Arts & Entertainment
Kennedy, King and more
20th century icons among region’s museum highlights for summer
Photo of the Kennedy family (Photo by Jacques Lowe; courtesy of the Newseum)
Washington’s many art galleries and museums are in full swing this summer, with a lot of new exhibitions to see before fall.
The Newseum (555 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.) commemorates the 50th anniversary of the assassination of John F. Kennedy all summer through Jan. 5, 2014 with two new exhibits and an original documentary film. “Creating Camelot: The Kennedy Photography of Jacques Lowe,” features intimate and iconic images of the Kennedy family.
“Three Shots Were Fired” is the Newseum’s summer exhibition that examines Kennedy’s assassination through film footage, and also displays items belonging to Lee Harvey Oswald that have never been displayed. “A Thousand Days” is the Newseum-produced film that documents Kennedy’s presidency.
Tickets to the Newseum are $21.95. For more information on the JFK exhibits and other events at the Newseum, visit newseum.org.
A photo entitled ‘Martin Luther King Jr. with Corretta Scott King and their daughter Yolanda on the steps of the Dexter Avenue Baptist church’ (Photo courtesy of the Portrait Gallery)
The Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery (8th and F Streets, N.W.) is currently hosting “One Life: Martin Luther King Jr.,” an exhibition of portraits of MLK to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington. The portraits are on display until June of next year.
On Aug. 24th, the Portrait Gallery will host “Family Day” from 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. to commemorate King. There will be music, tours of the MLK exhibition and fun activities the whole family can enjoy.
The gallery has many other summer exhibitions, including the “Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition” through Feb. 2014, and “Mr. TIME: Portraits by Boris Chaliapin” through Jan. 2014.
Admission to the National Portrait Gallery is free. For more information, visit npg.si.edu.
‘Still Life with Guitar and Red Tablecloth’ by Georges Braque (Image courtesy of the Phillips Collection)
The Phillips Collection (1600 21st St., N.W.) has four new exhibitions over the summer, including paintings by Cubist pioneer Georges Braque. The exhibit is titled, “Georges Braque and the Cubist Still Life, 1928-1945,” and will be on display until Sept. 1. It is the first in-depth examination of Braque’s career leading up to and during World War II.
Other temporary exhibitions at the Phillips this summer feature geometric panel paintings by Ellsworth Kelly, ink and acrylic landscapes by Sandra Cinto and Baroque-inspired paintings by Baltimore artist, Bernhard Hildebrandt.
Tickets to the Phillips Collection are $12. For more information on events at the Phillips Collection, visit phillipscollection.org.
The Corcoran Gallery of Art (500 17th St., N.W.) has two fascinating exhibits that recently opened this summer. “Ellen Harvey: The Alien’s Guide to the Ruins of Washington, D.C.” will be on display through Oct. 6. Harvey explores the ruins of a post-apocalyptic D.C. through extraterrestrial eyes, with full-scale mixed-media installations.
“WAR/PHOTOGRAPHY: Images of Armed Conflict and its Aftermath,” will be at the Corcoran until Sept. 29. The exhibit chronicles how photography has informed our understanding of war all over the world. Images from conflicts as early as the Mexican-American War to present-day wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are covered.
Admission to the Corcoran Gallery of Art is $10. For more details on these two exhibits and other events at the gallery, visit corcoran.org.
‘Super Highway’ by Nam June Paik (Photo courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum)
The Smithsonian American Art Museum (8th and F Sts., N.W.) has an impressive collection of works in the summer exhibition, “Nam June Paik: Global Visionary.” The exhibit is on display through Aug. 11, and showcases Paik’s revolutionary use of television screens as a visual arts medium.
Also on display through Jan. 5, 2014 is “A Democracy of Images,” a compilation of photographs from the museum’s permanent collection that document the evolution of American photography from early daguerreotypes to contemporary digital works.
Admission to the Smithsonian American Art Museum is free. For more information, visit americanart.si.edu.
The Smithsonian National Gallery of Art has a wide array of summer exhibits featuring artists from all over the world. Leaving the gallery soon on July 28th is “Edvard Munch: A 150th Anniversary Tribute.” The exhibit, which has been on display since May 19, showcases ominous paintings and prints by the hugely famous Norwegian artist.
“Diaghilev and the Ballets Russes: When Art Danced with Music,” is on display at the National Gallery until Sept. 2. The exhibition features 130 original costumes, set designs, paintings, sculptures, prints, drawings and film clips from what is now regarded as the most innovative dance company of the 20th century.
Admission to the National Gallery is free. For more details on the museum’s other exhibitions and events, visit nga.gov.
The Galleries of Dupont Circle, which dot R Street west of Connecticut Ave., N.W., host joint first Friday openings from 6-8 p.m. each month. The next opening is Aug. 2. For more information, visit dupontcirclearts.blogspot.com.
The DC LGBTQ+ Community Center is marking a milestone year in its new home with a vibrant birthday celebration, inviting the community, allies, and media to join the festivities on Saturday, April 25 at 1 p.m.
Since opening its doors in Shaw, The DC LGBTQ+ Community Center has become a hub of support, advocacy, and celebration for LGBTQ+ residents across the District.
The birthday bash promises a day of programming including Yoga (Center Wellness), Micro Bouquet Making (Center Social), Zine Making (Center Arts), and so much more. Guests can also enjoy tours of the Center’s expanded facilities, showcasing spaces for programs, services, and community events.
Since relocating, the Center has expanded its programs, providing critical services. The birthday bash underscores the DC LGBTQ+ Community Center’s commitment to creating an inclusive space where everyone regardless of identity, age, or background can find community and empowerment.
For more details, contact Paul Marengo at 202-705-2890.
Friday, April 24
Center Aging Monthly Luncheon With Yoga will be at 12 p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. Email Mac at [email protected] if you require ASL interpreter assistance, have any dietary restrictions, or questions about this event.
Lesbian Visibility Week will be at 7 p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. There will be a special screening of “Ahead of the Curve.” Enjoy an evening of film, conversation, and community, with cocktails and beverages available throughout the night For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.
Trans Discussion Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This event is intended to provide an emotionally and physically safe space for trans people and those who may be questioning their gender identity/expression to join together in community and learn from one another. For more details, email [email protected].
Saturday, April 25
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community 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.
Sunday, April 26
Nellie’s Sports Bar will host “Nellie’s DC Drag Brunch” at 12 p.m. Join Sapphire Blue, Deja Diamond and their team of drag performers for the most fun you’ll have all weekend. Tickets start at $58.51 and are available on Eventbrite.
LGBTQ+ Community Coffee and Conversation will be at 12 p.m. at As You Are. This event is for people looking to make more friends and meaningful connections in the LGBTQ community. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Monday, April 27
“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 information, contact Adam ([email protected]).
Genderqueer DC will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. 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 details, visit genderqueerdc.org or Facebook.
Tuesday, April 28
The DC Center for the LGBT Community will host “Candlelight Vigil” at 6:30 p.m. This is a vigil centered on reflection, support, and collective care. Attendees are encouraged to gather at 6:30 p.m., with the program beginning promptly at 7 p.m. and concluding by 8 p.m. The event will take place on the closed-off Wiltberger Street, providing a dedicated and intimate space for remembrance. Electronic candle lights will be available to participants. For those seeking additional support or who have questions ahead of the event, please contact [email protected].
Wednesday, April 29
Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom upon request. 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.
The DC Center for the LGBT Community will host “Movement for Healing” at 3 p.m. This trauma- and yoga therapy–informed class is designed to help guests gently reconnect with their body and their breath. Through mindful movement, somatic awareness, and grounding practices, guests will explore how to release tension, increase mobility, and cultivate a deeper sense of safety and ease within. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.
Thursday, April 30
The DC Center’s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. People will be informed on Wednesday at 5 p.m. if they are picked to receive a produce box. No proof of residency or income is required. For more information, email [email protected] or call 202-682-2245.
Virtual Yoga Class will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This free weekly class is a combination of yoga, breathwork and meditation that allows LGBTQ+ community members to continue their healing journey with somatic and mindfulness practices. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.
a&e features
Memorial for groundbreaking bisexual activist set for May 2
Loraine Hutchins remembered as a ‘force of nature’
The Montgomery County Pride Center will host a celebration honoring the life and legacy of Loraine Hutchins, Ph.D., on May 2. People are invited to attend the onsite memorial or a livestream event. The on-site event will begin at 10 a.m. with a meet-and-greet mixer before moving into a memorial service around the theme “Loraine a Force of Nature!” at 11 a.m., a panel talk at 12 p.m., break out sessions for artists, academics, and activists to build on her legacy at 1 p.m. and a closing reception at 2 p.m.
Attendees are encouraged to register for the on-site memorial gathering or the livestreamed memorial. The goal of this event is also to collect stories and memories of Loraine. Attendees and others can share their stories at padlet.com.
An obituary for Hutchins was published in the Bladelast Nov. 24, where people can learn more about her activism in the bisexual community. A private service for friends and family was held in December but this memorial service is open to all.
Alongside her groundbreaking work organizing for U.S. bisexual rights and liberation including co-editing “Bi Any Other Name: BIsexual People Speak Out” (1991), she also integrated faith into her sexual education and advocacy work. Her 2001 doctoral dissertation, “Erotic Rites: A Cultural Analysis of Contemporary U.S. Sacred Sexuality Traditions and Trends,” offered a pointed queer and feminist analysis to sex-neutral and sex-positive spiritual traditions in the United States. Her thesis was also groundbreaking in exploring the intersections between sex workers and those in caregiving professionals, including spiritual ones.
In an oral history interview conducted by Michelle Mueller back in August 2023, Hutchins described herself as a “priestess without a congregation.” While she has occasionally had a sense of community and feels part of a group of loving people, she admitted that “I don’t feel like we have the shape or the purpose that we need.”
“I’ve often experienced being the Cassandra in the room, the Cassandra in the community. Somebody who’s kind of way out there ahead, thinking through the strategic action points that my community hasn’t gotten to yet, and getting a lot of resistance and hostile responses from people who are frightened by dissent and conflict and not ready for the changes we have to make to survive,” she said.
“For somebody who’s bisexual in an out political way and who’s been a spokesperson for the polyamory movement in an out political way, it’s very exposing. And it’s very important to me to be able to try to explain and help other people understand the connection between spirituality and sexuality,” she explained citing how even as a graduate student she was “exploring how to feel erotic and spiritual, and not feel them in conflict with each other in my own spiritual contemplative life and my own sensual body awareness of being alive in the world.”
“Every religion has a sense of sacred sexuality. It’s just they put a lot of boundaries and regulations on it, and if we have a spiritual practice that is totally affirming of women’s priesthood and of gay people, queer people’s ability to minister to everyone and to be ministered to be everyone, what does that do to the gender of God, or our understanding of how we practice our spirituality and our sexuality in community and privately?”
“There’s no easy answer,” she concludes, and she continued to grapple with these questions throughout her life, co-editing another seminal text, “Sexuality, Religion and the Sacred: Bisexual, Pansexual, and Polysexual Perspectives,” published in 2012. Her work blending spiritual and queer liberation remains groundbreaking to this day.
Rev. Eric Eldritch, a local community organizer and ordained Pagan minister with Circle Sanctuary who has worked for decades with the DC Center’s Center Faith to organize the Pride Interfaith Service, is eager to highlight this element of her legacy at the memorial service next month.
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