St. Julia

The Killing of St. Julia
Charcoal and Conte on Crayon. 2009.
4.5 feet by 1 foot. By F. Lennox Campello

Bilateral Engagement

An artwork inspired by the 2008 Presidential Election will be on display at the Art Museum of the Americas in Washington DC as part of the Bilateral Engagement exhibition curated by my good friend Laura Roulet.

Last fall, local DC area artist Linda Hesh created an interactive temporary public art project to ask Americans what they wanted for our future as they awaited the upcoming election. She made two six foot benches, one in vibrant turquoise that had “FOR” cut out of the back and another in bright red that stated “AGAINST.”

Hesh thenset the benches in a dozen prominent local locations and asked people passing by what they were for or against. The results were over 1000 written opinions and 306 photographic portraits of everyday people captioned with what they are for or against. Whether they voiced a personal issue, or one on the world stage, people seemed eager to have this forum for expression.

The complete “FOR and AGAINST Bench Project” including benches, written opinions, and 306 portraits as a video will be on display as part of the “Bilateral Engagement” exhibition at the Art Museum of the Americas from October 16, 2009 until January 15, 2010. The exhibition consists of artists selected by curator Laura Roulet from the Washington Sculptors Group paired with the concurrent Latin American artists.

"Bilateral Engagement"
Oct 16 - Jan 15, 2010
Art Museum of the Americas
201 18th St. NW
Washington DC 20006
open tues-sat 10-5 pm

Special events:
Friday, October 16 at 12 noon: preview gallery talk with exhibit curator Laura Roulet
Friday, October 16 at 6pm: opening reception
Saturday, November 7 from 10 am to 12 noon: exhibit-themed family workshop
Saturday, November 14 from 12 pm to 2 pm: Linda Hesh continues her photographic portraits on her FOR and AGAINST benches (all welcome to participate)
Saturday, November 14 from 2 pm to 4 pm: artist-led panel discussion

Funding for those serving seniors

Deadline: Thursday, October 15, 2009

The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities has a special grant that funds artists and arts organizations serving seniors, 60 and older in arts programs.

Grant Amount: Up to $5,000
Deadline: Thursday, October 15, 2009
Time: 7:00pm
For more information contact victoria.murray@dc.gov

Multiverse acquired by the NGA

The National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC has acquired for its permanent collection Leo Villareal's installation Multiverse.

Multiverse is Villareal's most complex project to date. Measuring 200 feet long, the installation has 41,000 light emitting diodes individually sequenced by through his custom computer programs.

Villareal is represented locally by Conner Contemporary, which helped to facilitate the acquisition.

Who's that on the cover?

Port of Harlem magazine's issue on photography features New York-based Mireille Liong-A-Kong, and my good friends and Washington-based photogs Bruce McNeil and Camille Mosley-Pasley as well as Jason Miccolo Johnson. That's Camille, Bruce and Jason on the cover.

Mosely-Pasley has also shot images that have graced the magazine's covers in the past.

Resources for Artists

John Grazier has brought to my attention this resource which allows artists like Grazier to publish it himself. He writes:

This is a magazine I have published, with quotes by notable individuals and curators, and filled with double page spreads of images of my work, -- it's very impressive, beautifully printed on 80 lb. glossy paper. Forty-four pages, it may be previewed online (and ordered). It is, for me, a valuable sales tool. I make no profit on it; I have sold about 25 copies, a small number, but which I view as a success. This means that collectors are in possession of it, and thinking about my paintings.

Other artists might consider doing something similar to promote their work. Publishing it is free! I think the concept is great, and if someone wants a profit, they just take that option, pricing the publication above print on demand cost-- they will receive payment via paypal.

Details here. Comments welcomed.

Wodzianski extravaganza continues

Andrew Wodzianski art month continues in DC with the opening of Wodzianski's Abra Cadaver in Bethesda's Fraser Gallery tonight, with an opening reception from 6-8PM. I am told that there may be a surprise in store for one of the District's better known art critics and that the surprise was almost revealed in the back pages of yesterday's Express newspaper. From what I can see of the exhibition here, it has some new clever pieces from Andrew's android series.

Last night's opening at Flashpoint was packed, and although the artist was there all night, no one saw him, as he spent the entire opening inside a white casket being guarded by two very efficient, very pretty nurses.


I noticed quite a few red dots, and people were also buzzing about the scavenger hunt associated with the opening, with several of the paintings in the show as the free prize for the hunt winners. Throughout the month, the artist will release a series of five clues via Twitter (twitter.com/househuntdc). Five people will ultimately have the chance to win a painting from the exhibition.

Crowd at opening listening to the announcement about the scavenger hunt for free Wodzianski paintings
There was also a good assortment of the usual suspects at the opening, and I had a chance to shake hands and kiss cheeks of people that I had not seen in a long time since I had moved away to Philly.


Kristina Bilonick and Philippa P.B. Hughes


Steve Krensky with one of the nurses
Wodzianski will actually be present and meeting people in tonight's opening at the Fraser Gallery. The gallery is at 7700 Wisconsin Avenue in Bethesda, just a couple of blocks from the Metro.