The Katzen Arts Center Museum debuted six new exhibits at the Winter Opening Reception on Jan. 25. The exhibits, each created by a different artist, featured international, political and landscape art.
All of the artists, except for Luis Lorenzana, were from the DMV. Four of them were affiliated with the Alper Initiative for Washington Art.
“Heroes & Losers: The Edification of Luis Lorenzana” focused on politics by depicting historical political figures alive during the period when the Philippines were under colonial rule. Luis Lorenzana is a Filipino artist who expresses his background in politics in his artwork.
His political work touched on historical and contemporary events. Figures from as far back as the 19th century who were persecuted by corrupt governments are depicted in his work. One of these historical figures was Apolinario Mabini, who was regarded as a hero during the Phillipine-American War. A portrait of Mabini was one of four portraits Lorenzana created in 2006 to honor national heroes from the Philippines.
“Good Form, Decorum, and in the Manner: Portraits From the Collections of Washington Print Club Members,” looked at portraiture depiction.
“Communicating Vessels,” featuring the work of Ed Bisese, Elyse Harrison and Wayne Paige, focused on the mind and our perceptions of reality beyond ourselves. According to Paige, the exhibit deals with the realm of the spiritual and personal aspects of life.
“You can see meteorites around the perimeter of two of my drawings as decoration on purpose,” said Paige.
“Landscape in an Eroded Field,” created by Carol Barsha, Heather Theresa Clark and Artemis Herber, focused on traditional landscapes. Each artist has her own distinct focus on display at the exhibit. Barsha focused on nature-oriented landscapes, Clark’s work was mostly visual installations and Herber’s art focused on mythical substances. Even though the exhibit itself does not make any environmental or political statements, it does showcase the natural world around us.
“Paint What You See” features a variety of paintings by Robert Franklin Gates, a professor emeritus at AU and the Phillips Gallery School for 40 years. His paintings do not focus on a particular subject. They explore different areas of art. Gates’ artwork can be found in many D.C. museums, notably the Phillips Collection, the Smithsonian American Art Museum and Dumbarton Oaks.
“Volkmar Wentzel” is an exhibit featuring the work of a German artist, Volkmar Wentzel, who lived in D.C. for most of his life. As a professional photographer, he had a distinguished career working at the National Geographic.
The first four exhibits listed are open until March 15. The last two exhibits are open until May 24. The Katzen Arts Center Museum is open weekdays and weekends from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free for all. Parking is $2 per hour.
