be on display and available for purchase.

LOCATION
2801 Sixteenth Street, NW (former residence of the Ambassador of Spain) Columbia Heights neighborhood, accessible by Metro and major bus routes

 

HOURS
Friday, October 5: Opening Night Preview (by invitation only)
Saturday, October 6: Noon to 7pm
Sunday, October 7: 11am to 5pm

A Saturday morning panel discussion, "On Collecting Photography" will be held from 11am to 12 noon. All weekend events are FREE and open to the public.

(e)merge needs volunteers

(e)merge art fair is looking for energetic, efficient volunteers to assist with various aspects of the  fair. No experience is necessary, but knowledge of the art field or experience with art events is preferred. This is a valuable experience for anyone involved with or  interested in contemporary art. 

(e)merge will take place at the Capitol Skyline Hotel October 4-7, 2012. 

Volunteers will be invited to an orientation at the hotel prior to the event. Whether you want to assist for a day, or for the duration of the art fair, dedicated volunteers are essential to the success of the fair and deeply appreciated. 

If interested or have any questions please contact Irene Clouthier at irene@emergeartfair.com

Volunteers for (e)merge art fair

(e)merge art fair is looking for energetic, efficient volunteers to assist with various aspects of the  fair. No experience is necessary, but knowledge of the art field or experience with art events is preferred. This is a valuable experience for anyone involved with or  interested in contemporary art. 

(e)merge will take place at the Capitol Skyline Hotel October 4-7, 2012. 

Volunteers will be invited to an orientation at the hotel prior to the event. Whether you want to assist for a day, or for the duration of the art fair, dedicated volunteers are essential to the success of the fair and deeply appreciated. 

If interested or have any questions please contact Irene Clouthier at irene@emergeartfair.com

Wanna be in the (e)merge art fair?

If you are a member of the WPA, then this is a "no-brainer" and a must do; if you're an artist and not yet a member of the WPA, then you've run out of excuses! Join the WPA now and be part of the (e)merge art fair - that alone is worth your membership fee and adds a nice bullet to your artistic CV.

This gets me to thinking about the WPA and art fairs... I do a lot of art fairs and all of them, just like (e)merge, offer special deals, prices and programs for non-profits such as the WPA is... and having the experience of many art fairs, I can tell you right now that the format and program that the WPA will be showcasing at (e)merge is going to be a winner.

This opportunity is a great idea and can grow into a whole new line of opportunities for the WPA's membership.

And not just a winner in the DMV, but this presentation and format will work in New York, Miami and perhaps even LA! So WPA... after (e)merge, why not take your membership to other art fairs around the nation? You've got a winner with this idea...

Call me.

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: WPA Members Work on Paper  at the (e)merge art fair

DEADLINE: Friday, August 24, 2012, 5pm
WORK DROP-OFF: September 10 - 14, 2012, 10am-6pm
WORK PICK-UP: October 15 - 19, 2012, 10am-6pm
CONTACT: Blair Murphy, Program Director, 202-234-7103 x 1 or bmurphy@wpadc.org
ONLINE REGISTRATION

VIEW CALL AT WPADC.ORG

Washington Project for the Arts is pleased to announce a call for 8" x 8" works on paper by WPA Member Artists to be on view and for sale in WPA's room at the (e)merge art fair, from October 4 - 7, 2012. All current WPA members are invited to submit one 8" x 8" work on paper. Work submitted MUST be 8" x 8" and must be delivered without a mat, mounting or a frame. If a member artist wishes to submit a work that is smaller than 8" x 8", it must be submitted mounted to an 8" x 8" sheet of paper. WORK THAT IS LARGER THAN 8" X 8" WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
            
Each work will be exhibited on the wall of WPA's room in a grid for at least one full day of the fair. Work will be installed on the wall using removable adhesive mounting squares. When not displayed on the wall, work will be stored in a presentation case and must fit into one of the clear display sleeves.
              
Registration, Drop-off and Pick-up
Current WPA member artists who wish to participate must register online by August 24, 2012 at 5pm by submitting their contact info, cv, work details, and one image of the work they would like to include through this online form. 
                
All work must be dropped off at the WPA office at 2023 Massachusetts Avenue between September 10 and 14, from 10am to 6pm. You will be notified via email by October 11 if your work has sold. Unsold work must be picked up at the WPA office between October 15 and 19, from 10am to 6pm.
          

If you are unable to drop your work off in person, but would still like to participate or have any other questions regarding the submissions process, please contact Blair Murphy, Program Director, at 202-234-7103 x 1 or bmurphy@wpadc.org

  

WPA Member Artists who submit must agree to the following artist agreement:
Washington Project for the Arts will take a 30% commission on Member Works on Paper that are sold. Work will be insured by WPA while it is in WPA's possession. Unsold work must be picked up at the WPA office by October 19, 2012. WPA will not be held responsible for the work after that date. I hereby release WPA, its board of directors, employees, and volunteers and agree to indemnify and hold them harmless against all claims arising out of damage to my artwork arising in connection with my participation in the WPA Member Flat File. I understand that acceptance of my work does not guarantee free admission to the fair.

(e)merge announces...

News release from the (e)merge art fair:

(e)merge art fair, created to advance emerging art, returns to Washington, DC this fall. (e)merge welcomes back galleries from across the US and Europe including: BROTkunsthalle, Vienna, Austria; Amstel Gallery, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Aureus Contemporary, Basel, Switzerland and Providence, USA; G Fine Art, Washington, DC, USA; Goya Contemporary, Baltimore, USA; and NOMAD, Brussels, Belgium. Among the galleries newly joining the fair are: Bäckerstrasse 4, Vienna, Austria; Flying Rooster Contemporary Projects, Montreal, Canada; Galería Servando, Havana, Cuba; Trailer Park Proyects, Guyanabo, Puerto Rico; Contemporary Wing, Washington, DC, Mixed Greens, New York, USA; LYNCHTHAM, New York; and Project 4 Gallery, Washington, DC, USA. A complete list of gallery and artist exhibitors will be available soon.

(e)merge is honored to have the support of the members of its inaugural Host Committee: Jane and Calvin Cafritz, Carol Feld and David Levy, Izette and Neal Folger, Janice Kim and Tony Otten, Alexia and Roderick Von Lipsey, Kim and Patrick Nettles, Rose Nosseir and Paul Carter, Frederick Ognibene, Lorie Peters, Robert Shapiro, Sid Stoltz and David Hatfield, and Daren Thomas.

“DC is one of the fastest-growing and most prosperous areas in the country, and Washington’s business, tech and collecting communities have rallied to support (e)merge and its exhibitors. With its entrepreneurial spirit and creative energy, this fair can become a model for promoting emerging art and artists everywhere."
- Robert Shapiro, Chairman of Sonecon, LLC
(e)merge is proud to partner with UBS and excited by the support of our sponsors: ESL Group, LivingSocial, HapstackDemetriou, Kaze Design, Vivid Solutions, the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, Exhibit-E, Industry Gallery DC, and Whiteford, Taylor, & Preston; and media sponsors: The Art Dossier, The Art Newspaper, BrightestYoungThings, DC Modern Luxury, Gallerist, and the Pinkline Project.

“As our culture evolves, moment by moment, the emergence of new ideas about architecture, design and art are changing and enhancing our daily lives. Giving an experience to this evolution is what our partnership with (e)merge is all about.”
- Peter Hapstak & Olvia Demetriou, Principals, HapstakDemetriou
This year the fair looks forward to another series of educational events in October with our cultural partners – The Corcoran Gallery of Art, the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, the National Gallery of Art, the Phillips Collection, and the National Museum of Women in the Arts.

(e)merge art fair
Thursday, October 4 through Sunday, October 7, 2012
Washington, DC
www.emergeartfair.com

(e)merge is back!

The (e)merge art fair is back for its second iteration.

The dates are October 4-7, 2012.

Last years's inaugural edition of (e)merge featured 80 vetted exhibitors with works by artists from 21 countries. Over 5500 attendees visited the gallery and artist exhibitions, performances, panel discussions, curatorial museum walk-throughs, and private collection tours.

Online applications are now being accepted and the application deadline is April 27, 2012 and notifications willsent via email by June 2012.

GALLERIES + NON-PROFIT SPACES (to apply Click here)

- Exhibitors may present 1-3 artists in each room
- Art being presented may include works in all media: installation, painting, photography, new media, performance, sculpture, works on paper, and video
- The artists presented should not have had any solo museum or Kunsthalle exhibitions

ARTISTS (to apply click here)

Artists whose proposals are accepted by the selection committee will be provided with exhibition space at the Fair free of charge.

To be eligible for artist exhibition space artist applicants must:
- Be currently without gallery representation
- May have had solo gallery shows, but may not have had solo museum or Kunsthalle exhibitions
- Whereas work in all media will be carefully considered, projects involving experimental works in non-traditional formats are especially encouraged . Such work may include installation, conceptual art, performance, new media, or the inventive use of materials to express challenging concepts.

And the openings begin: ABMB Day One

Tonight was the openings for Art Miami, Scope, Red Dot and some other fairs, and I had a chance to stroll through those three and chat with some gallerists and artists.

Over at the Art Miami press lounge, the buzz, from some journos and locals, other than the street trees being "decorated" in shirts and tops, was Art Basel's "contraction" or how ABMB had reduced the number of galleries at last year's ABMB.

"I'm not sure if this is was a result of the economy," said a savvy Miami art writer, "Or ABMB throwing a bone to the satellite fairs."

He must have seen the quizzical Klingonesque forehead expression in my face, because he expanded by adding that the economy seems to have had a profound impact on the number of galleries applying to the satellite art fairs, as more and more galleries stay home due to lackluster sales.

"I know of a local Miami gallerist who sold a million dollar painting at ABMB last year and this year he didn't get invited back," he postulated, "And so he went to the next best fair, Art Miami."

Heads nod. "And yet, ABMB week has a record 260 art galleries this year," someone says.

"What's the art fair food chain looking like this year?," I asked. By that I meant to ascertain as to which ones were the top fairs. Another journo chimed in and noted that she thought that after ABMB, Art Miami was the best satellite art fair, followed by Pulse and Scope.

Heads nod.

"But Scope is in a real down spiral," noted yet a third voice, this time belonging to a local artist whose gallery is at Art Miami. Several heads nodded in agreement looking like a Nirvana video.

"And Red Dot is surprisingly picking up former Scope galleries left and right," added the guy who had coined the term "contraction."

"Uh?... why is that?", I asked, recalling that one of my own dealers had turned down an invitation from Scope and chosen Red Dot.

"I'm going to check this out over the next few days," he expanded, "But I'm told that Red Dot more than doubled its size from last year and that a lot of 2010 Scope galleries are now showing at Red Dot, especially a lot of Asian galleries."

"Free booze and food at opening night..." commented a new voice.

While there is free booze (all kinds of wines, Herradura Tequila and Finlandia vodka non stop) and food (be ready to fight) at Red Dot's opening night, in my opinion there's also a huge change for the better over the last few years. In fact, I would opine that this is the best Red Dot that I've ever seen and I know that Scope now realizes that Red Dot is breathing down their neck when it comes to the art galleries' food chain... and Red Dot has food and booze... heh, heh...

The two fairs, next to each other, still have huge differences. Scope seems to be stuck a little in a presence and feel that was cool and popular when everything that hanged sold; that's a thing of the past. Red Dot booths hang a lot of artwork.

And while the minimalist look of the Scope galleries may still show a once cool approach to art fair presence, the lack of crowds and lack of red dots and alleged mass exodus to its neighboring art fair, where hanging is a bit more relaxed (read that a gallery can hang more artwork in their booths), plus the fact that this year's Red Dot's booths are quite a bit taller than usual (affording more vertical wall space), may reflect the realities of the new art fair world.

"I think the days when an art fair director could dictate to a gallery what artist to hang are rapidly coming to an end," opined a local art blogger.

"What about Art Miami?" I asked.

"Art Miami has become the second choice if a gallery can't get into ABMB" was the consensus opinion, and my own walk-thorough showed a highly sophisticated art fair with a very good blend of art galleries and a sharp, elegant presentation in most of them, with a clear and surprising lack of trendy art and more of a lean towards commodifiable artwork.

I haven't seen Pulse yet, thus I asked about Pulse.

"I think Pulse has learned the Scope lesson and is making an U-Turn on its brand," opined someone and heads nodded.

I Klingoned my forehead and the opiner expanded, "Pulse is doing a great job of still appearing cool and trendy while its galleries shift to more traditional artwork that can actually be sold... check out how all of a sudden realism is all over Pulse."

The next few days will tell... meanwhile, over at Scope, I had heard some good buzz over Trawick Prizewinner David Page's performance; he's there with Baltimore's Jordan Faye Contemporary. Page's unique work really stood out at Scope. A couple of other DMV are dealers are also at Scope: Hamiltonian, Civilian and first time Scoper Heiner Contemporary, who was showing the amazing work of (e)merge wunderkind Avery Lawrence plus Elizabeth Huey, David Kramer and Jon-Phillip Sheridan.

Heiner has one of the best looking art fair booths of all time, courtesy of Lawrence's familial wallpaper, part of his "Moving a Tree" project.

There are no DMV galleries in Red Dot or Art Miami, although AM has two Baltimore dealers in their roster.

Tomorrow the hot ticket is the opening party at Aqua, where yours truly has been busting his keister for the last two days preparing for tomorrow night's opening.

Celebrity sighting: Doctor Quinn Medicine Woman is two booths across from Norfolk's Mayer Fine Art! Jane Seymour's artwork dominates the booth of her gallerist, and paintings, watercolors and sculptures by the actress and artist, who was there tonight, all 85 pounds of her, dominate the booth. Her watercolors are by far her best work...

Wake effects

When a ship moves across the water, depending on a variety of factors, it leaves a wake that can be discernible, in some manner or form, for a very long time and through a very long distance.

Doing an art fair is the same, and art fair wake effects can sometimes take over a year to settle down.

At the recent (e)merge art fair, my Virginia dealer, Mayer Fine Art (who did really well at the fair), sold my top piece in the room - an embedded video piece - to a very well-known DMV area art collector couple.

The wake effect from that sale just reached me, as I am now in the process of closing a sale with another art collecting couple (not a DMV area collector), who saw that work at the home of the buyers, inquired about it, got a glowing recommendation and now I am about to be acquired by someone on the list of the top 200 art collectors in the world.

In case you are wondering: yes... I am bragging and thanks USS (e)merge!

Mark Jenkins

The last few weeks, at openings, at (e)merge and other artsy hangouts, I've noted that one interesting item of discussion has been the drastic and (I would add) positive change that Mark Jenkins' galleries writing in the Washington Post has brought to what had been not only mostly a negative view of nearly everything and anything that DMV galleries hung on their walls, but a very small universe of galleries covered by the former freelancer that used to write the Galleries column.

Jenkins has brought a refreshing set of new eyes (new but experienced, as this guy has been writing about DMV culture for years for the WCP) to the WaPo's visual arts coverage, and I for one, welcome this new byline to the Post's scant coverage of the DMV gallery scene.

And... this Mark Jenkins is not the same Mark Jenkins who is the famous street artist.

New art gallery to open in DC

Lauren Gentile, longtime art professional and former director of Irvine Contemporary, sets up shop in Washington, D.C. After serving as the Director of Irvine Contemporary and working in the art profession for 13 years, heading to New York or Los Angeles, might be the conventional wisdom. Instead, inspired by Washington’s promise of becoming a major national platform for emerging and contemporary art, Gentile is committing her considerable talent, energy, and creativity to opening her own gallery, Contemporary Wing.

“For awhile now, there have been rumblings about the Washington’s burgeoning arts community breaking through and becoming a force for contemporary art, and I want to be a part of that change. The Rubell’s plan to open a contemporary art museum in the nation’s capitol, the recent success of the (e)merge art fair, and a committed art community, all convince me that the time is now,” according to Ms. Gentile, “Washington is an ideal destination for contemporary art, and I am prepared to invest in that vision.”

With the rounding support of her colleagues, artists and collectors, Gentile will launch Contemporary Wing on November 1. While Gentile is in the process of finalizing her Northwest Washington location, Contemporary Wing will be open for sales and appraisals, at www.contemporarywing.com.

The first exhibition, a multi-work video installation designed to run concurrently with Art Basel, Miami Beach, will take place on December 1-4, 2011 in Miami, Florida. For “Ivory Tower” artist Tiffany Carbonneau will project an original art work onto the exterior of the Marquis Miami, where the exhibit will be held. Her site specific projection will be visible from the surrounding area as well as from I-95 North and South bound, I-395, I-195, and the Venetian Causeway. Once inside the exhibit, viewers will be immersed in a conceptual and humorous feast of sight and sound. Gentile is co-curating the exhibit with New York curator Ginger Shulick, of Big Deal Arts. Participating artists include: Nia Burks, Sean Capone, Tiffany Carbonneau, Paul D. Miller (DJ Spooky), Paul Moakley, Phillip David Stearns and Alex Villar.

For more information about the gallery and exhibitions, please visit contemporarywing.com or contact info@contemporarywing.com

At the Arlington Arts Center

First and foremost, a warm welcome to Stefanie Fedor, the new Executive Director of the Arlington Arts Center. Ms. Fedor comes from the Katzen, where she was an Asst. Curator, and now takes the helm of one of the leading non profit art venues around the DMV.

And AAC's annual call for entries gave 14 emerging artists the opportunity to have solo exhibitions at the Center. This year's crop was selected by DC collector and curator Michael Pollack and independent international curator Melissa Keys, formerly of the Perth Institute of Contemporary Art. All of the artists will be on hand at the opening reception, which is Thursday, October 6, 2011, 6-9 pm. The artists are:

Chloe Watson: Chairmen's Gallery
Stephanie Elaine Robbins: Experimental Gallery
Arden Bendler Browning: Meyer Gallery A
Jason Irla: Truland Gallery
David D'Orio: Meyer Gallery B
Matt Dunn: Tiffany Gallery

I'm particularly looking forward to seeing the work of the three artists in this group whom are new to me, as well as the always fascinating photography of Matt Dunn (whose "bearded dude riding the chicken" photo at (e)merge was - in my opinion - the defining image for that terrific art fair).