Buffalo Bill's Wild West Warriors

Where: Ripley Center (International Gallery)

When: through June 15, 2011

The photographer Gertrude Kasebier was a leading portrait photographer in her day. As she sat in her studio, she looked out her window and saw the Buffalo Bill Wild West Show parading down the street past her building. Struck by the faces of the Native Americans among the group, she decided to photograph some of the Sioux.

These photographs were not made or used for commercial purposes; they were intimate portraits of people in the midst of great change. The world as they had known it for centuries was at an end. The photographs of children were especially moving; they look old beyond their years. Kasebier had to win the trust of the Sioux, as many of them were wary of photography. Some of the men would only sit in profile. Interesting to compare were the shots of the same man, one of him in ceremonial garb, and one of him in "plain clothes."

Some other artifacts are included in the show, in addition to the photos. One was the headdress worn by Chief Iron Tail when fighting Custer at the Little Big Horn. I'm always fascinated when I see a "piece of history" like this. To think that this item was actually at that event - it's a way to connect with history.

The Ripley is an odd space. The entry is on the Mall, between the Castle and the Freer. For years, I had walked past this little building, thinking it was some sort of information booth. When I went in the first time, I was amazed that to find an entire underground world! You go down stairs and an escalator (there's also elevator access) and walk through a large area containing exhibit space, offices and a theater to find the International Gallery. It's a lousy exhibit space - there's no natural light and the ductwork is exposed, but they do have interesting shows there.

Verdict: Hope you had a chance to see this, as the show is over now. I had never heard of Kasebier before, but I was quite impressed with the relationship she cultivated over years of correspondence with the Sioux she photographed.

Negro League Baseball Stamp Art

Where: National Postal Museum

When: through June 5, 2011

On display are several examples of the stamps issued in 2010 honoring the Negro League. The league was quite popular during its heyday, although the integration of Major League Baseball brought about its demise. Innovations the league brought to the majors include bunting and stealing bases, without which baseball as we know it today would be distinctly less interesting.

Kadir Nelson is the artist who was commissioned to do the artwork; he had produced several paintings of Negro League baseball and was the author of a book on the Negro League. He based his design for the stamps on historical photographs. The stamps were issued se tenant, meaning that one picture was spread across two stamps.

The Postal Service had previously honored Negro League players Josh Gibson, Satchel Paige and Jackie Robinson in its "Legends of Baseball" series issued in 2000. Whereas the Negro League stamps were more action-oriented, the 2000 series were designed to look like trading cards.

This display is so small you might miss it - it's on the ground floor, right by the entrance. I'm glad I saw this on my way to run an errand elsewhere - if I'd walked all the way over to the Postal Museum to spend about 10 minutes, I would have been a bit miffed. Combine it with a trip to the Union Station food court for lunch, and you'll feel like your walk was worth it.

Verdict: if you are interested in baseball, check it out. Otherwise, it's not what I'd call a major show.

SPANS: Photographs from the Esther McCoy Papers

Where: Archives of American Art, American Art Museum

When: through June 5, 2011

Esther McCoy was an architecture critic and historian who worked from the 1950s through the 1970s. This display shows some of the photographs she used in her articles.

She reported on trends in architecture around the world, so the photographs include shots of Brasilia, geodesic domes, tent-like structures by Frei Otto and hyperbolic paraboloids (which are thin shells). The inflatable architecture reminded me of the roof over the Metrodome, which collapsed last winter under the weight of a particularly heavy snowstorm. They look great, but are not the most stable of structures.

This exhibit is the first I've seen that actually incorporates the museum into the exhibit. There is a drawing on the ceiling that looks like a Gothic arch. In addition, the room itself looks out into the courtyard with its controversial covering. They've put a loveseat in the room, so that you can sit down and look at the courtyard roof. There were those who objected to the span when the building was most recently renovated, but as far as I'm concerned, you couldn't ask for a nicer space to relax when the elements are too forbidding for outside seating.

Verdict: this is a neat little show, well worth seeing even if you're not an expert on architecture.

Gaugin: Maker of Myth

Where: National Gallery of Art, East Building

When: through June 5, 2011

This show has gained a certain amount of notoriety lately, as a result of a mad woman's attempt to attack one of the paintings on display. Thankfully, she did no lasting damage to the piece, which is now back on display.

For myself, I came away with as much of a sense of Gaugin as a person as I did of Gaugin as a painter. The description of him at the beginning of the show calls him "ferociously egotistical" - a point born out by the many self-portraits in the first room.

I was gratified when looking at the description of "Portrait of Meijer de Haan by Lamplight" to see him called devilish - exactly the word I'd thought of myself when looking at the piece. Clearly, I've got a future as an art critic!

My sense that I would not have cared to meet Gaugin came when looking at his wood carving, "Self-portrait vase in the form of a severed head." I could only think, "oh brother." It just seemed so self-indulgent and hysterical.

Gaugin identified greatly with "savages" - people outside of polite Western society. While spending time in Brittany, he began to reject Western civilization as corrupt, but still concerned himself with how much his art was fetching in Paris - so the civilization is bad, but not the money it brings in.

As I mentioned above, the painting that had been attacked is back on display - there's a rope in front of it now, along with a guard. As I looked at the piece, in a room filled with other Gaugins, I was reminded of seeing the Mona Lisa at the Louvre. It is encased in a clear box, with ropes around it, to foil thieves, meanwhile, the rest of the room is filled with other da Vincis, with no such security. Interesting how those who would steal or attack art determine what pieces we protect the most...

I was puzzled as to why the crazy lady found that particular painting so objectionable. There are any number of similar works in the exhibit. There's a carving that's even entitled "Lewdness" and features a naked woman, a wilted flower (a symbol of lost purity) and a fox. You'd think she would have hurled herself at that.

I was intrigued by the painted "Still Life with Three Puppies," as I don't think I've ever seen puppies in a still life before. Having raised a puppy, I don't remember a lot of stillness.

As for his time in Tahiti, Gaugin decried Western influences on the native society, and I'm sure they were not all for the good. Since they did lead to the elimination of human sacrifice, however, I can't say that it was all bad either. Gaugin imagined a Tahitian past and then painted what he imagined; one could make the case that this is his Western influence at work.

All in all, Gaugin seems a tiresome person, but he did expose the hypocrisy of a local bishop who decried Gaugin's womanizing, while engaging in some of his own, so I'll give him credit for that.

Verdict: if you're a fan of Gaugin, don't miss this show. It's quite large, so you'll need to move quickly to take it all in.