Pike & Rose, the new pedestrian-oriented, urban-minded neighborhood in the heart of Montgomery County, Maryland, and a key component in the revitalization of the White Flint District, is pleased to announce the first-ever Pike & Rose Audio Visual Arts (PRAVA) Festival. The free-to-attend event on Saturday, February 7, 6PM – 2AM, is a one-night immersive art experience featuring international, national, and regional artists.
Artists from Washington, D.C., Baltimore, New York, Boston, and the Netherlands will present musical performances and art installations spanning 40,000 square feet over three floors of office space at Pike & Rose. The event is open to guests 18 and older and is free to attend with online registration at www.PRAVAFest.org.
PRAVA is curated and produced by Nuit Blanche New York (NBNY) in partnership with Materials & Methods.
Featured PRAVA artists include:
Allard Van Hoorn, a Netherlands-based sound, installation and performance artist will collaborate with Baltimore’s Charm City Roller Girls to turn the 6th floor of the office building into a choreographed roller arena. Van Hoorn will create electronic music live by recording and remixing the sounds of the roller skates as they move around and through the audience.
Matmos, an experimental duo originally from San Francisco and now based in Baltimore, incorporates odd, unusual, and ‘found’ sounds into its rhythmic music, sampling sounds ranging from cards shuffling to a frozen stream thawing in the sun.
Mal Devisa will perform songs from her EP, For Daisy with Honey, and her most recent album, 4U. A solo artist based in Amherst, MA, whose music draws from indie favorites, jazz notes, and lo-fi rock, Mal Devisa plays the bass, keyboard, and drum. A sound-reactive light show will illuminate the audience with each kick she gives the bass drum on stage.
Johnathon Monaghan, a DC-based artist, will present his video, “Office,” which depicts a highly-realistic office space containing an elaborate Baroque sculpture framed with blue neon tubing. As the video continues, the sculpture of a long-dead aristocrat explodes in slow motion across the uninhabited office. Set to tinkling music, the video progresses with a hypnotic pace.
Brian Chase, the drummer for the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s, and Ursula Scherrer, a New York City-based video artist, will collaborate to create an improvised audio-visual piece. Responding to Chase’s performance, Scherrer will use multiple projectors to create a mesmerizing, visual landscape.
GEMS, DC’s dream-pop duo, will perform new songs and their debut EP, Medusa. The duo makes romantic, heartbreaking music: Clifford John’s supporting, low voice balances Lindsay Pitts’ haunting pitch as they effortlessly weave their voices with hazy guitar sounds and lush synthesizers, all punctuated by a strong, danceable beat.
Please Join Us For OurAnnual Heart Art& Chocolate BenefitBenefiting The American Heart AssociationJoin us for Original Heart ArtEnjoy complimentary wine and treats.It’s a perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon before Valentine’s Day
Sunday February 8th2 pm to 4 pmThe Alta1133 14th Street NW2nd Floor VIP RoomWashington, DC 20005This event is free but space is limited.A large portion of all heart art sales goes to supportThe American Heart Association.*Street Parking is free in DC on Sundays.
What: David Cross’ new dark comedy HITS to play for one night only in special Pay-What-You-Want screening. Special event screenings in over 30 markets.
When: Thursday, February 12 at 7:30PM
Where: West End Cinema
More Information about HITS:
Writer/Director: David Cross
Producers: Giles Andrew, Ryan Brooks, David Cross, Charles James Denton, Jessica Latham
Starring: Meredith Hagner, Matt Walsh, James Adomian, Jake Cherry, Derek Waters and Wyatt Cenac along with Julia Stiles, David Koechner, Jessie Ennis, Amy Sedaris, Erinn Hayes, Michael Cera, Amy Carlson, Jason Ritter, and Kurt Braunohler.
Film Synopsis: HITS is a dark comedy exploring the nature of fame in 21st Century YouTube America. The film takes place in a small town in upstate New York populated by people who trade in unrealistic expectations. It’s a story in which fame, delusion, earnestness, and recklessness meet, shake hands, and disrupt the lives around them.
Running time: 100 minutes
Rating: The film is unrated.
Note: The film opens in theaters in New York, Los Angeles, Houston, Madison and Seattle on February 13 and will be available via BitTorrent as a Pay-What-You-Want release. The first film to collapse all windows and ask audiences to PAY-WHAT-THEY-WANT. Also, simultaneously releasing on iTunes, Amazon, Google Play and others.
50 SHADES OF SEDUCTION AT ART SOIREE FINE ART SERIES
As the movie hits theaters, Art Soiree, local art curators, present a one of a kind pre-valentine’s day installation at the Ritz-Carlton, Georgetown.
Blurring the lines between fantasy and reality, seduction and power, love and sex, the unique photo-installation by an award-winning photographer Dominique Fierro will be up for one night and one night only at the Ballroom of the Ritz-Carlton, Georgetown at 3100 South Street NW, Washington DC. Open and FREE to public the event will take place this Friday, February 13th from 8pm – 1am.
Dominique Fierro’s photography is raw, open, and full of emotion. Her latest collection presents portraits of astonishing women whose personalities can scarcely be contained by photographs. A lifelong artist and former stylist, Dominique makes it her goal to capture the heart and soul of every one of her subjects. www.dominiquefierro.com
Guests are invited to:
- Explore photo installation by Dominique Fierro
- Enjoy sensual & soulful dance beats by DJ Fotifo throughout the night
- Mix and mingle with DC’s most seductive citizens
- Take advantage of a special discount offer from Le Bustiere Boutique to shop their holiday collection
Friday, February 13 | 8pm
The Ritz-Carlton, Georgetown 3100 South Street NW, Washington DC
FREE – http://artsoiree.com/events/50-shades-of-grey-fine-art-series-exhibition-for-dominique-fierro/
The exhibit is part of Art Soiree’s Winter Fine Art Series, a 10 week long showcase presenting works of established and up-and-coming artists from throughout the DC area. Fine Art Series is more than an art exhibit, it’s an inspiring & interactive experience of art. www.artsoiree.com
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Washington Project for the Arts & Forest City Present LASER CAT at The Yards with support from The JBG Companies
DATES: Friday & Saturday, February 20 & 21, 8-11pm Saturday, February 21, 12-4pm PRESS PREVIEW: Friday, February 20, 5:30-6:30 LOCATION: 200 Tingey Street SE, Washington DC 20003
January 14, 2014 (Washington, DC) – Washington Project for the Arts (WPA) and Forest City present an event unlike anything seen in Washington! The Yards welcomes Laser Cat, a 20-foot tall inflatable cat head that projects lasers and art from its eyes.
Friday evening will feature live DJ’s fueling the Laser Cat party, led by Thievery Corporation’s Eric Hilton. Saturday evening’s party will project images produced by local artists, accompanied by beats from Laser Cat. On Saturday afternoon, Laser Cat will be open from 12 – 4pm for families to experience a mellower side of the inflatable feline. A heated tent with a beer garden and other program components will be adjacent to the historic industrial building in which Laser Cat will be staged. |
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ABOUT LASER CAT & HUNGRY CASTLE
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Commissioned by ADC and conceived by Hungry Castle, this interactive installation debuted at the ADC Festival of Art + Craft in Advertising and Design held in Miami Beach. As its name suggests, Laser Cat is a giant cat with lasers for eyes that uses high-powered projectors to beam people’s personal art onto public buildings. Laser Cat curates the art submitted, but it’s the public that fires it into public space. The viewer controls the content by pressing a giant button to change the art, lasers, and music. So far, Laser Cat has received over 15,000 personal art submissions.
Based in Barcelona, Hungry Castle is the creative studio featuring Dave Glass and Killian Cooper that specialize in creating public art and fashion, which they call Cool Shit. Working collectively since 2011 their goal has always been to make big, playful things of cultural impact and use design thinking in a way that truly engages people. Influenced by Shepard Fairey’s prolific use of public space with the “Obey Giant” campaign, the artists combine unique, 3-dimensional pieces with large-scale production a la Jeff Koons, but with an added interactive ingredient to create a fully immersive experience between audience and art.
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SCHEDULE:
7:00pm
Doors Open / Red Carpet Report
8:30pm
Awards Broadcast Begins
We’re rolling out the RED CARPET, so please join us for a Party at the elegant Malmaison in Georgetown to watch the Awards live on Sunday February 22, 2015! Glam it up, and join us as we rally behind our favorite movies of 2014!
REGISTER NOW:
We will sell out.
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Washington Project for the Arts & Forest City Present LASER CAT at The Yards with support from The JBG Companies
DATES: Friday & Saturday, February 20 & 21, 8-11pm Saturday, February 21, 12-4pm PRESS PREVIEW: Friday, February 20, 5:30-6:30 LOCATION: 200 Tingey Street SE, Washington DC 20003
January 14, 2014 (Washington, DC) – Washington Project for the Arts (WPA) and Forest City present an event unlike anything seen in Washington! The Yards welcomes Laser Cat, a 20-foot tall inflatable cat head that projects lasers and art from its eyes.
Friday evening will feature live DJ’s fueling the Laser Cat party, led by Thievery Corporation’s Eric Hilton. Saturday evening’s party will project images produced by local artists, accompanied by beats from Laser Cat. On Saturday afternoon, Laser Cat will be open from 12 – 4pm for families to experience a mellower side of the inflatable feline. A heated tent with a beer garden and other program components will be adjacent to the historic industrial building in which Laser Cat will be staged. |
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ABOUT LASER CAT & HUNGRY CASTLE
______________________________
Commissioned by ADC and conceived by Hungry Castle, this interactive installation debuted at the ADC Festival of Art + Craft in Advertising and Design held in Miami Beach. As its name suggests, Laser Cat is a giant cat with lasers for eyes that uses high-powered projectors to beam people’s personal art onto public buildings. Laser Cat curates the art submitted, but it’s the public that fires it into public space. The viewer controls the content by pressing a giant button to change the art, lasers, and music. So far, Laser Cat has received over 15,000 personal art submissions.
Based in Barcelona, Hungry Castle is the creative studio featuring Dave Glass and Killian Cooper that specialize in creating public art and fashion, which they call Cool Shit. Working collectively since 2011 their goal has always been to make big, playful things of cultural impact and use design thinking in a way that truly engages people. Influenced by Shepard Fairey’s prolific use of public space with the “Obey Giant” campaign, the artists combine unique, 3-dimensional pieces with large-scale production a la Jeff Koons, but with an added interactive ingredient to create a fully immersive experience between audience and art.
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On Tuesday, March 3, 2015, Synetic Theater will host a 1950’s Las Vegas stylized benefit in Crystal City. Centering on a special performance of Much Ado About Nothing, the event will kick off with pre-show savories and sips and close with a post-show champagne and dessert reception with the artists at the Crystal City Marriott.
Funds raised will help support Synetic Theater’s mission to redefine theatre, invest in artists’ growth and continue to create unforgettable visceral experiences in all of their productions. Winning 25 Helen Hayes Awards with 94 nominations since 2002, Synetic Theater was recently named one of the top 13 innovative physical theatre companies in the world by Backstage.com.
The event is co-chaired by longtime Synetic supporters and Board Members Angela Fox (Chair) and Allison Foster. Additional committee members include Tricia Paoletta, Becky Dobbins, Tacy Telego, Christy Pino, Julianna Mahley, Marcus Brown, Alan Savada, Sue and Amnon Golan, Karina and Keith Mosser, John and Meg Hauge, Patrick Brown, Timothy Carlton, Keith and Karina Mosser, and Cal Shintani.
Tickets for the benefit are $250 and will go on sale on January 1, 2015.
The Smithsonian’s Freer Gallery of Art and the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery will present its seventh annual “Nowruz: A Persian New Year Celebration” free family festival Saturday, March 7, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Throughout the day, visitors of all ages can learn, play and feast at a celebration encompassing both museums to mark Nowruz, the beginning of the new year of 1394 in Iran, Afghanistan and many other countries, coinciding with the first day of spring.
At 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., visitors can relive the Iranian music scene of the 1960s and 1970s with updated versions of classic songs made famous by the likes of Googoosh, Hayedeh, Pari Zangeneh and Parva, along with mesmerizing bandari-beat tunes by Zia Atabi. The band Mitra Sumara, based in New York, features Iranian American vocalist Yvette Perez (pictured below), and re-energizes Persian pop with influences ranging from salsa and disco to Nigeria’s Fela Kuti and Middle Eastern rhythms.Visitors will be able to hear storyteller Xanthe Gresham weave tales from Persian literary classics, learn about the Freer and Sackler’s rich collection of 19th-century Persian photographs, discover the meaning of colorful “Haft Sin” table displays and then make their own, watch a master calligrapher at work and dress up in traditional costumes for photos recreating a Persian painting. Other activities include “fire” jumping for good luck in the new year, backgammon and chess matches, face painting and a hands-on workshop in the ImaginAsiaclassroom for families to make crowns and shields inspired by the Shahnama (Book of kings). Docents will elaborate on important works in the exhibitions “Nasta’liq: The Genius of Persian Calligraphy” and “Feast Your Eyes: A Taste for Luxury in Ancient Iran” to offer glimpses of Iran’s rich artistic traditions.
Persian literature enthusiasts can enjoy book-signing sessions at the Sackler store for Two Parrots–a children’s book adapted from the poet Rumi’s celebrated work–signed by illustrator Rashin from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., and Food of Life: Ancient Persian and Modern Iranian Cooking and Ceremonies, signed by author Najmieh Batmanglij from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. Persian cuisine by Moby Dick and thematic greeting cards will be available for purchase.
The annual event, celebrated in advance of the true holiday March 21, regularly draws crowds of 10,000 visitors, and is made possible by a gift from Jahangir and Eleanor Amuzegar.
On March 19, the new year celebration will continue with a free concert by Grammy-nominated artists Kayhan Kalhor and Shujaat Khan. In “Ghazal: Indian and Persian Improvisations,” the musicians will reunite for the first time in more than 10 years to perform their unique blend of Indian and Persian classical music.
The annual Nowruz lecture will take place March 29, co-sponsored with the Foundation for Iranian Studies. This year’s distinguished speaker will be Azar Nafisi, the best-selling author of Reading Lolita in Tehran and Things I’ve Been Silent About. In the lecture, Nafisi will discuss her latest work, The Republic of Imagination: America in Three Books.
FEATURED COLLECTIONS
On view at the Sackler until May 3, “Nasta’liq: The Genius of Persian Calligraphy” is the first exhibition to focus on one of the most aesthetically refined forms of Persian culture developed during the 14th-16th centuries: nasta’liq, a type of calligraphy so beautiful that for the first time the expressive form of the words eclipsed their meaning. Also on view will be “Feast Your Eyes: A Taste for Luxury in Ancient Iran” featuring one of the largest collections of luxury metalwork from ancient Iran. In the Freer Gallery, visitors can enjoy one of the finest holdings of Islamic art in the United States, with particular strengths in ceramics and illustrated manuscripts.
Iranian photographs from the Freer and Sackler Archives’ collection of more than 1,100 original 19th-century prints and glass-plate negatives by Antonin Sevruguin and other Persian photographers will screen for visitors throughout the day. The collection–the largest public holdings of Sevruguin’s photographs outside Iran–was recently digitized and cataloged in its entirety.
