Two exhibits from the National Gallery of Art Library

 Where: National Gallery of Art

When: through June 12, 2015 and through August 2, 2015

The National Gallery of Art's two library spaces have new (well new-ish) exhibits on display, and you can make a luncheon trip to see both of them.  Very different in content and presentation, they allow you to get an idea of the breadth of the library's collection.

In the East Building (inside the library itself) is a selection of items from the Feller Collection.  These are not art books in the sense of being reproductions of art, or surveys of a particular artist or art movement, but are more "how to" guides, instructional manuals, books about artistic techniques.

Meanwhile, in the West Building, the library's little outpost room has a display focusing on Florentine publishing during the Renaissance.  The books on display are interesting to examine, some of them quite ornate.  My problem is that there's not a lot of explanation - no wall notes or cards next to the books.  There are pamphlets available, but that's a bit more information than I really want.  I'd like something between nothing and a multi-page description, and I suspect I'm not alone.

Verdict: If you have an interest in books about art, these small displays are worth a look.  While the weather remains inclement here in DC, take advantage of the underground connection between the two buildings to stay out of the cold and damp.

Chinese Influences on Japanese Art

Where: Freer Gallery of Art

When: through June 14, 2015


There are two shows currently on at the Freer that highlight the Chinese influences on Japanese art. One is entitled "Oribe Ware: Color and Pattern Come to Japanese Ceramics" and the other is "Zen, Tea, and Chinese art in Medieval Japan." The display of Oribe Ware is in the little Gallery 6A, just off Gallery 6, and the display of art related to tea is in Galleries 6 &7, making it easy to see both in one lunch hour.

I confess, I'm at a loss to understand the Japanese fascination with tea. I like a nice cup of Twining's as much as the next person, but I don't make a religion out of it. As I knew from my visit to the Sackler to see Chigusa, the Japanese do make quite a ritual out of tea-drinking, which means they have some very fine items to store, display and consume tea. The rise of both Zen Buddhism and tea presentation coincided with greater contact with China, so the theory is that China may have been responsible for bringing these things, that we now think of as inherently Japanese, to Japan in the first place.

However the phenomenon started, Japanese tea ceramics are well worth seeing. There was a tea caddy and tea bowl that I liked very much - it's amazing to me that things created in the early 1600s are still around today, and looking as if you could use them.

It's not all ceramics on display, though. I also very much liked the painting "White Heron on a Snowy Willow." The delicacy of the bird's feathers caught my eye, even though the predominant color is white (and yes, I know white is not a color). And who could resist the painting of "Xianzi Catches a Shrimp"? The Buddhist master was said to have achieved enlightenment while consuming the crustacean, and considering the deliciousness of shrimp, who can doubt it?

Verdict: If you like Japanese art or the ritual of the tea presentation, make sure to see this show. And at this time of the year, when it seems as if winter is never-ending, who couldn't use a trip to the Freer?

Outside the Spacecraft: 50 Years of Extra-Vehicular Activity

Where: National Air and Space Museum

When: through June 8, 2015

It's one thing to get into a rocket and go into outer space; it's another to leave your rocket and really go into outer space.  This show is about the latter trip, which is described as "spacefaring" and more like swimming than walking.  You can see lots of equipment, from the early days of space travel to modern day suits.

It's a journey that has its dangers.  As the wall notes remind visitors, the human body is not designed to be in space.  You need a source of oxygen and a tether to the ship, plus space is both terribly cold and gets very direct sunlight, so astronauts need thick gloves to protect their hands.  The problem with thick gloves is that they don't allow very much movement of the fingers, which is usually necessary for whatever work takes the crew out of the ship.

At first, astronauts could only be outside of the ship for minutes at a time.  Now, they can be out for hours, conducting experiments, repairing equipment, and enjoying the view.

This show is in the "Flight and the Arts" room on the 2nd floor, and in addition to many photographs, there are also several paintings of EVA (extra-vehicular activity, which I can't help but think sounds like something you'd put on a college application).  I was happy to see an Alan Bean among the offerings; I saw a show of his work here several years ago.

Verdict: Air and Space was fairly empty last week when I stopped by.  I suppose this is a lull, between family trips at the holidays and school trips in the Spring.  If you're in the area, you might want to come now.  Also, the Spirit of St. Louis is currently sitting on the floor by the Mall entrance door, so you can have a much better look than usual.

Unearthing Arabia: The Archaeological Adventures of Wendell Phillips

Where: Sackler Gallery of Art

When: through June 7, 2015

Wendell Phillips was a real-life Indiana Jones, making fabulous discoveries about ancient civilizations.  The Sackler describes him as a "dashing paleontologist," and how many of those do you get to meet on your lunch hour?

He and a group of archeologists and other researchers set off for Yemen in 1950 and made some wonderful discoveries there, adding to our store of knowledge about the people who lived there thousands of years ago.  When he tried to do some digging further north, political unrest forced him to abandon his work.  Literally, it sounds as if his group had to make a run for it, leaving all their tools behind.

In this relatively small, but spaciously designed display, you see his group's equipment, as well as some of their finds.  What most appealed to me was a funerary statue nicknamed Miriam.  Her face is so lifelike, you'd swear the ancient artist captured the spirit of a real person.

Recently, Phillips' sister, Merilyn Hodgson, returned to the Awan Temple, where Phillips' group had to abandon their excavations, to carry on his work.  I'm glad that his work will go on; perhaps 20 years from now, I'll be writing about another show of what's been discovered there.

Verdict: If you like ancient civilizations or archeology, this is worth a trip to the Sackler.

Perspectives: Chiharu Shiota

Where: Sackler Gallery

When: through June 7, 2015

A few posts ago, I described seeing this installation as it was assembled.  Now, I went to see the finished product.  I thought I might find it less interesting than usual, since I'd seen part of it already, but I was pleasantly surprised.

Having the wall notes to explain the work gave me a context for the display which was quite helpful.  Shiota has gathered together shoes that have been discarded by their owners; some she gets from friends, others from second-hand stores.  When she can, she has the former owner of the shoes write a note about the significance of the shoes that she then attaches to the shoe in question.  She sets up the shoes on the floor and attaches each of them to a central point on the wall behind them with red yarn.  Thus, even though these shoes were from many different people and have no relationship one to the other, they are all connected.

I think of it as a reminder that human beings may be strangers, but we're all humans living on this planet and thus connected.  Many of the shoes, although all from Japan, were ones you might see in the United States - further proof of our connectedness.  I also couldn't help but think of those who made the shoes and those who designed them.  They, as much as the wearers of the shoes, were present as well.  I couldn't read the notes, as they were all in Japanese, but I suspect they add to the piece.

Verdict: There's plenty of time to see this installation when you're next in the Sackler for a show.  Take a few minutes to walk around and see this intriguing piece.