Pure Land: Inside the Mogao Grottoes at Dunhuang

Where: Sackler Gallery

When: through December 9, 2013

This fantastic exhibit is only running through tomorrow, so run down to the Mall to see this before it leaves for Hong Kong.  Unlike most exhibits, you need a ticket for this show.  They're free of charge and available at the information desk in the Sackler lobby.  You gather there at the appointed time, and get a brief overview of the Chinese caves that you'll see reproduced in a tent in the Sackler garden.  The idea of using caves as places of worship began in India, where Buddhist, Hindu and Jain caves can be found.  The trade between India and China brought the practice to China, where hundreds of caves were decorated with Buddhist paintings and statues.

The years have taken their toll on the caves, and visitors are now only allowed in a few of the caves at a time, in order to preserve what art remains.  Scholars from a university in the area have taken incredibly high-quality photographs of the caves and these have been made into part of a multimedia display involving animation, music, recoloring of part of the paintings and more.

Trying to describe this experience is difficult - you really have to see it for yourself to truly appreciate it.  Luckily for those not able to see it this weekend, the Sackler is trying to bring this back to its collection permanently; I, for one, am keeping my fingers crossed that they'll be successful.

Verdict:  If the idea of combining antiquities with 21st century technology is appealing, don't miss this show.

Inuit Art, Culture, and Environment

Where: Ripley Center

When: through December 2, 2012

In addition to its International Gallery, the large space where big exhibits are held, the Ripley has two other exhibit spaces - the Concourse and the Corridor.  I'm calling these exhibit spaces in the loosest sense of the term, as they are basically hallways.  The Corridor is actually the hallway leading from the Concourse to the International Gallery and the Concourse is the large space at the bottom of the escalator from the Mall.

The Concourse is not the best place to see an exhibit, as it's so clearly not designed for displays.  It's distracting, as there are lots of doors leading off to various offices and a water fountain.  Nevertheless, I've seen some interesting things here, and this show on Inuit art continues that tradition.

It's divided into three sections; the first of which is "Culture on Cloth."  These are wall hanging created by women in an Inuit village west of Hudson Bay in Nunavut.  At one time, the Inuit lived in seasonal camps, following the caribou migration, but in the mid-20th century, due both to changes in migration patterns and population growth, the Inuit began to starve.  In response to this dire situation, the Canadian government set up permanent settlements for the Inuit, providing both health care and education.  These textiles demonstrate the transition from the old way of life to the new, and they've been on a migration of their own, having been on display in various locations since 2002.

I was reminded while I looked at these hangings of the exhibit I'd seen earlier this year (or was it last year?), by the woman who had survived World War II in Poland and then worked as a seamstress in New York, who documented her story of evading capture by the Nazis in needlework.  I'd not thought of sewing as a story-telling device before, but clearly it is.  These pieces are far more abstract than the ones I saw earlier, but the skill is apparent in both.  I particularly liked Tundra by Ruth Qaulluaryuk and Summer and Winter by Winnie Tatya; both of them feature lovely colors.

The second section is "Kinngait to Ulukhaktok: Artist as Cultural Historian."  It shows works of Inuit graphic artists, who are continuing the oral story-telling traditions of the past in their documentation of the transition from a migratory life to one of living in a settled community.

The third section is "Exploring the Eastern Inuit World."  The Maritime Far Northeast is one of the world's least-known geographic regions.  It comprises Maine, the Maritimes, Greenland and Nunavut.  Based on the pictures, it has a truly unforgiving climate.  It appears to be snowed in for much of the year, especially in the northern-most areas.  Of course, the climate is changing, so one wonders how much longer the snow will continue to fall in such abundance.  One can only hope that the Inuit can adapt once again to a changing environment.

Verdict: This is a very interesting show.  I found that it complemented the show on Arctic lives at the American Indian Museum very well, so if you can manage both shows in one day or close together, it's worth doing so. 

The Serial Portrait: Photography and Identity in the Last One Hundred Years

Where: National Gallery of Art, West Building

When: through December 31, 2012

In the 19th century, photographs were generally single portraits, making a record of one moment in time.  In the 20th century, photographers began to take multiple portraits of the same person or group of people - to record their subject over a span of time.  This show is composed of the works of 20 different artists who photographed the same subject multiple times.  It is primarily composed of works in the National Gallery's collection (which shows you just how large a collection it is).  The portraits are meant to demonstrate fluctuating states of being or to mark the passage of time.  The idea of identity is inherently mutable.  I think photography is viewed as more "truthful" than painting.  The idea is that this is how someone looked at a particular time (leaving Photoshop out of the discussion for the moment) - the serial portrait plays with that idea - by showing how people change over time, it asks the question, "What is the true picture of the person?"  "Who is this person, really?"

The first photographs featured are Harry Callahan's portraits of his wife, Eleanor.  I'd seen these before, in the big Callahan retrospective at the National Gallery not long ago.  I think this is the first time I'd seen something again, so I felt quite sophisticated, being able to think, "Oh yes, I remember that photo."  Callahan was not the only artist to take pictures of his wife; we were treated to a whole slew of them, including Emmet Gowin, Alfred Stieglitz and Paul Strand.  I especially liked Gowin's "Edith, Danville, Virginia" which featured his wife with a shadow of leaves across her face and "Edith & Moth Flight" which was taken at night with only the available light and a long exposure - the moths seem to leave luminous traces around her face.  It turns out I'm not much more interested in pictures of Georgia O'Keefe than I am in her art, so I didn't give those more than a cursory glance.

Far more interesting was "The Brown Sisters," by Nicholas Nixon.  These are photos of the artist's wife and her three sisters, taken each year from 1975 through 2011.  It's tempting to read into these photographs great meaning about how the sisters felt about each other in any given year, but I'm not sure that's completely valid.  Sometimes, you just pose for the camera, and whether you're standing at a slight remove means nothing more than that you're afraid you're coming down withe a cold, and don't want to pass it along to everyone else.  Perhaps there's some validity that comes with tracing the relationships over time?  I read a review of this show not long ago in the Post, and the reviewer came away with the idea that this reminds us of death.  The sisters are (obviously) aging in the photographs; eventually, there will only be three sisters - eventually, they will all be gone.  My thoughts were not so morbid.  I was impressed that the four women and the photographer came together every year for 36 years - good for them.  I can't but admire their perseverance.  Yes, eventually, they'll all be gone, but so will we all.  Dwell all you like on the inevitable; I prefer to concentrate on the work they've done, rather than the fact that they won't be able to do it forever.

An intriguing work is Ilse Bing's "Self Portrait" from 1988.  It includes a shattered mirror, in which you can see yourself.  What's the meaning of this, I wondered?  Am I supposed to see myself in her?  Is it meant to be a universal portrait?  I'm not sure I came away with any answers, but if art is supposed to make you think, mission accomplished.  Next up is Ann Hamilton's body object series.  I could not help but be reminded of the web site someone put up with pictures of random objects on a rabbit's head.  I seem to remember a stack of pancakes were among the things that the long-suffering pet bunny had to endure.

Nikki S. Lee's self portraits really stuck with me - another example of the thought-provoking.  She transforms herself into a member of a particular group (skateboarders, yuppies, lesbians, Hispanics, hip hop enthusiasts) and then documents her interactions with actual members of the group.  It made me wonder how she managed this, and if she ever let on to her companions that she really wasn't part of their group.  I can see that this is an interesting experiment, but I wonder about the human cost of the deception.  I wanted to know the full story, rather than just see the photos.

Gillian Wearing takes photographs of herself disguised as other people.  Perhaps the best known and most striking is "Me as Mapplethorpe."  The only way to tell that this isn't a portrait of Robert Mapplethorpe is the small gap between the mask and her face that you can see just below her eyes.  It's a "copy" of Mapplethorpe's final self-portrait, done in 1998.  I was reminded of the Hide/Seek exhibit at the Portrait Gallery a couple of years ago; there was a great photo of Mapplethorpe included - when he was young and well.

Finally, Tomoko Sawada's "ID-400" reminded me of the Asian-American portrait exhibit that I just saw at the Portrait Gallery.  Sawada created 400 different personas, then photographed herself in a photo booth.  Without reading the notes next to the picture, I would not have realized it's the same person.  An amazing amount of work to pull off - again, it's the dedication that stands out for me.

Verdict: Well worth seeing.  It's a big show, so allow plenty of time.  There's lots of different things here, so a little something for everyone.

Imperial Augsburg: Renaissance Prints and Drawings, 1475–1540

Where: National Gallery of Art, West Building

When: December 31, 2012

Augsburg is one of Germany's oldest cities, founded in 15 B.C. as a Roman military fortress, and named for the Emperor Augustus.  Its close proximity and many commercial ties to Italy led to an interest in classical art and its adaptations during the Italian Renaissance.  1475-1540 was Augsburg's cultural golden age and works from this time period are what is on display here.

Prints played an important role in the expression of religious devotion common in the late middle ages.  Many in Augusburg embraced Luther's ideas, and he visited the city in 1518.  Augsburg adopted a "middle way" - there was an official tolerance of both Catholics and Protestants, which allowed artists to create art for both groups.

"Christ on the Cross with the Virgin and St. John," a print by Erhard Ratdott, on display here, is the earliest extant multifigured and multicolored print in the history of Western art.  It's always exciting to see something with an historical pedigree.  You can see the first time someone decided to try something new; I'm a bit surprised the gallery hasn't played this up more in its advertising.  Ratdott used vellum as his canvas, in an attempt to imitate the look of illuminated manuscripts, so a nod to the past, as well as a bold venture into the future.  Although this was done in 1491, the colors are still vibrant and beautiful.

Much of the art centers around women leading men to their downfall, a sadly common Biblical theme.  Works depicting people surprised by death also abound, which are not so misogynistic, but are a bit morbid.  Lots of art was created for Maximillian I, the Holy Roman Emperor, who was a patron of the city.  I was also reminded of the exhibit of Spanish armor I saw some time ago when I saw medals that had been created for Charles V.

Verdict: Not the most dazzling show, and not a large crowd.  It's a moderately sized exhibit, so manageable in a lunch hour.  Worth a look, especially if you are a fan of medieval art.

Gifts to the Collection: 1987-2012

Where: Sackler Gallery

When: through December 15, 2012

The Sackler's collection was founded by Arthur Sackler, but other people have given gifts to the museum since it opened 25 years ago.  This display is a selection of those gifts.  I had been expecting a quite large exhibit, but it's only one room, so you can linger all you like and still see everything in a short period of time.

There is a case filled with seals used by artists to sign their work - I was reminded of an exhibit I saw quite a long time ago at the Freer on Chinese calligraphy where I first learned about these seals.  Two of the seals were carved from peach pits - a idea for recycling that I confess had not previously occurred to me!  There are also on display two scholar's rocks.  I had heard of these before, at the National History museum's orchid display in 2011.  Scholars would collect large interesting rocks that reminded them of mountains.  The idea is that by contemplating these objects, the mind and spirit would be refreshed in the same way that they would by walking in the mountains.  I'm not sure I buy into this line of thinking, but the rocks were interesting.

Pictured above is one of several kingfisher-feather ornaments on display.  These are made of actual feathers, which are then cut into shapes and glued into cells in a metal substrate.  I'm not sure I know exactly what this is, but the jewelry is beautiful - the picture really doesn't do justice to the urquoise color.  Another item that caught my eye was a painting, "Two Celestial Ladies," from the Ming Dynasty; the flowing lines reminded me of Art Nouveau - although it was painted centuries before that artistic movement.

Verdict: This is a great small show.  Easily managed in a lunch hour, it gives the viewer a sense of what's in the general collection without being completely overwhelming.

African Cosmos: Stellar Arts

Where: African Art Museum

When: through December 9, 2012

I realized as I walked over to see this show that it had been a while since I'd visited the African Art Museum.  It seems as if they don't offer as many special exhibits as the other Smithsonian museums.  I'm not sure why that is, but I wish they offered more.  I don't know much about African art, and attending these shows is a good way to learn.

The theme of this exhibit is how the sun, moon, stars, lightning and rainbows have influenced African art.  What I really liked about it is how the curators blended ancient artifacts with modern African art.  For example, an Egyptian mummy case was placed between two displays of light used as artwork, including one that was a video of planes taking off and landing - I was reminded of the show I just saw at Air and Space.

At the beginning of the show, there is a picture of the Nabta Playa in southern Egypt.  It's one of the earliest known calendars - it resembles Stonehenge, although not in such good repair, and is 7,000 years old - more than 1,000 years older than Stonehenge.  The first room is made up almost entirely of Egyptian pieces; once again, I was amazed at the age of these items.  How they have managed to survive for thousands of years is incredible.

There are also video displays - the one that caught my eye was of ants running through sugar.  The video is reversed, so it appears that the background is black and the ants are white - it really does look like a starry sky.  Another item is something called Rainbow Serpent, by Romuald Hazoume.  It's an enormous circle made of recycled jerry cans (used to carry gasoline).  When I say it's enormous, it must be 10-12 feet high.

Verdict: This is an interesting show.  It's got lots of different kinds of art, something for everyone.  It's quite large, so you'll have to skim through on a lunch hour, or come back for a second look to see everything.

Jessie Cohen: An Eye for Animals

Where: National Zoo

When: through December 31, 2012

I've never been to an exhibit at the National Zoo before; at least, I've not been to see an exhibit that wasn't an animal.  This small selection of photographs is in the Zoo's visitor center, very close to the Connecticut Avenue entrance.

Jessie Cohen worked as a photographer at the National Zoo for 30 years prior to her death in 2009.  This is a tribute to her, rather than simply a collection of wildlife photography.  Her work is stunning; the photography is beautiful and her ability to capture the personalities of a wide range of animals was amazing.  A particularly moving picture is one of Ling Ling, captured in the spring time, under a willow tree.  The fact that I visited only a day after the death of the Zoo's giant panda cub made the photo all the more poignant.

Along with the excellent photography is a collection of quotes, both by Cohen and by those who knew her.  "Patience, practice and sharp eyes are the basic ingredients of all good zoo photographers," Cohen said, and I think you can apply that description to many other endeavors as well.  Reading what her colleagues wrote about her gives the display a personal touch that goes beyond the photography.  It's a shame that more people won't see this exhibit, given its location.

Verdict: Make an effort to go see this, if you're in upper Northwest.  If you're at the Zoo anyway, you owe it to yourself to take a few minutes at the beginning or end of your trip.