Fall 2010 Art & Exhibit Roundup

It will be hard to remember amidst all the upcoming holiday activities but here is the latest roundup of exhibitions to keep your eye on and hopefully attend this fall. These are just three that I’ve parceled out from an ongoing list previously mentioned (still time to catch a couple through Jan 2).

1) Palladio and His Legacy: A Transatlantic Journey — National Building Museum until January 9

• Featuring many of Palladio’s drawings and pairing them with American examples that used the style of his architecture, like The White House, for instance. In fact there so much of his Classical ideas pervade the great buildings of American Architecture that it’s easy to forget the origin. Thomas Jefferson, among many forward thinkers and builders during his time, brought Palladio’s influence to University of Virginia and Monticello
• Andrea Palladio’s Influential Architecture, Washington Post article for further explanation
• I’ve been stuck on Palladio ever since I learned about his work in Art History classes and then was able to tour the actual Italian Villas in the Veneto with my husband during our honeymoon. This exhibit will have special significance to me.

2) Artisphere on Wilson Blvd. in Rosslyn, VA — new arts venue with ongoing events. artisphere.com

• One stop shop for theater, visual arts media, cultural center, and music

3) Oklahoma at the newly restructured Arena Stage — Ist play since the new construction playing through December 26.

• I’m not a big musical fan but this play is one of my favorites. I learned all the songs when I first saw it as a young girl and it still makes me happy. The production is not your usual take on Oklahoma, however, since there is a mixed cultural cast, which might surprise your expectations if you didn’t know in advance. Nothing wrong with mixing it up a bit but this is a classic musical. Some things, like the Wizard of Oz for instance do not well when they are not changed. I’m sure the actors’ talent will make it interesting to see as will the Frichlander Theater in the round.
• I cannot wait to see this newly constructed venue. I received some of my first experience in decorative painting when I worked as an intern on the set design at the Arena Stage’s Main Avenue location. This is bigger and better and there are three stages included in the Meade Center for American Theater. It’s the largest performance venue in DC since The Kennedy Center. It officially opens to the public on October 23…mark your calendars and click here to plan your visit.
• Finally, my son Piers’ employer this summer, Clark Construction, built this theater and he’s already been inside. Lucky duck. He said it was pretty breathtaking.
• The Post did a really great interactive and comprehensive online article on the Arena here.

Here are some pictures for your visual interest but be sure to go to their website and photo tour to view more.

4) Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef at the National Museum of Natural History, through April 24, 2011

• It’s hard to believe that his coral reef is crocheted out of yarn. I’ll have to go see it myself. What an unusual thing, combining soft sculpture, marine biology and mathematical science.
• Be sure to view the TED lecture by Margaret Wertheim at this link and learn about how she and her sister Christine, with many help of others filled a 3,000 space with crocheted reef creations as tall as five feet. Interestingly enough, the only way to model such real sea creatures and their hyperbolic geometry and amorphous is with crochet, surprisingly. She describes the math correlation very well and I found it pretty fascinating. See for yourself.

If you’re into Techno and I’m usually not, then you’ll like this choice. I can actually deal with this mix, Hold On with Amber Coffman, but I chose it for the performance. It’s pretty amazing what a following this DJ, Rusko has, coming to America out of UK to a music hall near you. He’ll be in DC on Oct. 24th. It’s a good song to Kick-Start the Weekend, starting early this week. This regular post is moving to Thursdays.