lifestyles | PAINT THE TOWN
New School in Session
In Washington, artistic regimes change more subtly than the every-fourth-year fracas of politics By beth farnstrom
I
t’s a new year. Out with the old, sure; but it’s nigh on impossible to separate modern art from its influences. The two are so densely enmeshed that separating original from borrowed is like sifting the Augean Stables for one particular horse’s handiwork. Nevertheless, we’d like to talk about the new class. It’s been argued by certain sage citizens that Washington’s art has entered a boom period these past few years – one imagines that credit must be divvyed up between the Class of 2008 and its artsy antecedents. Here’s hoping this postmodern pep rally pays adequate tribute as we venture onto Washington’s artistic playing field. WL spoke to emerging – and established – talent about creating art in the District. What does it mean to be an artist in Washington? Colby Caldwell: Politics will always be top
dog here, and most everything else continues to percolate in its own little universe. D.C. does
have a rich history culturally and musically – think of [’80s punk record label] Dischord and the [old] Washington Project for the Arts. When I first got here, the gallery scene was still primarily based in Dupont Circle. Ewing, Jones Troyer, Tartt, and Middendorf were the more prominent spaces. Now it has pockets on 14th, Florida, 7th, Dupont and Mt. Rainer, among others. As the city is preoccupied with politics and the Redskins, artists are left to their own devices for the most part. Trial and error can take place without the wilting scrutiny that comes with L.A. and New York City zip codes. You can make your work at your own speed, not necessarily the speed of the market. James Huckenpahler: There’s less money floating around for the arts than New York City or LA. However, it’s cheaper to get by as a young artist in D.C. than in New York. Why live there when you can catch a bus up? That’s what most of the collectors do. D.C. is, relatively speaking, an artificial city – most
of the wealth and education comes and goes with administrations. And people associated with administrations – policy makers, lobbyists, even non-profit watchdogs – can’t always afford to challenge the political and cultural status quo. Could you image a Kara Walker installation in the White House? I’ve heard that D.C. has the most literate population in the U.S., which impacts the intellectual climate in the art scene – there’s been much more conceptually challenging work in the last ten years: the continued success of Martin Irvine [the director of Irvine Contemporary] is proof of that. Lisa Marie Thalhammer: The existence of approachable non-profit visual art exhibition spaces, like Transformer, really sold me on the city. James Huckenpahler: Earlier this decade, there were collectives like Decatur Blue and Signal 66. I was with Fusebox from its conception until they closed, and though it was a commercial gallery, it was definitely a team effort – from defining the mission to mopping
Colby Caldwell has been awarded the Excellence
Lisa Marie Thalhammer has received
in Photography Award as well as the Eugene Weiss Scholarship. He is currently assistant professor of art at St. Mary’s College of Maryland and has served on the faculty of the Corcoran College of Art and Design for many years. Caldwell has been a bulwark of the local art scene for more than 20 years.
numerous arts awards, including the Amsden Award, the Hollander Family Foundation Award, the Daniel Macmorris Scholarship, the Warner Ferguson Service Scholarship and the Jacobs Prize. Thalhammer recently received a SPP grant from the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities.
Writer and performance artist Holly Bass has presented her work at the Kennedy Center, the Whitney Museum and the Experience Music Project (Seattle). Critics have hailed her performances as “mesmerizing” (The Village Voice), “eloquent”(The Washington Post) and “affecting” (The New York Times).
James Huckenpahler lives in Washington,
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is represented by Hemphill Fine Arts, and is recovering nicely from his recent solo exhibition, “Mindless Pleasures.” His work can be seen in the exhibition “15 for Philip: Fifteen Artists Look at Arts Patron Philip Barlow,” from January 12 February 16, 2008 at Hemphill Gallery.
WA S H I N G T O N L I F E
| FEBRUARY
2008
| washingtonlife.com