Special Art Lens: Shutdown Edition by Beth Shook

Photo by PoPville flickr user Vileinist

The potential government shutdown could hit PoPville particularly hard, with hundreds of thousands of federal workers furloughed, trash collection suspended, libraries and the DMV closed and just general pandemonium/freaking out. One major concern is how closings of the Smithsonian museums and National Gallery might affect tourism. But with parking enforcement almost entirely suspended, and plenty of unaffected (and often free) private museums, galleries and events, the coming days could also be an opportunity to visit venues slightly off the beaten path. Below are several noteworthy alternatives, with more to come in Tuesday’s “Art Lens.”

Corcoran Gallery of Art: While their larger special exhibition Washington Color and Light is on hiatus until late June, between the permanent collection and two ongoing photography shows there is still plenty to see at the Corcoran this month. In the event of a shutdown, the museum will be offering complimentary coffee and pastries in their café during public hours. Government employees will also have free admission (normally $10 for adults) with a government ID. Metro: Farragut West.

Carroll Square Gallery: I mentioned Juan Tejedor’s solo show of mixed-media works at Flashpoint two months ago. Mapping, which opened last night in the Carroll Square building, features new map-based works by Tejedor alongside works by five other artists. Highlights include Carol Barton’s interactive roadmap constructions and Dahlia Elsayed’s acrylic maps of day-to-day experiences and emotions that evoke similar projects by illustrator Christoph Niemann. While the venue is rather obscure, its central location makes it easily accessible. FREE. Metro: Gallery Place – Chinatown or Metro Center.

Continues after the jump.

Mural Bike Tour: Now this looks cool. Eckington-based art collective Hole in the Sky is hosting a bike tour of public art in the Eckington and Edgewood neighborhoods tomorrow. It’s a $5 donation to ride, and I assume you bring your own bike. The tour will be led by Chor Boogie and Peter Krsko of the public art non-profit Albus Cavus. April 9 at 12 p.m. Metro: Rhode Island Ave. – Brentwood.

The Phillips Collection: For five more weeks, two unexpectedly complementary exhibitions will share space on the third floor of the Phillips Collection. David Smith Invents and Philip Guston, Roma are revealing shows that deal in part with how each artist confronted the problems of his respective medium within the context of Abstract Expressionism. Sarah Hammill, an expert on Smith’s photographs of his works, will be giving a lecture on the relationship between photography and sculpture on April 14 at 6:30 p.m. On view until May 15. Metro: Dupont Circle.

Mexican Cultural Institute: This spring offers a rare opportunity to see art by some of the most celebrated Latin American modernists outside of the OAS collection. Beyond the Labyrinth: Latin American Art and the FEMSA Collection offers a survey of 20th-century art in Latin America by way of 50 works, including paintings by Diego Rivera and one of my personal favorites Wifredo Lam. Guest curator Marysol Nieves will give a gallery talk on April 13 at 6:30 p.m. On view from April 13 to June 18. FREE. Metro: Columbia Heights.

Art Museum of the Americas: The AMA continues to be one of the most underrated museums in the city, consistently offering innovative exhibitions of modern and contemporary art from the Americas and the Caribbean at no charge. Especially convenient to visitors to the National Mall, the museum is now showing work by D.C. and Baltimore artists organized by Baltimore artists Bernhard Hildebrandt, Soledad Salamé and Joyce J. Scott. Corridor offers an interesting comparison of what’s going on in the contemporary art scene of each city. On view until June 26. FREE. Metro: Farragut West.

Textile Museum: Complementing their ongoing exhibition on the history of repurposing fabric, next weekend the Textile Museum opens Green: The Color and the Cause, a diverse selection of textiles spanning centuries and continents that explores the link between environmentalism and the color green. On view from April 16 to Sept. 11. Metro: Dupont Circle.