In the gallery
In the Gallery:
Elzbieta Sikorska | Everything is Double
June 18 — July 26 2020
This is the first show we will mount in the Athenaeum Gallery since mid-April when we deinstalled The Human Condition. We are fully committed to practicing all safety measures recommended by the state of Virginia and the City of Alexandria. The gallery will be open our regular hours (Thursday through Sunday, noon to four) and have a limited number of people allowed inside. Face masks are requested.
This is a time like no other our generation has faced. It is no exaggeration to say that the pandemic has affected every one of us. It has changed how we navigate the most mundane tasks in our lives; in some cases, it may cause long-term change in our social and economic environments. We invite artists to respond to this particular, unique moment.
Artists are invited to submit works that represent the full gamut of how the global Coronavirus pandemic and its associated ‘social distancing’ has affected them. Fear, uncertainty, anger and doubt are certainly typical responses but we are also interested in evidence of the creative benefits of solitude and reflection and the time to process them.
We plan to assemble an exhibition that both chronicles this particular moment in time and surprises viewers with unique and unexpected perspectives.
Five $500 prizes will be awarded, selected by an independent arts expert, and awarded at the opening reception on Sunday, September 13, 2020 and a $500 Viewer's Choice prize will be awarded at the end of the exhibition.
Doodles of These Times Call for Sketches
We invite artists – or anyone – of any age - to email us sketches, doodles, and other graphics that make a visual statement about your experience with or thoughts about the current pandemic, ‘social distancing’, and other ways your life has been touched by it. When something resonates with our jurors we will post it to our website, Instagram and Facebook accounts – for a virtual gallery.
We are looking for true, quick, gestural and doodle-like work – not fully conceived and finished works of art. The works can be in any medium. To submit sketches and doodles, email jpgs or pdfs to Athenaeum Gallery Director, Twig Murray
Double click image for artist name and information
Anne Kelly Athenaeum Garden Fund
In honor of Anne's love of beauty, art and horticulture. Donations will support ongoing maintenance of the Athenaeum's public garden space for the enjoyment of Alexandrians and visitors alike.
The Athenaeum will be participating in the ALX Promise following the health and safety guidelines outlined by the Alexandria Health Department, Commonwealth of Virginia and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More information on the ALX Promise can be found here.