Arts & Society

This documentary essay by Dyanna Taylor, granddaughter of Dorothea Lange, blends journals, letters, private discussions, home movies, and – of course – photographs, to create a compelling account of the famous American photographer’s complicated history. Constructed over a period of eight years, Grab a Hunk of Lightning is a personal celebration of one of America’s […]

Join us for a conversation between Opal Lee, the “grandmother of Juneteenth,” and Sedrick Huckaby, who painted her portrait. Lee is the retired teacher, counselor and activist who led the push to make Juneteenth a federal holiday. Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition finalist Huckaby portrays his friend in a life-sized oil painting. Sitting at her dining […]

In conjunction with the exhibition Dorothea Lange: Seeing People, join us for a conversation moderated by National Gallery curator Philip Brookman with artist educators Wendy Ewald and RaMell Ross about the work of American photographer Dorothea Lange. During her long, prolific, and groundbreaking career, Lange made some of the most iconic portraits of the 20th […]

Join us for a post-screening discussion with filmmakers Kamila Kuc and Sylvia Schedelbauer, in person. A special program of five recent short films by international, award-winning women artists, curated by the National Gallery’s film programmer Joanna Raczynska. From the heart of the earth through various emblematic and mythical sites, with powerful voices and memories culminating […]

It’s not quite April in Paris, but March at Dumbarton ushers in the Quatuor Van Kuijk with a musical fête. This quartet of young Frenchmen has already been lauded by the international press. Most recently, they were awarded one of the “Best Classical Music Tracks of 2022” by the New York Times for a recording […]

Join us for a post-screening discussion with filmmaker Kathy Brew, in person. Four short films approach the primarily matriarchal traditions and legacies of fabric creation, handweaving and embroidery in Scotland, Palestine, Chile, and Peru. This program centers the direct voices and experiences of Indigenous artisans who connect their individual commitment and skill in visual communication […]

Join us for a brief overview of The Anxious Eye exhibition by Shelley Langdale, the National Gallery's curator and head of modern and contemporary prints and drawings, followed by a conversation with artist Orit Hofshi, whose large-scale woodcut landscape Time…thou ceaseless lackey to eternity (2017) in the National Gallery’s collection is featured in the exhibition. […]

Senior lecturer, David Gariff, explores the powerful attraction of the story of the Passion of Christ for the composer and western artists. In Bach’s St. John and St. Matthew Passions, as well as in countless depictions in paintings and film, the drama of the Passion has served as an inspiration for profound musical and visual storytelling.  This hybrid […]

Join us for and inspiring afternoon as they present excerpts from their books and then offer discussions on consciousness crystallization and Qigong. Admission includes: --- Self Guided Tour of O Museum --- Cash Bar NOTE: --- Tour starts at 2pm --- Book signing at 3pm Books Available at Event _____________________ ABOUT THE BOOK: God: The […]

The renowned abolitionist, author and orator Frederick Douglass was the most photographed American of the 19th century. In conjunction with the National Portrait Gallery’s exhibition “One Life: Frederick Douglass,” this panel discussion will explore the ways Douglass used speeches, personal narrative and images to further his activism. Hear from the exhibition’s co-curators, John Stauffer, the […]

Presenting Jane Franklin Dance at Athenaeum, featuring a movement response to the works of Christine Ruksenas-Burton and recent dances by Ryan Carlough, Jane Franklin, Kelsey Rohr and Christopher Saunders. Houseless by Jane Franklin is danced to a poem of the same name by Bennie Herron. “Herron’s verse style is informed in part by the socially […]