Smithsonian.com

El Chandelier (1988) by Pepón Osorio. Image courtesy of the American Art Museum.

Friday, October 9: Latino Art in Transition

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month by coming out to the American Art Museum and listening to a lecture conducted by Pepόn Osorio—who is perhaps best known for his large-scale installations—and emerging artist Miguel Luciano who will discuss how Latin art is changing. Free. American Art Museum, 7:00 PM

Saturday, October 10: Stamp Design: Big Message, Small Canvas

If you’re ever looking for cheap—but attractive—apartment art, it’s hard to go wrong with a nicely framed sheet of postage stamps. (This blogger has a sheet of Star Wars stamps proudly displayed in his living room—but still can’t decide what to do with Elvis and Marilyn.) Considering the breadth of subjects that stamps cover, there’s something suitable for every personality, and as I’ve mentioned, postage stamp design can be absolutely stunning. But how does an artist approach working on such a tiny canvas? Come on out to the Postal Museum and hear art director Ethel Kessler discuss how powerful messages—from breast cancer awareness to civil rights—are adapted to stamp-sized works of art without losing their punch. A question and answer session will follow. Free. National Postal Museum, 11:00 AM

Sunday, October 11: Steinway Series: Left Bank Concert Society

Come and enjoy the Left Bank Quartet with Colette Valentine, on piano, perform compositions from Bélla Bartók’s first string quartet, Ernö Dohnányi’s Piano Quintet, Op. 1, and György Kurtág’s Signs, Games, and Messages. Free. American Art Museum, 3:00 PM.