In which our art critics highlight their favorite works on view at Artomatic
The line between art and "this is the shit I do when I'm bored" gets finer and finer with each passing day. At Artomatic, the Green Army Man Experiment probably started as the latter and is accelerating toward the former. How? Encouraging you [...]
In which our art critics highlight their favorite works on view at Artomatic
Fairly or unfairly, Artomatic gets a lot of flak for its wealth of insipid, wretched painting; year after year, meanwhile, it's often the artists who ignore the paintbrush that make the experience so enjoyable. Donna McCullough has a series of dresses on the [...]
In which our art critics highlight their favorite works on view at Artomatic
Unquestionably, the most outgoing artist at Artomatic is the poet Brash, going back to 2007. Once again the poet has poem-bombed each exhibitor, which is a daunting task given the size of the exhibition. Think for a moment about dashing off 1100 poems [...]
In which our art critics highlight a favorite work on view at Artomatic
Landscapes often center on serene views of tamable wilderness. Sure, Thomas Cole threw in the occasional thunderstorm, but only to suggest the potential of peril, a caution to pursue at your own risk, because this was the frontier: It's not all unicorns and [...]
Slow down the Eisenhower Memorial's approval process? That's what Rep. Darrell Issa, chairman of the House Government Oversight and Reform Committee, wants. [Style Blog]
DCRA promises no enforcement while it re-examines its licensing of businesses selling used goods. [Jim Graham]
Politics & Prose's new owners, one year in. [American Booksellers Association]
Lenny Campello revisits Artomatic, encounters more theft. [Daily [...]
In which our art critics highlight a favorite work on view at Artomatic
Deb Jansen's mother wanted her daughter to paint as well as the painter who painted the work above the couch. It seems, from this installation, and the words written on objects within, that mother had a very specific idea of what art is, [...]
Barnstorming through Artomatic, it's easier to react than reflect. This year's artist headcount is more than 1,000, which means a two-hour dash through the 10 floors of artwork gives you about five seconds per artist—an overestimation that does not factor in the time to move between rooms, move between floors, or get lost. That estimate [...]
Go-go scholar Kip Lornell and Ward 7 Republican Ron Moten on Chuck Brown [Post]
A Chuck Brown mural emerges in Petworth. [Prince of Petworth]
Lenny Campello is compiling every scrap of news he can find on Artomatic. [Daily Campello]
When is it an art collection, and when is it just stuff? [D.C. Docent]
Walk through Artomatic for two hours and the effect is what you might expect: It's dizzying. Draining. Eleven floors, 10 of them busting with artworks from 1,300 contributors. Some floors are labyrinthine; others are wide-open displays of sculpture and installation, interrupted by a stage and bank of chairs. Like the last time Artomatic was in [...]
In case you missed it, salon-style clusterfuck Artomatic is back from a three-year hiatus, and returning to Crystal City. It’s the show some love and others hate, likely for the same reason: Hundreds of artists are allowed to exhibit whatever they want, in equally sized spaces, on a first-come first-serve basis, for a fee. Talented [...]
