On The Road Again

Where: Archives of American Art

When: closing June 3, 2018

The current show put up by the archivists at SAAM (at least, I'm assuming it's the archivists who are doing it, apologies if I'm crediting the wrong people!) examines the influence of place on artists.  Although the "art world" seems to be centered in major cities like New York and Los Angeles and London, it's worth remembering that artists live and travel everywhere.

I noticed the photograph of the artist John Steuart Curry being run over by some Badger football players while he was trying to capture a scrimmage.  On Wisconsin!

And I saw that the artist Emilio Sanchez traveled extensively, even to New Castle, Delaware, where he drew the cupola of "Old Arsenal."  Having lived in and around Delaware until I left to go to college, it was nice to see a bit of home.

Verdict: Another nice display from the Archives - you could make a lunch time trip and see this, the Sylvia Plath exhibit next door and the Matthew Brady pictures across the hall.

Walking Through Art

Where: Sackler Gallery

When: closing June 24, 2018

The Sackler's "Perspectives" series continues with this intriguing offering by Subodh Gupta entitled "Terminal."  It's spires, meant to remind one of minarets or steeples, with thread running between them.  The fun part is that you can walk through it, so you are surrounded by the art, rather than looking at it from the outside.

Verdict: Lots of fun and easy to see on your way to the rest of the collection.

The Sackler Proves Its Greatness Once Again

Where: Sackler Gallery

When: closing June 10, 2018

The Sackler puts on a terrific show when they have important objects to display.  They exhibit them beautifully; they explain them well; they use dramatic lighting and wall colors - it's all very well done.  Their current show on lacquer Buddhas is the latest example of how to show magnificent pieces to their best advantage.  There's a dignity to how these works are presented; you, the visitor, feels as if you're seeing something wonderful.

There are innumerable representations of Buddha that exist in the world, but there are very few Buddha statutes made of lacquer.  The three earliest known examples are all housed in the United States: one at the Met, one at the Walters in Baltimore and one here at the Freer.  Right now, all three of them are together, for the first time, at the Sackler.

This is a two room show; the outer room provides X-ray views of each Buddha and explanations of how they were created.  There's also a discussion of the blood and bone that were found to be mixed into the lacquer.  The bones are from horses and cows - they don't know the origin of the blood!

Pictured here (I figured photography of the Buddhas themselves was not allowed) are two 3D prints of a Bodhisattva head.  Aside from the fact that 3D printing is just cool generally, it really allows you to get close up and see details that the originals are too fragile to allow.

In Buddhism, Bodhisattvas are those persons who are capable of reaching nirvana, but out of compassion for suffering beings, delay doing so.  I think of them as a sort of guardian angel, to make a comparison from Christianity.  I'm not sure that Bodhisattvas really exist, but I like the idea, so I'm always happy to see them represented.

Verdict: Do not miss this great exhibit, yet another reason to be happy that the Sackler has re-opened.

A Spiritual Marketplace

Where: American History Museum

When: closing June 4, 2018

It's not often I get a chance to visit a new space at the Smithsonian, but I've never been to the Taubman Gallery at American History, so I'm assuming it's new.  It's a nice, airy gallery with changing exhibitions, so I'm sure I'll be back many times in the future.

Colonial America was a place where people of many religions settled: a wide variety of Protestants, Catholics, Jews and Muslims.  Although there were some who wanted to establish a state religion when the United States declared its independence, those who advocated against this idea won out.  So the "spiritual marketplace" as early America was described, continues to this day.

This display has a treasure trove of artifacts and would be worth seeing regardless of your views on religion and religious history.  Among the great things are a church bell made by Revere and Son (he of the midnight ride), an iron cross (loaned by Georgetown University) made from pieces of ships that came to the U.S. in 1634, George Washington's inaugural bible and Thomas Jefferson's bible that he made by cutting out the pieces he liked from several other bibles (he went through the gospels and cut out all the bits with miracles and pasted into his own book the sayings and teachings of Jesus).

Verdict: An informative exhibition in a fine new space.

Brady before the Civil War

Where: National Portrait Gallery

When: closing June 3, 2018

I've made it through the shows closing in May and am now on to June and July.  Not sure if I'll be able to get to many exhibits this coming week, due to various other things going on, so I made the most of the past week!

The Portrait Gallery has an area for displaying items that require low light, mostly very early photographs, daguerreotypes and ambrotypes.  Full lighting would ruin them, so they're tucked away in a little alcove, very close to the Archives of American Art and the One Life room.

The current offering is of Matthew Brady work from before the Civil War.  Although best known for his work photographing that terrible conflict and the people who fought in it, Brady was an accomplished photographer in the years before the war.

It seems to be a theme of the shows I've seen recently that the subjects are those who are master self-promoters, because Brady was not shy about advertising his services.  He started out doing daguerrotypes, then moved to ambrotypes and then salted paper prints.  With each new technological innovation, he jumped on board and made the most of it.  I admire his ability to adapt to changing circumstances.

He courted celebrity sitters; my favorite of the pieces on display is one of Dolley Madison, in later years.  Although she's pictured as an elderly woman, you can see her lively personality.  She looks like someone you'd want to invite to your party, even if she might not be able to dance every dance.

Verdict: An interesting little show; if you're in the neighborhood, have a look.