Your Weekly Art Lens by Beth Shook

Juan Tejedor, Bus Drawing, 2010, acrylic on paper, 42 x 62 inches

“Roger Gastman Takes to the Streets” at the Corcoran Gallery: With all the recent headlines about elusive British street artist Banksy and his Oscar-nominated doc “Exit Through the Gift Shop,” the Corcoran couldn’t have picked a better time to host street art scholar Roger Gastman. Gastman, who appeared in the film, will lecture this Thursday on his experience in the world of street art and the history of graffiti in D.C. Will he clear up the rumors behind the film and the identity of Mr. Brainwash? Can we even be sure Roger Gastman is Roger Gastman? You’ll have to RSVP to find out. Feb. 17 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15.

Continues after the jump.

Juan Tejedor: Standing Atop the Ladder at Flashpoint: Opening Friday at Flashpoint is an exhibition of conceptual work by D.C.-based Colombian artist Juan Tejedor. Tejedor focuses his art on systems, like topography, the cosmos and even the migratory patterns of birds. According to the press release,
the show will include pieces that deal with mapping D.C. geopolitical statistics and public transit. On view Feb. 18 to March 26.

Africa Underground: After Hours at African Art at the National Museum of African Art: Spend your
Friday night at the inaugural Africa Underground event, which will include dancing, performances and curator-led tours of the ongoing Artists in Dialogue exhibition, all to the tune of Afro-Brazilian beats. Oh, and African beer and Brazilian cocktails
will be served. Feb. 18 from 7 to 11 p.m. Tickets are $18 in advance and $20 at the door. Ages 21 and up.

climate, control artist talk at Civilian Art Projects: I mentioned this interesting show at Civilian Arts Project a few weeks ago. Catch it this Saturday before it closes and hear artists J.J. McCracken, Jan Razauskas and Millicent Young discuss how they approached the theme of “immediate surroundings” through their respective mediums (e.g. clay, mold, acrylic and found objects).
Feb. 19 at 4 p.m.

Venice: Canaletto and His Rivals at the National Gallery of Art: Last but not least, the National Gallery unveils its latest special exhibition this weekend. Dubbed the “must-see show” of the season by Post art critic Jessica Dawson (though I would argue instead for the duo of David Smith and Philip Guston exhibitions at the Phillips now on view), Venice will feature over 50 fastidiously painted views
of the city by prolific 18th-century artist Canaletto and his contemporaries within their social historical context. A lecture on the exhibition will be given by curators this Sunday at 2 p.m. On view Feb. 20 to May 30.