Strike While It's Hot

Where: African Art Museum

When: closing October 20, 2019

First of all, know that this is a huge show that starts in the African Art Museum (on the lowest level) and continues into the International Gallery of the Ripley.  I went to see it on a free afternoon, and after a full hour, I was skimming at the end.

The show opens with a discussion of how iron arrived here - it comes from the core of meteorites that were destroyed in impacts in space and eventually fell to Earth.  The Smithsonian has one of the world's largest and most complete collection of meteorites, some of which are on display in the show.  Iron has become such a part of the human experience that it is what makes our blood red.

So on to the African blacksmiths.  They held a very high place in society, as they were able to use fire to transform iron into objects that were practical, beautiful and signifiers of status.  They made tools for everyday use; they made jewelry and they made objects used in important rituals.

When one thinks of iron, one thinks of strong, heavy, powerful items.  But that's not the totality of what iron can be.  A piece called "Rain Wand" was lovely and delicate - something I did not anticipate when I came to the exhibit.  As impressive as the tools and knives were, the ability to transform iron into something elegant was even more arresting.

Iron was also used to create objects to honor the dead; it became a symbol of divinity and of fidelity.  As members of the community left this existence, their loved ones celebrated their lives and remembered them after their death.  Iron was eventually so important in society, and such an indication of wealth, that it was actually used as currency.

The show ends with  examples of the lamellophone.  An instrument made of iron, it mimics the sound of the forge - which is more musical than you might expect.

Verdict: If you've got lots of time, this is an interesting examination of both art and the society that creates it.

Choose Your Own Adventure

Where: Smithsonian American Art Museum

When: closing October 14, 2019

David Levinthal photographs toy figurines.  It's as simple as that.  He photographs sports figures (like Eddie Matthews of the Milwaukee Braves, pictured here), Wild West figures, Barbie dolls and figures from American history.  He constructs tableaux with them and then photographs them, blurring the images to make them more lifelike.

Describing the show this way makes it seem silly; who want to see pictures of someone's toys?  Levinthal himself said, "There's less in my work than meets the eye."  And that's where you, the viewer, come in.  You construct the narrative around the photographs, just as children do with their own toys.

There's something both odd and appealing about this show; it's an invitation to remember the past and stories about the past and also to examine how much truth there is in those memories and stories.

Verdict: This large show is a sample of a gift of Levinthal's works that were recently donated to the museum; one hopes this is not the last display of his work we will see.