3rd 3rsday

[afrika_abney2004]

3rd 3rsday Gallery Walk Tour Review

by Afrika Midnight Asha Abney

January 16, 2004

 

3rd 3rsday Gallery Walk Tour was held on Thursday, January 15, 2004 and led by two artists, Afrika Midnight Asha Abney ( a native Washingtonian, graduate of the Corcoran School of the Arts, visual and performing artist) and William

Gilcraft (a photographer and artist).

 

Although it was cold on Thursday, January 15, 2004, we had a large group that was anxious to visit the 7th Street District Art Galleries.

 

3rd 3rsday Gallery Walk Tour began at the

GOETHE-INSTITUT at 6:30pm. We went to the following galleries. Among them were: VEGA, NUMARK GALLERY, NATIONAL ACADEMIES, HNTB ARCHITECTURE, ZENITH GALLERY, AND TOUCHSTONE.

 

GOETHE-INSTITUT is located at 812 7th NW in Washington, DC). It is the Federal Republic of Germany's most important operational partner for the development and implementation of foreign cultural policy. The result of the merger in January 2001 of the Goethe-Institut (founded in 1951).

 

GOETHE-INSTITUT has on exhibit Practical Utopia: The Design Work of Otl Aicher. Famous for his design of the pictograms for the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, Aicher excelled with his spare, sure style. For more information about them visit www.goethe.de/washington.

 

Our next stop was to VEGA which is located at 819 7th St., NW in Washington, DC. It is not your ordinary standard gallery, it showcases home furnishing and décor. For more information visit them at www.vegahome.com.

 

After VEGA, we then cruised on down in the cold to the NATIONAL ACADEMIES.

 

NATIONAL ACADEMIES, Since the 15th century, is an unique gallery that features science and architecture in their works such as the one that is depicted in their exhibit. The exhibit by the works of Anna Held Audette: Manufactured Landscape.

 

NATIONAL ACADEMIES is located at 500 5th St., NW in Washington, DC.. For more information visit them at www.NationalAcademies.org/arts.

 

Followed by the NATIONAL ACADEMIES, we went to the

NUMARK GALLERY.

 

NUMARK GALLERY was originally located at 400 7th St., NW in Washington, DC and has moved to 625-27 E St NW in Washington, DC. They are exhibiting the works of two L.A. based artists -- Carter Potter and Adam Ross. Potter creates colorful paintings made from discarded film reel footage. Ross creates graphite drawings that evoke sci-fi urban landscapes. For more information about the Numark Gallery visit them at http://www.numarkgallery.com

 

Our next stop was to HNTB ARCHITECTURE. HNTB ARCHITECTURE is “known and respected for our work in transportation, bridges, aviation, architecture, urban design and planning, environmental engineering, construction services and design-build.”

 

HNTB Architecture is pleased to present its second annual Art by Architects display, showcasing the artistic talents of more than a dozen architects from throughout the national capital region.

 

HNTB Architecture is located at 421 7th St., NW in Washington, DC. For more information about them visit www.hntb.com.

 

Next we went to the ZENITH GALLERY. ZENITH

GALLERY was “established in 1978 and located in the heart of the new downtown of Washington, D.C., Zenith is a short walk from the National Gallery, Smithsonian Institute and the U.S. Capitol. We've been one of Washington's premier art galleries for the past two decades.

 

Zenith Gallery represents career professional living artists, many with national and international reputations, as well as new talent - some Gallery artists that were 'new talent' in 1978 are shown today in museums here and abroad.”

 

ZENITH GALLERY showcases the works of Robert Jackson enitled: Miusings., which depicts paintings on oil linen and has the three dimensional affect. Robert Jackson says, “ I paint still life in a realist tradition, taking commonplace items of everyday life and immortalizing them on canvas. Beneath the surface though, you'll be invited to explore my spiritual longing for something more in life, contrasted with my ironic sense of humor." For more information about the Zenith Gallery visit them at http://www.zenithgallery.com.

 

Our last stop was to the TOUCHSTONE GALLERY. TOUCHSTONE GALLERY “has been a prominent artist-owned gallery since 1976. In 1996, the gallery moved to an elegant and spacious location in the 7th Street Arts District of downtown Washington. There is an active art scene here, with several exhibition spaces in the immediate area and five other galleries in the 406 7th Street building itself. On the third Thursday of each month, the galleries, restaurants and cultural organizations in the area present an extended evening of receptions and other cultural activities.

Touchstone is open Wednesday through Sunday and has an average of 400 visitors each month. It maintains an active membership of 35 to 40 artists.

 

TOUCHSTONE GALLERY showcases in the Main

Gallery, Sketches , “a group exhibition of paintings, drawings, prints and photographs by Touchstone Gallery member artists. A variety of themes and media will be employed as the artists explore what a “sketch” is. “ This exhibit takes a contemporary approach to defining this traditional term. In the Annex, Art Enables Group Show. Art Enables is an arts-and-enterprise program for adults with developmental and/or mental disabilities.

 

Touchstone Gallery is located at 406 7th St >, NW in Washington, DC. For more information about them visit www.touchstonegallery.com.

 

All of the 3rd 3rsday sites were very exciting and interesting, I found that the most exciting exhibitions on view for the 3rd 3rsday Gallery Walk Tour, which was sponsored by Cultural Development Corporation (CUDC) and managed by Desho Productions, were National Academies, Zenith Gallery and Touchstone Gallery, says Afrika Midnight Asha Abney. Although we were not able to stop by the other galleries that were apart of the tour, I had a chance to visit the Artist Museum and Apartment Zero.

 

For those that enjoy poetry, Starbucks Chinatown, has poetry twice on monthly basis, on 1st Thursday and 3rd 3rsday of the month, at they are located at 800 7th St., NW 2nd Level in Washington, DC..

 

Cultural Development Corporation (CUDC) mission is to engage artists and cultural organizations in community development and revitalization efforts throughout the District of Columbia. We create partnerships between the arts and business communities that will stimulate economic activity and improve quality of life. For more information visit http://culturaldc.org.

 

Desho Productions is a consulting company specializing in arts, entertainment, specializing in arts, entertainment and multi-media production. With offices in Washington, DC and Tokyo, Japan. It handles a vast array of international cultural events, programs and products. For more information email them at deshoprod@aol.com.

 

Please come out to our next 3rd 3rsday Gallery Walk Tour which is scheduled for February 19, 2004.