In the gallery
In the Gallery:
Beautiful But Deadly
Selections from the Botanical Art Society of the National Capital Region
July 30 — September 6, 2020
What dark secret does that sweet little buttercup conceal? Beautiful But Deadly leads you down a twisted path into a shadowy world whose plants have poisonous effects ranging from the mildly irritating to the venomously lethal. Be they common garden varieties, native wildflowers, or hot-house exotics, enter the exhibit at your peril!
Marsha Ogden, Angel Trumpet (Brugmansia species),
watercolor, 20”w x 17”h, 2020
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.
Thirty works by sixteen members of the Botanical Art Society of the National Capital Region were chosen by the jurors as representative of an array of unusual as well as familiar native and exotic plants with toxic effects. Information accompanies the exhibition to explain the specific properties that make the featured plants poisonous and dangerous.
Moments in Time . . .
a very weird time
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.
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.