Arty arty art art on Washington

I know you've been waiting for the exciting conclusion to my blog post from the other day.  What's that you say?  What post from the other day?  Why, the post about me getting out to galleries last weekend.  This post!

After leaving the Cherokee Street galleries, I headed to midtown to see Urban Alchemy, the Gordon Matta-Clark show at the Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts.  Which I've been meaning to see for, like, ever.  Why didn't I go before now?  I'm a dummy, that's why.  Don't make the same mistake I did!


I don't know how to explain the show well but I can pluck a phrase from the Pulitzer's site about it that I think captures it nicely: "lost interventions".   It's films and photographs -- and, perhaps most strikingly, pieces -- of buildings that are decaying, in the process of being demolished.  Which now, of course, are long gone (Matta-Clark died in the 1970s).  It's really moving and beautiful.  It closes on June 6.  Please don't miss it!

The Pulitzer did quite a bit of outreach related to the exhibit.  One related project is an exhibit across the street from the Pulitzer, at the Bruno David Gallery --THEASTER GATES: Dry Bones and Other Parables from the North.  It.is.beautiful.  Go see it!  I mean it this time!

Again, I don't really have an extensive art vocabulary, but it's just a wonderful show.  Paintings that are so familiar, somehow, even though I'd never seen them before (see especially "hopeful commerce, mixed use dwelling").  The exhibit was curated by Juan William Chavez, of Boots Contemporary Art Space, on Cherokee.

The Theaster Gates show closes on June 5.  Hurry!   

Finally, crossed back to the other side of the street to the Contemporary Art Museum, to take a look at the Great Rivers Biennial show, featuring work by Martin Brief, Sarah Frost, and Cameron Fuller: Super interesting and provocative (in the best way) and beautifully displayed.  

I had never been to the Contemporary before.  It was Free Family Day, and kids were making instruments from recycled materials and print making and running around and generally having a grand time.  The Great Rivers Biennial is open for a couple more months, but come on, just visit all three galleries in one afternoon, and soon!  Simply a wonderful way to spend the day.

Couldn't take photos in any of the above places, but did take one of the courtyard of the Contemporary.  Doesn't that look like a perfect place to sit and think (or not think)?