Arts & Entertainment
Area museums offer wide-ranging exhibits
Hot summer days are a great time to stay cool indoors while learning about a range of topics
One of the photos in the ‘SHARKS: On Assignment with Brian Skerry.’ (Photo by Brian Skerry; courtesy National Geographic)
Hot summer days are a great time to stay cool indoors while learning about a range of topics including science, art and history. Whether it’s with kids, friends, a significant other or even a solo trip there are plenty of museum options to take advantage of in the city.
Renwick Gallery is offering “Parallax Gap,” designed by architectural design practice FreelandBuck through Feb. 11, 2018. The piece will be suspended from the ceiling and surround the length of the Renwick. The installation combines both Eastern and Western perspectives in nine depictions of famous American buildings. For more details, visit amercianart.si.edu/exhibitions.
National Building Museum (401 F St., N.W.) hosts Hive, a large-scale model built from 2,700 wound paper tubes, from July 4-Sept. 4. The installation is 60 feet tall with a reflective silver exterior and magenta interior. Other Hive summer programming include behind-the-scenes construction tours and an after-hours program for teens on Aug. 10. Tickets are $16 for adults, $14 for students and seniors and $5 for Blue Star children ages 3 and up.The museum will also host Hill Country Backyard Barbecue on the West Lawn on Thursdays and Fridays from 4-9 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m.-9 p.m.For more information, visit nbm.org/exhibition/hive.
Foundry Gallery (2118 8th St., N.W.) presents, “A Mathematically Transformed World,” an exhibit by artist Allen Hirsh, through July 30. Hirsh distorted images, ranging from abstract landscapes to President Donald Trump, using mathematical programs he designed himself. Admission is free. Visit foundrygallery.org for more details.
“Connecting the Dots” by Claudia Samper, an exhibit consisting of drawings, paintings and transparencies, is on display at Touchstone Gallery (901 New York Ave., N.W.) from July 5-30. Samper’s work uses avian imagery to examine human communication. Touchstone Gallery will also present its Touchstone Gallery Member Show and work from youth and adults from New Community ArtSpace. Free admission. For more information, visit touchstonegallery.com.
The National Museum of Natural History (10th St. and Constitution Ave., N.W.) opens “Narwhal: Revealing an Arctic Legend” on Aug. 3 through 2019. The exhibit will explore the connection between narwhals and the Inuit. Guests can see real narwhal tusks and skulls, Inuit artwork and cultural artifact. An 18-foot, life-sized model of a narwhal will be suspended above the first floor. For more information, visit naturalhistory.si.edu/exhibits/narwhal.
The National Museum of American History (14th St. and Constitution Ave., N.W.) presents “JFK Centennial Celebration,” a commemoration of John F. Kennedy’s 100th birthday anniversary, through Aug. 27. The showcase will display nine photographs of Kennedy and his family taken in 1961. It will be included as part of the American Presidency exhibit. Visit americanhistory.si.edu/exhibitions for more details.
Artechouse D.C. (1238 Maryland Ave., S.W.) presents “XYZT: Abstract Landscapes,” an interactive, sensory experience, through Sept. 3. Visitors can experience walking on grass or touching sand using modern technology to create a realistic, virtual reality. Guests can view the exhibit during daytime hours from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. or evening hours from 5:30-10 p.m. Guests six and up are invited to the daytime showing. Visitors must be 21 and over for evening hours. General admission tickets are $15. Tickets for children, students and seniors is $10. For more information, visit artechouse.com.
U.S. Botanical Garden Conservatory (100 Maryland Ave., S.W.) hosts You Can Grow It through Oct. 15. Visitors can explore the outdoor and indoor gardens while learning the basics of growing plants and how to solve plant problems. The exhibit is recommended for both advanced and beginner gardeners. For more details, visit usbg.gov/youcangrowit.
National Geographic Museum (1145 17th St., N.W.) presents “SHARKS: On Assignment with Brian Skerry” through Oct. 15. Skerry is an Award-winning National Geographic photographer who documented sharks using photography. His work highlights the importance of sharks in the ecosystem and explores why they should be protected and appreciated. The exhibit also includes models, large-scale images, videos, artifacts, and interactive experiences. Skerry’s new National Geographic book “SHARK” is an accompanied piece to the exhibit. Regular tickets are $15. Member, student, military and senior tickets are $12. Children tickets are $10. Tickets also give entry into “National Geographic Presents: Earth Explorers,” an interactive exhibit that lets visitors emulate National Geographic explorers in the field. For more information, visit nationalgeographic.org/dc/exhibitions/sharks.
“Drawing Justice: the Art of Courtroom Illustration” is at the Library of Congress (101 Independence Ave., S.E.) through Oct. 28. Original art depicting courtroom dynamics from cases in the last 50 years are on display in the Thomas Jefferson Building. For more details, visit loc.gov/exhibitions.
Impulse Group DC held “10’s Across the Board: A Celebration of 10 Years” at Bravo Bravo (1001 Connecticut Ave., N.W.) on Sunday, Dec. 14. Impulse Group DC is a volunteer-led 501(c)(3) and affinity group of AIDS Healthcare Foundation dedicated “to engaging, supporting, and connecting gay men” through culturally relevant health and advocacy work.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
Rob Reiner, most known for directing untouchable classics like “The Princess Bride,” “Misery,” “When Harry Met Sally…,” and “Stand by Me,” died Dec. 14 alongside his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, in their Los Angeles residence. While investigations are actively underway, sources have told PEOPLE Magazine that the pair’s son, Nick Reiner, killed his parents and has been taken into custody.
Reiner was a master of every genre, from the romantic comedy to the psychological thriller to the coming-of-age buddy movie. But in addition to his renowned work that made him a household name, Reiner is also remembered as a true advocate for the LGBTQ community. In 2009, Reiner and his wife co-founded the American Foundation for Equal Rights, helping fight against California’s Prop 8 same-sex marriage ban. They were honored at the 2015 Human Rights Campaign Las Vegas Gala.
In a statement, HRC President Kelley Robinson said: “The entire HRC family is devastated by the loss of Rob and Michele Reiner. Rob is nothing short of a legend — his television shows and films are a part of our American history and will continue to bring joy to millions of people across the world. Yet for all his accomplishments in Hollywood, Rob and Michele will most be remembered for their gigantic hearts, and their fierce support for the causes they believed in — including LGBTQ+ equality. So many in our movement remember how Rob and Michele organized their peers, brought strategists and lawyers together, and helped power landmark Supreme Court decisions that made marriage equality the law of the land — and they remained committed to the cause until their final days. The world is a darker place this morning without Rob and Michele — may they rest in power.”
Reiner’s frequent collaborators have also spoken out as the industry is in mourning, including figures like Ron Howard and John Cusack.
A joint statement from Jamie Lee Curtis and Christopher Guest (who starred in Reiner’s “This is Spinal Tap”) reads: “Christopher and I are numb and sad and shocked about the violent, tragic deaths of our dear friends Rob and Michele Singer Reiner and our ONLY focus and care right now is for their children and immediate families and we will offer all support possible to help them. There will be plenty of time later to discuss the creative lives we shared and the great political and social impact they both had on the entertainment industry, early childhood development, the fight for gay marriage, and their global care for a world in crisis. We have lost great friends. Please give us time to grieve.”
While attending the 2019 HRC Los Angeles Dinner, Reiner spoke out about the need for equality: “We have to move past singling out transgender, LGBTQ, black, white, Jewish, Muslim, Latino. We have to get way past that and start accepting the idea that we’re all human beings. We’re all human beings, we all share the same planet, and we should all have the same rights, period. It’s no more complicated than that.”
The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington perform “The Holiday Show” at Lincoln Theatre (1215 U St., N.W.). Visit gmcw.org for tickets and showtimes.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
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