Arts & Entertainment
Seeing Stein
Legendary lesbian artist the subject of Portrait Gallery exhibit


Francis Picabia's 'Portrait of Gertrude Stein,' a 1933 work included in the National Portrait Gallery's current 'Seeing Gertrude Stein' exhibit. (Image courtesy the Portrait Gallery)
The National Portrait Gallery’s (8th and F streets) newest exhibit, “Seeing Gertrude Stein: Five Stories” uses paintings, photos, videos and more to visually tell Stein’s life story.
The exhibit, curated by Wanda M. Corn and Tirza True Latimer, begins in the hallway on the second floor with the first story, “Picture Gertrude.”
This part includes several images of Stein and her family, beginning when she was just a little girl, the youngest of five children.
The oddest piece in this area is “Portrait of Gertrude Stein” by Francis Picabia, done in 1933. Around this time, Stein has gotten a very short haircut, sometimes referred to as a Caesar cut, and Picabia portrayed her as “imperial.”
Unlike like other photos and paintings, Picabia fictionalized the background and Stein’s clothing, painting her in a toga like dress, leaving her arms bare. No other images in the collection picture Stein in even short sleeves.
The second story, “Domestic Stein” really explores the relationship between Stein and partner Alice B. Toklas, specially their life at home.
This part of the exhibit includes many photos of the couple’s home and some of their belongings, including two vests, or “waistcoats,” worn by Stein and a few pieces of jewelry. A section of the room is wallpapered with a pattern the couple used in their bedroom.
The third story, “Art of Friendship,” looks at the wide circle of artists Stein befriend throughout her life, including a group of lesser known younger male artists, writers and composers.
A quotation by Stein, painted above a grid of some of these younger artists, reads “We are surrounded by homosexuals, they do all the good things in all the arts.”
One of these younger artists was Sir Francis Cyril Rose, whom Stein thought would be the next Picasso. After her death, Rose created a silk scarf, featuring a neoclassical bust of Stein surrounded by an inaccurate version of her most famous maxim, “rose is a rose is a rose is a rose,” and each corner of the scarf had a different focus.
The fourth story, “Celebrity Stein,” focuses on a six-month tour Stein went on in the U.S. and her activities during the world wars.
In the middle of a room between the fourth and fifth “story,” there’s a single, Buddha-like sculpture of Stein by Jo Davidson. A recording of Stein reading two of her word portraits, “If I Told Him: A Completed Portrait of Picasso” and “An Early Portrait of Henri Matisse,” echoes through the room.
This part of the exhibit serves as a transition from Stein’s life to works inspired by her after her death.
One of the most interesting pieces in the exhibit is part of the fifth story, Legacies, which explores the influence Stein had on American artists such as Andy Warhol, Deborah Kass and more.
“After Picasso” by Devorah Sperber is an interesting take on what is probably the most classic image of Stein. Sperber strung 5,024 spools of thread on chains to create what at first appears to be an abstract image, but when viewed through a clear acrylic sphere, the image is inverted and the “pixels” comes together.
A book by Corn and Latimer, also titled “Seeing Gertrude Stein: Five Stories” accompanies the exhibit and is available for purchase in the museum’s gift shop.
The gallery has also organized special programs and events in conjunction with the exhibit.
Proof Restaurant (775 G St., N.W.) will have a special, four-course menu inspired by Toklas for $59 while the exhibit is open. There will also be two portrait story days with a focus on Stein on Saturday at 4 p.m. and Sunday at 5 p.m. Younger visitors will have the opportunity to listen to a story about Stein as well as create their own piece of art.
On Nov. 4, the Art History Program of American university is holding a lunch, tour and program as part of the second annual Feminist Art History Conference. For more information on this event, visit american.edu/cas/art-history/femconf/index.cfm.
The exhibit opened Oct. 14 and will run through Nov. 3.

You’ve done your share of marching.
You’re determined to wring every rainbow-hued thing out of this month. The last of the parties hasn’t arrived yet, neither have the biggest celebrations and you’re primed but – OK, you need a minute. So pull up a chair, take a deep breath, and read these great books on gay history, movies, and more.
You probably don’t need to be told that harassment and discrimination was a daily occurrence for gay people in the past (as now!), but “American Scare: Florida’s Hidden Cold War on Black and Queer Lives” by Robert W. Fieseler (Dutton, $34) tells a story that runs deeper than you may know. Here, you’ll read a historical expose with documented, newly released evidence of a systemic effort to ruin the lives of two groups of people that were perceived as a threat to a legislature full of white men.
Prepared to be shocked, that’s all you need to know.
You’ll also want to read the story inside “The Many Passions of Michael Hardwick: Sex and the Supreme Court in the Age of AIDS” by Martin Padgett (W.W. Norton & Company, $31.99), which sounds like a novel, but it’s not. It’s the story of one man’s fight for a basic right as the AIDS crisis swirls in and out of American gay life and law. Hint: this book isn’t just old history, and it’s not just for gay men.
Maybe you’re ready for some fun and who doesn’t like a movie? You know you do, so you’ll want “Sick and Dirty: Hollywood’s Gay Golden Age and the Making of Modern Queerness” by Michael Koresky (Bloomsbury, $29.99). It’s a great look at the Hays Code and what it allowed audiences to see, but it’s also about the classics that sneaked beneath the code. There are actors, of course, in here, but also directors, writers, and other Hollywood characters you may recognize. Grab the popcorn and settle in.
If you have kids in your life, they’ll want to know more about Pride and you’ll want to look for “Pride: Celebrations & Festivals” by Eric Huang, illustrated by Amy Phelps (Quarto, $14.99), a story of inclusion that ends in a nice fat section of history and explanation, great for kids ages seven-to-fourteen. Also find “Are You a Friend of Dorothy? The True Story of an Imaginary Woman and the Real People She Helped Shape” by Kyle Lukoff, illustrated by Levi Hastings (Simon & Schuster, $19.99), a lively book about a not-often-told secret for kids ages six-to-ten; and “Papa’s Coming Home” by Chasten Buttigieg, illustrated by Dan Taylor (Philomel, $19.99), a sweet family tale for kids ages three-to-five.
Finally, here’s a tween book that you can enjoy, too: “Queer Heroes” by Arabelle Sicardi, illustrated by Sarah Tanat-Jones (Wide Eyed, $14.99), a series of quick-to-read biographies of people you should know about.
Want more Pride books? Then ask your favorite bookseller or librarian for more, because there are so many more things to read. Really, the possibilities are almost endless, so march on in.
Music & Concerts
Indigo Girls coming to Capital One Hall
Stars take center stage alongside Fairfax Symphony

Capital One Center will host “The Indigo Girls with the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra” on Thursday, June 19 and Friday, June 20 at 8 p.m. at Capital One Hall.
The Grammy Award-winning folk and pop stars will take center stage alongside the Fairfax Symphony, conducted by Jason Seber. The concerts feature orchestrations of iconic hits such as “Power of Two,” “Get Out The Map,” “Least Complicated,” “Ghost,” “Kid Fears,” “Galileo,” “Closer to Fine,” and many more.
Tickets are available on Ticketmaster or in person at Capital One Hall the nights of the concerts.

Friday, June 13
“Center Aging Friday Tea Time” will be at 2 p.m. in person at the DC Center for the LGBT Community’s new location at 1827 Wiltberger St., N.W. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more details, email [email protected].
Women in Their Twenties and Thirties will be at 8 p.m. at Wundergarten. An update will be posted the night of the event on where to find WiTT’s table. There’ll be a Pride flag to help people find the group. For more details, join WiTT’s closed Facebook group.
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Pride Month Happy Hour” at 7 p.m. at Freddie’s Beach bar and Restaurant. This event is ideal for making new friends, professional networking, idea-sharing, and community building. This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Saturday, June 14
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Pride Month Brunch” at 11 a.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant. This fun weekly event brings the DMV area LGBTQ+ community, including Allies, together for delicious food and conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Rainbow History Project will host “Behind the Scenes With the Senior Curator of ‘Pickets, Protests and Parades’” at 7:30p.m. at Freedom Plaza. This behind-the-scenes experience offers a rare glimpse into the creative process behind this groundbreaking showcase of DC’s LGBTQ+ history. Learn about the bold design decisions that shaped the Quote Wall and Hero Cubes and the powerful stories that almost made the cut. Tickets cost $82 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.
Monday, June 16
“Center Aging Monday Coffee Klatch” will be at 10 a.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ+ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more details, email [email protected].
Genderqueer DC will be at 7 p.m. in person at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. This is a support group for people who identify outside of the gender binary. Whether you’re bigender, agender, genderfluid, or just know that you’re not 100% cis. For more information, visit their website at www.genderqueerdc.org or check us out on Facebook.
Tuesday, June 17
Bi+ Roundtable and Discussion will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is an opportunity for people to gather in order to discuss issues related to bisexuality or as Bi individuals in a private setting. Check out Facebook or Meetup for more information.
Wednesday, June 18
Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom. This is a weekly job support program to help job entrants and seekers, including the long-term unemployed, improve self-confidence, motivation, resilience and productivity for effective job searches and networking — allowing participants to move away from being merely “applicants” toward being “candidates.” For more information, email [email protected] or visit thedccenter.org/careers.
“Legends Live Loud: A Queer Karaoke Experience” will be at 7 p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. This will be a dynamic, Center-wide karaoke event celebrating the brilliance and cultural impact of some of our most colorful queer icons. The Center will honor legends through music, pop culture, dance, and inextinguishable liberation. For more details and to sign up, visit the DC Center’s website.
Thursday, June 19
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Book Club” at 7:30 p.m. at Federico Ristorante Italiano. This book club is co-hosted by EQUALITY NoVa and is another opportunity to engage in a fun and rewarding activity. The group doesn’t discriminate when it comes to genres it reads – from classic literature to best selling novels to biographies to histories to gay fiction. For more details, visit Eventbrite.
Cultivating Change Foundation will host “Cultivating Pride Happy Hour” at 5:30 p.m. at Dacha Beer Garden. This Pride month, the organization is inviting LGBTQ+ people and allies in food and agriculture to come together in communities nationwide. These informal gatherings are a chance to connect, celebrate, and build community, whether it’s over coffee, a cocktail, or a conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
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