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SPRING ARTS 2020: Galleries galore

David Amoroso, Delita Martin, Volkmar Wentzel among artists in current exhibitions

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galleries, gay news, Washington Blade
Agnes Moorhead as Endora on ‘Bewitched.’ Painting by David Amoroso from his exhibit ‘Raised by TV on display now at Artists & Makers Studios. (Image courtesy Amoroso)

Local gay artist David Amoroso pays homage to ’70s TV with his exhibit “Raised by TV” at Artists & Makers Studios (11810 Parklawn Dr., Rockville, Md.) featuring paintings of Agnes Moorehead (“Bewitched”), Florence Henderson (“The Brady Bunch”), Fred Rogers (“Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood”), Bea Arthur (“Maude”), the cast of “The Jeffersons,” the cast of “Charlie’s Angels,” Carol Burnett, Jean Stapleton (“All in the Family”), Mary Tyler Moore and more. The exhibit runs through March 26. Amoroso also displays his work in the back room at Miss Pixie’s. 

The Teresa Lozano Long Gallery of the National Museum of Women in the Arts (1250 New York Ave., N.W.) displays “Delita Martin: Calling Down the Spirits” through April 19. This exhibit contains seven large prints of black individuals, which Martin created and decorated using a variety of means in order to “create a new iconography for African Americans based on African tradition, personal recollections and physical materials.” Admission is $10 for adults, with discounts for students and seniors. Members and those 18 and under enter free.

‘Soul Keeper,’ a 2016 gelatin printing, acrylic, conté, hand stitching and decorative papers on paper by Delita Martin. (Photo by Joshua Asante; courtesy National Museum of Women in the Arts)

The American University Museum at the Katzen Art Center (4400 Massachusetts Ave., N.W.) exhibits both the paintings of late AU Professor Emeritus Robert Franklin Gates (in a showing titled “Paint What You See”) and the work of late National Geographic photographer Volkmar Wentzel through May 24. The AU Museum is open to the public and admission is free.

The National Gallery of Art (6th and Constitution Ave., N.W.) hosts “True to Nature: Open-Air Painting in Europe, 1780–1870” through May 3 in the inner tier of the ground floor of its West Building. This exhibit features around 100 oil sketches of landscapes across Europe, created by artists among the likes of Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, John Constable, Simon Denis, Jules Coignet and André Giroux. Admission is free.

CulturalDC presents “Rendition” by Zoë Charlton at CulturalDC’s Mobile Art Gallery in Union Market (5th and Neal St., N.E.) through March 22. According to CulturalDC, this collection of sculptures and assorted artwork “addresses cultural identity, race, commodity and cultural tokenism.” Admission is free.

The Phillips Collection (1600 21st St., N.W.) showcases “Moira Dryer: Back in Business” through April 19, describing the assortment of paintings and sculptures as “the first comprehensive museum exhibition to consider the early work of Moira Dryer.” Admission to this exhibit and other ticketed exhibits is $12 for adults, with discounts for students and seniors. Museum members and those 18 and under enter free.

Zenith Gallery’s Upper Northwest Gallery (1429 Iris St., N.W.) displays “Carl Alexander: The Last Washington Color School Painter” through March 21, on which day a closing reception will be held from 2-6 p.m. Alexander studied under famous artist Morris Louis as an early member of the Washington Color School movement, which went on to become world-renowned. Admission is free.

‘Yellow, Pink, Blue and Purple,’ a work by Carl Alexander in display at Zenith Gallery. (Image courtesy Zenith)

Hillwood Museum (4155 Linnean Ave., N.W.) exhibits “Natural Beauties: Exquisite Works of Minerals and Gems” through June 7. The items presented in this showing “are crafted from materials like jade, agate, onyx, rock crystal, amethyst, jasper, malachite and lapis lazuli.” Suggested donation is $18 for adults, with lesser amounts requested of seniors, college students and children ages 6-18. Children under 6 and Hillwood members are not asked to donate.

The National Gallery of Art (6th and Constitution Ave., N.W.) hosts “Raphael and His Circle” through June 14 in Gallery 22 on the ground floor of its West Building. The gallery celebrates the 500th anniversary of the artistic great’s death with a display of 25 artworks, including four drawings and five paintings by Raphael himself. Admission is free.

The Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Renwick Gallery (17th and Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.) presents “Hearts of Our People: Native Women Artists” through May 17. The Renwick Gallery refers to this exhibit — a collection of more than 80 artworks crafted through varied means throughout history — as “the first major thematic show to explore the artistic achievements of Native women.” Admission is free.

The Textile Museum at the George Washington University Museum (701 21st St., N.W.) showcases “Delight in Discovery: The Global Collections of Lloyd Cotsen” through July 5. Cotsen “assembled thousands of textile fragments, garments and other artworks that reflected his admiration for indigenous cultures and vanishing artistic traditions,” with the intent “to create opportunities for a wider audience to appreciate 3,000 years of human creativity.” Suggested donation is $8 for adults. Museum members, children and current GW students, faculty and staff are not asked to donate.

ARTECHOUSE (1238 Maryland Ave., S.W.) displays “Hanami: Beyond the Blooms” through May 25. According to ARTECHOUSE, in this exhibit, “hand-made ink illustrations by Yuko Shimizu are transformed digitally to follow vibrant cherry blossom flowers on an exciting and interactive journey through land, sea and air” — just in time for cherry blossom season. Admission is $20 for adults with discounts for students, seniors, military members, children and tickets purchased online.

After being closed to the public for almost four months to allow for repairs, the National Building Museum (401 F St., N.W.) reopens today with “The Architects’ Photographer,” which will be exhibited through March, 2021. According to the National Building Museum, this showcase will both feature the work of professional architectural photographer Alan Karchmer and examine “the practice of architectural photography writ large.” 

Transformer (1404 P St., N.W.) hosts “Which yesterday is tomorrow?” by Dahlia Elsayed and Andrew Demirjian from March 14-April 25. According to Transformer, this exhibit “reimagines the Silk Road caravanserai as a potential site for the exchange of ideas and culture,” taking over the interior of Transformer with its furnishings, soundtrack and aromas in the process. An opening reception will be held from 5-8 p.m. on Saturday, March 14. 

The Kreeger Museum (2401 Foxhall Rd., N.W.) presents “Objects from the Studio: The Sculptor’s Process” from March 17-May 23, describing it as a showing that “brings together maquettes, sketches and other objects from sculptors’ studios to explore how outdoor sculptures are made, focusing on works from The Kreeger Museum’s Sculpture Garden.” The “suggested donation” is $10 for adults, with less requested of students, seniors and military members. Members are not asked to donate.

The Smithsonian American Art Museum (8th and F St., N.W.) showcases “Alexander von Humboldt and the United States: Art, Nature and Culture” from March 20-Aug. 16. This exhibit is the first to examine the impact that Humboldt, a famous Prussian explorer, had on “the visual arts, sciences, literature, politics and exploration” between 1804-1903. Admission is free.

The National Gallery of Art (6th and Constitution Ave., N.W.) displays the work of Lynda Benglis from March 22-Jan. 24, 2021. It displays 33 works made between 1966-2003 revealing “how Benglis has forged new forms by constantly exploring different techniques, materials and mediums.” Admission is free.

The Arthur M. Sackler Gallery (1050 Independence Ave., S.W.) exhibits “Meeting Tessai: Modern Japanese Art from the Cowles Collection” from March 28-Aug. 2, describing this showcase as “the first one held at a major museum in the United States in more than 50 years to explore the significance of pan-East Asian influences — a pertinent topic in today’s interconnected world — through the work of Tessai and modern Japanese painting.” Admission is free.

The Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Renwick Gallery (17th and Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.) is suspending “1.8 Renwick,” an installation by Janet Echelman, from the ceiling of the Rubenstein Grand Salon from April 3-Aug. 14, 2022. This massive work consists of “knotted and braided fiber with programmable lighting and wind movement above printed textile flooring,” with a shape inspired by data gathered from the earthquake that rocked Japan on March 11, 2011. Admission is free.

Hirshhorn Museum (7th and Independence Ave., N.W.) presents “One with Eternity: Yayoi Kusama in the Hirshhorn Collection” from April 4-Sept. 20. Describing Yayoi Kusama as “a visionary artist whose revelatory practice has captivated audiences around the world,” the Hirshhorn Museum announced that this showing would “affirm Kusama’s legacy within the Museum’s collection and art history with three significant new acquisitions.” Admission is free, but due to this exhibit’s inclusion of small, enclosed spaces, same-day timed passes — available at the Hirshhorn Museum on a first-come, first-serve basis — are required for exhibit entry.

Waverly Street Gallery (4600 East-West Hwy #102, Bethesda, Md.) showcases “Visual Paradise” by Stephane Themeze from April 5-May 2, with an opening reception from 6-9 p.m. on April 10 and an artist’s reception from 1-3 p.m. on April 26. According to Waverly Street Gallery, the works in this photography exhibit encapsulate Themeze’s conviction that “there is visual pleasure to be had at almost every corner and moment of one’s daily life.” Admission is free.

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Theater

Rorschach stages ‘Dragon Play’ in unlikely, raw space

Out sound designer Madeline ‘Mo’ Oslejsek notes ‘sound is my bag’

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Madeline 'Mo' Oslejsek (Photo courtesy of Oslejsek)

‘Dragon Play’
Through May 17
Rorschach Theatre
The Stacks @ Buzzard Point
101 V St., S.W.
$50 ($35 for students and seniors)
Rorschachtheatre.org

Celebrated for its site-specific, immersive productions, Rorschach Theatre puts on plays all over town. The unlikely spots have included greenhouses, church vestibules, closed retail spaces (including a vacant downtown big and tall men’s store) and historic locales like Rock Creek Cemetery’s Adams Memorial. 

For its current offering “Dragon Play” (through May 17), a tale of love and longing, Rorschach is using a raw space in The Stacks at Buzzard Point, a new mixed-use neighborhood situated where the Anacostia and Potomac rivers meet. 

Out sound designer Madeline ‘Mo’ Oslejsek considers all sites – whether traditional theatrical spaces or not – specific, particularly in terms of sound. She says, “Part of my practice is if you’re creating a soundscape for a theatrical production you’re also working with sound that already exists with the space.”

For instance, The Stacks space comes with its own unique qualities. It’s a large cement room that has a different reverberation, an echo.

“Some sounds (a car, dog bark) are planted or they might just happen. What starts as a live sound might be heard again as something recorded.”

Whip smart with a ready laugh, Oslejsek never set out to be a sound designer. She was going to direct. And now, the 2025 Helen Hayes Award nominee for Outstanding Sound Design (“Astro Boy and the God of Comics” at Flying V,) says, “Sound is my bag. Sometimes it seems that I’m the only one in the room thinking about it.” 

As an undergrad studying theater at Ohio Wesleyan University, she was first exposed to sound design, but it didn’t make a big impression. 

In grad school at Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, University of London, she was interested in direction. But when students were offered a choice of three more specific tracks to choose from (performance, composition, and scenography, which includes sound design), Oslejsek was swayed. 

“An introduction to scenography by the department head radically changed the course of my life,” she says.  

What struck her most about sound was the subjectivity: “The core of my practice is that sound has no meaning until it’s experienced. All sound is noise. It’s just a pitch, active, or vocalization. It becomes real when you hear it and apply meaning to it. That’s very exciting to me.”

Today, Oslejsek and partner Caitlin Hooper, an actor and intimacy choreographer, are based in Baltimore but work primarily in D.C.

“It feels good to be in a place where art and queerness in art are celebrated. It’s not like that everywhere, and making that kind of work down the street from this White House where that’s not the vibe, is real resistance. That feels really meaningful.”

Also important to Oslejsek (who identifies alternately as queer and lesbian) is “queer as a practice,” a concept suggesting that a queer identity or practice does not seek to replace other identities but to encompass and bridge them.

“I’m queer because I like women, but the work is more about making room for what everyone in the room hears,” she says. “Never do I want to come into a space thinking I have all the answers. That’s no fun.”

As its title might suggest, Jenny Connell Davis’ play directed by Rorschach’s Randy Baker is filled with magic. “Dragon Play,” blurs the past and present; one world bleeds into the next; and, of course, there are dragons. At 80 minutes with no intermission, the play moves in and out of different timelines; increasingly things start to overlap. 

And it’s also about the magic of relationships – all kinds. There’s a line where the dragon girl asks a Texas boy what he dreams about and he replies “you, always you.” 

Oslejsek, 30, is touched by those words: “In my little gay heart, I cried. It makes me think of my partner. This play is about the idea of people who strike a match in your heart that never really goes away.”

In creating a layered soundscape, she brings her own brand of magic to the production. Her big goal was “not to play with how we think a dragon might sound, but rather with how does the world sound to a dragon.” 

Sometimes sound design takes the lead, but in some productions, sound is purposely subtle or secondary, she says. Either way, sound can be monumental in shaping theater.

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Calendar

Calendar: April 17-23

LGBTQ events in the days to come

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Friday, April 17

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.

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Social in the City” at 7 p.m. at Hotel Zena. This is a chance to relax, make new friends, and enjoy happy hour specials at this classic retro venue. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite

Trans and Genderqueer Game Night will be at 7:00p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. This is a relaxing, laid-back evening of games and fun. All are welcome and there’ll be card and board games on hand. Feel free to bring your own games to share. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website

Saturday, April 18

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.

The DC Center for the LGBT Community will host “Sunday Supper on Saturday” at 2 p.m. It’s more than just an event; it’s an opportunity to step away from the busyness of life and invest in something meaningful, and enjoy delicious food, genuine laughter, and conversations that spark connection and inspiration. For more details, visit the Center’s website.

Sunday, April 19

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Lunch” at 11 a.m. at Federico Ristorante Italiano. 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.

Monday, April 20

“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]).

Tuesday, April 21

Center Bi+ Roundtable 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.Visit Facebook or Meetup for more information.

Senior Self Defense Class with Avi Rome will be at 12:30 p.m. This inclusive and beginner-friendly class, led by Instructor Avi Rome, offers a light warm-up, stretching, and instruction in basic techniques, patterns, and striking padded targets. Each session is designed to be adaptable for all ability and mobility levels, creating a welcoming space for everyone to build strength, confidence, and community through martial arts. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website

Wednesday, April 22

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.

Asexual and Aromantic Group will meet at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a space where people who are questioning this aspect of their identity or those who identify as asexual and/or aromantic can come together, share stories and experiences, and discuss various topics. For more details, email [email protected]

Thursday, April 23

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 5:00 pm 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, breath work 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.  

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Out & About

Team DC’s annual gala set for this weekend

LGBTQ sports organization to hold annual ‘Night of Champions’

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(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Team DC will host “Night of Champions Gala” on Saturday, April 18 at 6 p.m. at the Georgetown Marriott.

This will be an evening of celebration and inspiration as Team DC honors remarkable individuals and supports the next generation of LGBTQ student-athletes.

There will be opportunities to support Team DC through auctions. The Silent Auction items will offer an array of unique goods and experiences. Additionally, Team DC will feature an exclusive selection of live auction items for those looking to make a significant impact.

This year, Team DC will recognize six outstanding awardees who have made significant contributions to the LGBTQ community and sports:

  • Trailblazer Award – Adam Peck, District Wrestling
  • Most Valuable Person Award – Sean Bartel (posthumously)
  • Champion Award – Dan Martin
  • Clark Ray Horizon Award – Manuel Montelongo, aka Mari Con Carne
  • Bernard Jude Delia Award – Dr. Sara Varghai
  • Platinum All Star Award – Centaur Motorcycle Club

To purchase tickets, visit Team DC’s website

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