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Exhibition Spotlight: Brilliant Exiles

Josephine Baker est aux Folies-Bergère. Lithograph, 1936. ByMichel Gyarmathy (1908-1996).

Happy belated birthday Josephine Baker! The singer, dancer, and actor who captivated Paris in the 1920s was born 118 years ago this week, on June 3, 1906.

Baker was but one of many innovative and creative American women who moved to Paris in the early 20th century seeking personal autonomy along with professional agency and success.

Some of these “brilliant exiles” are profiled in the new National Portrait Gallery exhibition by the same name, “Brilliant Exiles: American Women in Paris, 1900-1939.” The exhibition is open through February 23, 2025.

Loïs Mailou Jones 1905-1998. Charcoal and chalk on textured paper, c. 1940. By Céline Tabary (1908-1993) .

Gertrude Stein 1874-1946. Oil on canvas, 1905-6. By Pablo Picasso (1881-1973).

The show is made up of nearly 80 works of art, mostly in the form of portraits. The portraits are of, and sometimes also by these Americans who shifted and elevated the Paris culture through literature, visual, arts, dance, drama, and philosophy.

Portraiture has a way of annunciating identity in a more evocative way than even the written word can. This exhibition does that in a simple way, letting the paintings speak for themselves.

Baker, like the other American women featured in the exhibition, did not leave the U.S. and land in Paris by accident or coincidence. Crushing legal and social limitations in the U.S. left little room for freedom expression for independent and talented women. Restrictions were based not on just gender, but sexuality, race, economic stratifications, and politics. Paris was not a panacea for all U.S. societal ills, but the artistic climate offered more independence, agency, and freedom to an extent that, for these women, the U.S. could not compare.

Mercedes de Acosta 1893-1968. Oil on canvas, 1923. By Abram Poole (1882-1961).

Baker herself moved to Paris in 1925. She did return to the U.S. for short stints in theatrical productions, and more extensively to lend her aid to the cresting civil rights movements in the 1960s. But by then she was a Parisian through and through, having gained French citizenship way back in 1937. Baker died in Paris, passing away in her sleep on April 12, 1975, just days after performing in a show marking her 50th year of her Paris debut.

This exhibitions is about more than Baker herself. The portraits that make up the show give a luminescent view into the personality, and dare I say, aura, of the people captured. This is high recommend to visit before the show closes in February of 2025!

This and all Exhibition Spotlights are brought to you by our wonderful Patrons. Patrons get monthly insight into new and upcoming museum exhibitions, DC history posts, photographs not shown anywhere else, and more. If you like this post, there’s way more at Patreon.com/AttucksAdams! Memberships start at just $3/month.

In Exaltation of Flowers: Rose- Geranium; Petunia-Caladium-Budleya; and Golden-Banded Lily-Violets. Katharine Nash Rhoades 1885-1965. Marion H. Beckett 1886-1949. Mercedes de Cordoba Carles 1879-1963. Tempera and gold leaf on canvas, 1910-13. By Edward Steichen(1879-1973).

Video: Beyond Granite Reflections

With the Beyond Granite exhibition closing a few weeks ago, I wanted to take a moment to delve into the meaning of commemoration here in Washington, DC. This video offers notes on the specific elements of each of the six installations, but also delves into the motivations behind the artists' design choices.

What truly struck me was the profound way in which these installations connected with the existing commemorative landscape of the Mall. It was fascinating to witness the powerful intersections between history, art, and remembrance, and how they all intertwine to create a tapestry of meaning that —in theory— transcends time. Even if the exhibition was but one month in duration, the reflection on commemoration will continue.

Thanks to all Patrons whose support make videos like this possible. For more video blogs, photos, behind the scenes in tour creation, tour previews, or just to support my work, check out tiers of membership here.

Exhibition Spotlight: Afro-Atlantic Histories

Afro-Atlantic Histories is both 1) an historical exhibition about the African diaspora *and* 2) an array of depictions of the African diaspora in art, past and present. Expectedly, it's more the latter, but art can inspire us to learn more, and also inform us in the meantime.

Hosted at the National Gallery of Art (NGA), this exhibition feels extremely worldly, perhaps more than any other recent exhibition there. Originally this show debuted in 2018 at Brazil's Museu de Arte de São Paulo.

This show has over 130 artworks and objects from the 17th century to today. Media from paintings, to metal & wood sculptures, to photographs, to video are all present, and more. The entire show comprises about six galleries, which is substantial for NGA. It is worth a trip.

Afro-Atlantic Histories is open through July 17, 2022.

For the full write up and entire photo set, please consider joining Patreon. I post there weekly and subscriptions start at just $3 per month!

The 40 Year Old Vigil: Patreon Preview

This week on Patreon:

What happens to a round-the-clock vigil when the park it inhabits is closed? I talked with Philipos, a 30 year (and going) participant in the longest running anti-war protest in the U.S. With Lafayette Park temporarily closed, the holders of the vigil must adapt.

How do we publicly grieve over the loss of life due to covid-19? I visited an ephemeral memorial in DC that honors the 200,000+ Americans who have died due to coronavirus. It’s both interactive and a statement piece with stark, plain visuals I convey as best I can through photography.

And later this week: Museums in DC are starting to reopen, but a new museum that transcends physical objects is opening for the first time ever in the heart of downtown DC.

Get weekly DC history posts and stay up to date on how DC is changing during these extraordinary times.

Join for as little as $3/month: Patreon.com/attucksadams

5 Outdoor Spaces to Socially Distance Right Now [Patreon Preview]

Am I making lists now?

I’m making lists now.

Here are my Top 5 outdoor places to enjoy the summer AND easily social distance from others.

1. United States Capitol Grounds

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There are about 60 acres of open grounds surrounding the Capitol Building. Most of this land is open grass with light landscaping and heritage trees. Some areas, especially on the east front, are paved but open and pedestrian friendly. Benches are few and far between, but retaining walls can be used for sitting, and there are large expanses of grassy ares kept at a low height conducive for sitting or laying down on (bring a blanket!). On the east front, stake out a spot under a tree and chill out. On the west front, stop in the Summer House for a cooling off break. Open daily!

See the rest of this list on Patreon! You can support my work and get weekly DC history and culture posts through memberships starting at $3 per month.