Invention at Play

Where: National Museum of American History

When: through November 27, 2011

The subject of this show is invention's relationship to play, how inventors play around or tinker with ideas to come up with their inventions.   The first thing I noticed was something called "27 scraps of paper" by Arthur Ganson - it reminded me of an exhibit I saw many years ago at the Hirshhorn (prepare for weirdness) that involved picking up pieces of paper and dropping them on the floor.

The next case was a description of how a set of inventors at a company came up with a better baby stroller - interesting to see how they decide what features to add and subtract.  I also found out that Kevlar was invented by a woman, Stephanie Kwolek, who worked as a chemist at Dupont in the 1960s.  Alexander Graham Bell was also highlighted, and I found out he had what he called a "dreaming place"- the edge of a bluff in Ontario, Canada.

I confess I didn't really spend a lot of time in this exhibit.  It was filled with noisy kids, which is perfectly understandable, given the subject matter and the fact that much of the items were interactive.  Still, my tolerance for the rambunctious is limited, and I decided to beat a hasty retreat before I reached the end of my admittedly short rope.


Verdict: A great place to go with kids, but something the person looking for a bit of quiet reflection can safely miss.

For All The World To See: Visual Culture and the Struggle for Civil Rights

Where: National Museum of American History

When: through November 27, 2011

This show highlights the impact and importance of visual images in the way that African Americans were portrayed prior to the civil rights movement and how imagery was used during the movement to show the American public what was happening in the South.

As you enter the exhibit, you can hear Paul Robeson singing "Ol' Man River" from Showboat.  There are several examples of African American portraiture on display, which reminded me of the exhibit I saw (in the same space) on African American portrait studios.

Much of the imagery in the first part of the show is quite derogatory to African Americans, as well as to women.  I realize that anti-women sentiments are not the focus of the show, but I could not help but notice.

Take This Hammer, a 1963 documentary was playing further along in the exhibit.  It shows James Baldwin talking to several young men, who believe that a black man will never be President of the United States.  Baldwin remonstrates with them, telling them that if they have this attitude, their prediction will prove true.  It was the only time I smiled in the entire exhibit; I can only hope that all of those  young men were alive to see the 2009 inauguration.  There was also some film footage of Jackie Robinson's first game in the major leagues.

There is a notice at the front of the exhibit warning people that the imagery is quite graphic and unpleasant.  This is absolutely true.  The most awful picture there is of Emmit Till, after his gruesome murder.  Although this photograph was never published in mainstream American newspapers, it was published in African American newspapers and served to galvanize resistance to the Jim Crow laws of the South.

Verdict: This exhibit is very well done and very important, especially as the civil rights era moves further into the past.  It is not a show, in my opinion, for young children.  The images depicted are quite disturbing, so if you go, and you should, be prepared.

Archiving the History of an Epidemic: HIV and AIDS, 1985-2009

Where: National Museum of American History

When: through November 1, 2011

The closing date for this exhibit changed since I went to see it - glad I went when I did, as it's over now.  I saw this display the same day that I saw the AIDS Quilt Panel - they obviously go together.

This is another display by the archives section of the museum - I do enjoy going to see these, as I'm usually the only one there.  To find a haven amidst the hustle and bustle of this popular institution is marvelous.

The exhibit highlights two oral histories, one by Justin-Manuel Andriote, who interviewed 200 people for his 1999 book about AIDS and the way that it changed gay life and the other by Carol Burch Benson, who interviewed patrons of a gay bar in Bluefield, WV.  It's a powerful little exhibit - a picture of an era, and it's a shame that more people didn't have the opportunity to see it.  I'm not sure why this show and the AIDS Quilt Panel weren't put together, but I'm sure there's a good reason for that.   

Verdict: Well worth the time to look at this exhibit and reflect on how fortunate we are that the epidemic is far more manageable in the United States today than it was twenty years ago.

The Gothic Spirit of John Taylor Arms

Where: National Gallery of Art, West Building

When: through November 27, 2011

John Taylor Arms was the heir to John Ruskin, who championed the Gothic Revival style in the 19th century.  John Taylor Arms' intense devotion to craftsmanship was associated with medieval artists.  Early in the exhibit were some gorgeous doglike gargoyles.   At some point, I learned that gargoyles are actually functional; they act as waterspouts.  Grotesques, on the other hand, although they look like gargoyles, and could easily be mistaken for them, are strictly decorative.

Arms created a lovely drawing of the National Cathedral; sadly it was never made into a print, as Arms died before he could complete the project.  Another work on display is a drawing of the Grolier Club Library.  Arms drew this in just over two hours as a demonstration of his art.  It looks like a great library.  Also included are some prints of Venice, which reminded me of the view paintings I saw in the East Building a few months ago.

Arms' dedication was truly amazing; he spent almost 200 hours creating one etching plate - the detail and dedication are tremendous.  He looked through three aligned magnifying glasses when working on the plate.  A quotation from Arms that I just love is, "I cannot etch what I do not love."  The ability to work at what one loves is no small thing.

There are also on display three prints by artists other than Arms; they are similar, but they somehow lack the precision of Arms' work.

Verdict: I was pleasantly surprised by this show; I'm not sure what I was expecting, but I saw many thing to admire.

Recent Acquisitions

Where: National Portrait Gallery

When: through November 13, 2011

The Portrait Gallery opened in 1968 with a total collection of 500 items.  It now holds over 20,000 works.  A commission meets bi-annually to decide what objects to accept.  The paramount concern is the importance of the sitter to American history.  In the future, the museum directors anticipate that video portraits will be of increasing importance.  There is an exhibit of recent acquisitions that hangs permanently in one of the corridors - the works change every few months to highlight new pieces.  The current show ends today, but a new set of pieces will be on display beginning on Friday - a quick turnaround time, I must say.  Some of the pieces that particularly caught my eye were:

• a photograph of William Cody and several Lakota leaders at Wounded Knee - Cody was there to help negotiate a peace settlement and recruit performers for his Wild West Show - of course, I remembered the show I'd seen in the Ripley some months ago, consisting of portraits of these Native American performers
• photographs of John Heenan and Tom Sayers, boxers whose portraits were placed facing each other, so it looks as if they're about to start fighting
• a bust in nickle-plated bronze of the architect Philip Johnson with black glasses (also bronze) - I know I've heard of him before, but where?  Perhaps in another Smithsonian exhibit...

Verdict: If you didn't have an opportunity to see this show, wait until Friday, and you can catch the next installment!

Italian Master Drawings from the Wolfgang Ratjen Collection: 1525–1835

Where: National Gallery of Art, Main Building

When: through November 27, 2011

In 2007, the National Gallery purchased this collection of 65 drawings from the estate of Wolfgang Ratjen.  This is the first time they have been exhibited.

I must confess, I was not terribly excited to go see this show.  I don't much care for pen and ink drawings - I prefer art with much more color.  There were, however, a few items that caught my eye:

• Leandro Bassano's "Man Lifting a Bundle" is a wonderful depiction of human musculature
• Guiseppe Zocchi's "View of Rome" reminded me of the Venetian view paintings I saw several months ago
• Canaletto's drawing of a Venetian festival (pictured above) is amazing for the detail he's able to give to a teaming multitude
• Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo's "Two Rampaging Elephants" is remarkable, not for its accuracy, but for its inaccuracy - it's obvious he had never seen an elephant!

Verdict: If you like drawings, go see this show.  Even if you don't, there's something worthwhile to see.   It's small enough that you can fit it into a lunch hour, especially if you don't dawdle over each work.

Hope Diamond in its Temporary New Setting

Where: National Museum of Natural History

When: through November 13, 2011

The Smithsonian is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the diamond's donation and the 100th anniversary of the Museum's opening by displaying the Hope Diamond in a new, specially created setting.  In addition to seeing the gem itself, you can learn a good bit about the diamond at the exhibit.

The Hope Diamond is over 1 billion years old.  That's so old that I can't really comprehend it.  It was originally found in India and sold to King Louis XVI of France.  It was stolen during the French Revolution, but eventually it resurfaced and was bought by Henry Philip Hope, a London banker and gem collector.  The diamond was bought and sold several times, including once to Cartier.  Finally, Harry Winston bought it in 1958 and gave it to the Smithsonian.

The new setting was created by Harry Winston, Inc., and was chosen by an online vote sponsored by the Smithsonian Channel.

Verdict: Go see this lovely setting while it's still on display.  Note that the area around the gem is always crowded, so you may have to wait a few minutes to actually see the diamond.

Discovering Rastafari!

Where: National Museum of Natural History

When: through November 13, 2011

Before I went to see this exhibit, I had a vague notion that Rastafarians were Jamaicans who smoked pot, listened to reggae music and wore colorful clothing.  Now, I know that these ideas are correct, but there's more to the Rastafarians than the picture these ideas might convey.

Rastafarianism started in Jamaica in the 1930s.  The Rastafarians are followers of Haile Selassie of Ethiopia.  Ras Tafari was Selassie's pre-coronation name.  These followers believe that Selassie is divine.  Although I can't subscribe to that idea, I will say his warning to the League of Nations after Italy's invasion of Ethiopia that the Fascists were a threat to the world was prescient, to say the least.

In the early 20th century, Marcus Garvey, a Jamaican, made known his idea that all black people had a common identity, struggle and destiny.  He believed that the Ethiopians victory over Italy was a symbol of the freedom for which all black people were striving.

Reggae emerged in Jamaica after Selassie's visit; Bob Marley became the genre's best-known artist and brought international attention to the Rastafari culture.

There are videos of Rastafarians talking about their way of life: why they wear dreadlocks, how the use of marijuana is part of their religious ceremonies, their vegetarianism and the distinctive dialect that sets them apart from other Jamaicans.

Verdict: This small show is packed with information; I learned a lot in a short time.  It's well worth a visit - you'll find yourself saying, "I never knew that..."

Modern Lab: The Found Alphabet

Where: National Gallery of Art, East Building

When: through November 13, 2011

The Modern Lab is a small room within the Modern Art Collection on the Upper Level of the East Building.  It's not quite the slog that the Tower is, but it's close.  Again, I find myself rolling my eyes at the things they exhibit here, and I think the effort I've made to get here plays a role.

This exhibit focuses on pieces that incorporate the alphabet.  Letters are "found objects" in that the artist does not create them, but uses them as part of the artistic work.  There are paintings here, as well as a piece of string on a block of wood and various scribbles - when I think of the number of notebooks I doodled in during dull classes and the art contained therein, I wish I had them back to sell!

A piece by Kim Rugg, entitled "No More Dry Runs" is a page from the Financial Times, with all the letters rearranged alphabetically; Robert Cumming's offering is "Shaving Cream Alphabet," which is exactly what you think it is - an alphabet written with shaving cream and then photographed.

Verdict: I'd give this a miss - there's not much to see and it takes quite a bit of wandering through the Modern Art collection to find it.

Black Box: Nira Pereg

Where: Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden

When: through November 13, 2011

As much as I dislike the Hirshhorn, I am a fan of their Black Box series of videos.  My favorite so far is "Floating McDonalds,"  but all of them have been at least somewhat interesting.  This latest offering, entitled "67 Bows" by Nira Pereg is a worthy addition to the series.

The video is of the flamingo exhibit in the Karlsruhe Zoo in Germany, and it shows them going about their day, conducting whatever business it is that flamingos conduct.  Every so often, you hear what sounds like gunshots, and the flamingos duck their heads in unison.  Have no fear, the flamingos are in no danger - the audio has been overlaid on the video, and it's Pereg's work that has made the sounds sync up with the movements.

I'm not sure exactly what message the film is supposed to convey - perhaps that you can't always believe what you hear, anymore than you can always believe what you read?  Especially in the age of image manipulation, things are not always what they seem.

Verdict: Go see this film, for the flamingo video, if for nothing else.  They're lovely birds, and their movements are well worth watching, even without the slightly creepy audio.

Perspectives: Hale Tenger

Where: Sackler Gallery

When: through November 6, 2011

This very short film is on display in the main lobby of the Sackler, so if you're going on your lunch hour, you can see something else as well.  There are a couple of special exhibits going on now, and the permanent collection is wonderful too.

That's one thing about going to see all the special exhibits that are on - I don't often get to see the permanent collections.  I keep thinking that when I run out of limited time shows, I'll work on the rest of the Smithsonian's offerings, but of course, that never happens - there's just too much new stuff to see!  A wonderful problem to have, I know.

This short film is of the Saint Georges Hotel in Beirut.  The hotel was nearly destroyed in the Lebanese civil war of the 1970s and was further damaged by the explosion of a nearby car bomb in 2005.  Sadly, it has never been restored.  My father traveled extensively in the Middle East, and when the civil war raged in Beirut, he frequently commented on the destruction of some of his favorite hotels.  It is unfortunate that conditions in that country have not allowed it to regain its former reputation as the Paris of the Middle East.

Most of the film shows the hotel in daylight.  When you first look at it, you see the curtains floating in the breeze, and you might think you're looking at a beach resort, where the windows are open to catch the salt air.  Pleasant music plays in the background, as if you're looking at a carefree summer day.  Gradually, you notice the tattered condition of the curtains, and the scene turns abruptly to night, and the music is replaced by alarms and gunshots.  For a film lasting less than five minutes, it packs quite a punch.

Verdict:  Go see this film - it's easy to add on to a visit to the Sackler to see another show, or on its own, if you're short of time.

Walls Speak: The Narrative Art of Hildreth Meiere

Where: National Building Museum

When: through November 27, 2011

Yet another treat in store for the fan of Art Deco is this small show on the muralist and mosaicist, Hildreth Meiere. She was prominent during her lifetime, enjoying many commissions in public buildings and churches.

One of her commissions was the Nebraska State Capitol; the gorgeous Art Deco work makes me want to visit Lincoln (a desire I have never had previously). She also designed a mural on the progress of women for the Chicago World's Fair and the sculptures on the front of Radio City Music Hall.

Verdict: Yet another show worth the $8 price of admission. I was unaware of her work before, but was very impressed with what I saw here. I only wish I could take a long trip to see all of her work!