July 27, 2010
The Aftermath of Hirshhorn After Hours
Photo by Brandon Springer
The Smithsonian museums may be associated with the institutional formality of its Beaux-Arts style buildings, not to mention its faux-Norman castle, but there is another Smithsonian. A Smithsonian that is en vogue and hip, even a little bit bawdy. A Smithsonian that revels in campy fun and wild excess.
The fun emanates from the stark, cylindrical museum of contemporary and modern art, known as the Hirshhorn. And it takes place in the evening hours after the museum closes to the public and reopens as a hot nightspot, selling tickets to a crowd of art lovers and club crawlers. The Hirshhorn, which has celebrated the abstract and embraced the modern since it opened in 1971, clashes magnificently with its Beaux-Arts neighbors.
“After Hours,” the three-times-a-year event at the Hirshhorn has become wildly popular. Since 2007, the museum has given venue to underground and avante-garde local artists, allowing itself to be turned into not only a night club, but a club where the art on the walls is the real deal.
Last Friday, performance artist Shea Van Dorn Horn was the latest to take over the Hirshhorn with his cadre of bohemians: DJs Matt Bailer and Bil Todd (who both spin with Van Horn elsewhere), the collaborative theater group CRACK, and a harem of drag queens (Van Horn himself doubling as the ever-illustrious queen, “Summer Camp”).
Camp didn’t disappoint.
“Oh my God we’re in a giant donut!” Camp crowed as she hurled actual donuts at the enormous crowd that had gathered in the museum’s courtyard from a bright yellow rickshaw that was carting her around the Hirshhorn fountain, followed by her “Hirshhorn cheerleaders.” Camp, who emceed the latter half of the show, had told MetroWeekly’s Doug Rule that the event would be “gayer” than ever before. Indeed, the show included performances from CRACK and low-budget films—one video depicted Summer Camp being chased through the museum by Smithsonian guards.
Hipsters, party boys, party girls, interns, young professionals, art fanatics, students, unemployed post-grads, D.C.’s youth were out in force. The 2,000-plus crowd poured through the museum’s exhibitions (the galleries were open late until 10), they squinted particularly hard at Yves Klein’s blue monochromes, in the much-acclaimed exhibit, “With the Void, Full Powers.” The Washington Post‘s art critic Blake Gopnik has now twice reviewed the Klein exhibition, singing its praises. The crowd chattered and pointed and discussed Klein’s fire paintings and “air architecture.”
And then they danced. Oh, did they dance.
As revelers moved from the galleries down to the dance floor, the harried bartenders poured out specialty drinks, including a special “summer fling” involving ginger, rosemary and vodka. From La Roux’s “Bulletproof” and all the club hits of the moment, to an updated remix of “You’re The One That I Want” from the musical “Grease,” the music and the dancing and the drinks and the art trove drove the over-21-year-old crowd into a happy place.
But, then the clock struck midnight. The show was over and 2,000 young D.C. gadabouts were herded onto Independence Avenue.
For more photos of the event, check out our photo gallery.
There’s one more After Hours this year, date to be determined. Check-in regularly with the Hirshhorn for updates and get your tickets early, this show sells out fast.
July 8, 2010
When You Wish Upon a Tree at the Hirshhorn
Yoko Ono's Wish Tree is accepting wishes once again this summer in the Hirshhorn Sculpture Garden. Photo courtesy of Brandon Springer
Some wish for their mothers. Some wish for their fathers. Some wish for siblings or friends, children or partners. Some wishes are rather rude. Some wishes are earnest and sweet.
Yoko Ono’s Washington D.C. Wish Tree is back in bloom in the Hirshhorn sculpture garden this summer.
The tree has stood in the sculpture garden since 2007. It is one of many wish trees around the world installed by Ono as a part of her international peace project Imagine Peace (the name a reference to her late husband’s celebrated album and song).
Every autumn, sometime in November, the leaves fall off and the tree becomes a whispering tree. Rather than hang their wishes from the tree on small strips of paper, as they do during the warmer months, visitors are encouraged to snuggle up to the tree and whisper their wishes to it.
But, come June, the tree buds again and the Hirshhorn provides pencils and little tags to write with and to hang on the tree.
Each day exhibit staff and intern volunteers pluck the tags from the tree.
“We harvest the wishes and send them to the Yoko Ono Peace Tower in Iceland where they become part of a larger collection of wishes that the artist has amassed,” Hirshhorn communications director Gabriel Riera told me in an e-mail.
Many wish for peace. Many wish for good health, success and happiness, many are quite simple. One written in childlike handwriting reads: “I wish no one was bad.”
Though many of the wishes reflect Ono’s mission of peace, many are more individually focused—a fix for a shaky relationship, luck in school, puppies, video games, iPods; even an end to sibling rivalry: “I wish me and my brother won’t fight.”
Some want things quite unattainable. Sitting in the back of the tree, near the wall of the sculpture garden, one tag reads: “I wish I could fly.”
Bet you that one was written by Yves Klein (just a few yards away in the Hirshhorn).
July 5, 2010
July 5: Today’s Events at the Folklife Festival
Leaving the Folklife Festival with a souvenir. Photo courtesy of Brandon Springer
Monday, July 5
MEXICO
Cuentacuentos (Story Telling)
11:00 AM-12:00 PM Radio Bilingüe
12:00 PM-1:00 PM Craft Traditions and Community Life
1:00 PM-2:00 PM The History of the Chinampa
2:00 PM-3:00 PM Corn Ceremonies
3:00 PM-4:00 PM Family Craft Traditions
4:00 PM-4:45 PM The History of Mezcal
4:45 PM-5:30 PM Conversations with Los Verdaderos Caporales de Apatzingán
La Cocina (The Kitchen)
11:00 AM-12:00 PM Morelos-style Cooking: Mole
12:00 PM-1:00 PM Wixárika Cooking Traditions
1:00 PM-2:00 PM Oaxacan-style Chocolate
2:00 PM-3:00 PM Téenek Cooking Traditions: Tortillas con Mole
3:00 PM-4:00 PM Costa Chica-style Cooking: Pescado a la Talla
4:00 PM-4:45 PM Mayan Cooking Traditions: Tamales
4:45 PM-5:30 PM Cooking Party with Everyone
La Fonda (The Inn)
11:00 AM-12:00 PM Cardencheros de Sapioriz
12:00 PM-1:00 PM Palo Volantín Ceremony
1:00 PM-2:00 PM Trío Santa Quilama
2:00 PM-3:00 PM Son de Madera Trio
3:00 PM-4:00 PM Cardencheros de Sapioriz
4:00 PM-4:45 PM Palo Volantín Ceremony
4:45 PM-5:30 PM Mariachi Tradicional Los Tíos
El Salón de México (The Hall of Mexico)
11:00 AM-12:00 PM Grupo de Fandango de Artesa Los Quilamos
12:00 PM-1:00 PM Los Verdaderos Caporales de Apatzingán
1:00 PM-2:00 PM Hamac Cazíim
2:00 PM-3:00 PM Mariachi Tradicional Los Tíos
3:00 PM-4:00 PM Los Verdaderos Caporales de Apatzingán
4:00 PM-4:45 PM Hamac Cazíim
4:45 PM-5:30 PM Chinelos de Atlatlahucan
July 4, 2010
July 4: Today’s Events at the Folklife Festival
2010 Smithsonian Folklife Festival. Photo courtesy of Brandon Springer
Sunday, July 4 — Happy Independence Day!
MEXICO
Cuentacuentos (Story Telling)
12:00 PM-1:00 PM Instrument-making Traditions
1:00 PM-2:00 PM The History of Tequila
2:00 PM-3:00 PM Corn Traditions
3:00 PM-4:00 PM Design and Meaning in Weaving
4:00 PM-4:45 PM Craft Traditions and the Economy
4:45 PM-5:30 PM Conversations with the Wixárika
La Cocina (The Kitchen)
11:00 AM-12:00 PM Wixárika Cooking Traditions
12:00 PM-1:00 PM Xochimilco-style cooking: Tamal de Frijol
1:00 PM-3:00 PM Workshop: Tortilla-making
3:00 PM-4:00 PM Jalisco-style Cooking: Carne a la Mexicana
4:00 PM-4:45 PM Oaxacan-style Cooking: Tlayudas
4:45 PM-5:30 PM Oaxacan style Chocolate
La Fonda (The Inn)
11:00 AM-12:00 PM Mariachi Tradicional Los Tíos
12:00 PM-1:00 PM Palo Volantín Ceremony at El Palo
1:00 PM-2:00 PM Cardencheros de Sapioriz
2:00 PM-3:00 PM Trío Santa Quilama
3:00 PM-4:00 PM Son de Madera Trio
4:00 PM-4:45 PM Palo Volantín Ceremony at El Palo
4:45 PM-5:30 PM Los Verdaderos Caporales de Apatzingán
El Salón de México (The Hall of Mexico)
11:00 AM-12:00 PM Grupo de Fandango de Artesa Los Quilamos
12:00 PM-1:00 PM Chinelos de Atlatlahucan
1:00 PM-2:00 PM Hamac Cazíim
2:00 PM-3:00 PM Los Verdaderos Caporales de Apatzingán
3:00 PM-4:00 PM Hamac Cazíim
4:00 PM-5:30 PM Encuentro: Cardencheros de Sapioriz and Mariachi Tradicional Los Tíos
July 3, 2010
July 3: Today’s Events at the Folklife Festival
Dancers at El Salón de México. Photo courtesy of Brandon Springer
Saturday, July 3
MEXICO
Cuentacuentos (Story Telling)
11:00 AM-12:00 PM Radio Bilingüe
12:00 PM-1:00 PM Cultural Conversations
1:00 PM-2:00 PM Fiesta Traditions
2:00 PM-3:00 PM Culture and Natural Resources
3:00 PM-4:00 PM Craft Traditions and Natural Materials
4:00 PM-4:45 PM Jaranero Movement
4:45 PM-5:30 PM A Conversation with Chinamperos de Xochimilco
La Cocina (The Kitchen)
11:00 AM-12:00 PM Jalisco-style Cooking: Shrimp
12:00 PM-1:00 PM Candy-making: Dulces de Santa Cruz Acalpixca
1:00 PM-2:00 PM Morelos-style Cooking: Mole
2:00 PM-3:00 PM Bolim: Téenek Ceremonial Tamal
3:00 PM-4:00 PM Xochimilco-style cooking: Tlaxcales
4:00 PM-4:45 PM Wixárika Cooking Traditions
4:45 PM-5:30 PM Mayan Cooking Traditions: Atole
La Fonda (The Inn)
11:00 AM-12:00 PM Cardencheros de Sapioriz
12:00 PM-1:00 PM Palo Volantín Ceremony
1:00 PM-2:00 PM Mariachi Tradicional Los Tíos
2:00 PM-3:00 PM Son de Madera Trio
3:00 PM-4:00 PM Trío Santa Quilama
4:00 PM-4:45 PM Palo Volantín Ceremony
4:45 PM-5:30 PM Comcáac Music Traditions
El Salón de México (The Hall of Mexico)
11:00 AM-12:00 PM Chinelos de Atlatlahucan
12:00 PM-1:00 PM Grupo de Fandango de Artesa Los Quilamos
1:00 PM-2:00 PM Cardencheros de Sapioriz
2:00 PM-3:00 PM Hamac Cazíim
3:00 PM-4:00 PM Encuentro: Mariachi Tradicional Los Tíos and Los Verdaderos Caporales de Apatzingán
4:00 PM-5:30 PM Grupo de Fandango de Artesa Los Quilamos
