April 15 – May 6, 2017
Flashpoint Gallery, Washington, DC
Opening Reception: Friday April 21, 6pm-8pm
Luce Artist Talk: Sunday, April 30, 1:30pm
at the Luce Foundation Center for American Art
Footprint aka The Lansburgh’s Notebook explores the history of arts spaces in downtown DC from the early 1970’s to the present day, with a focus on documenting the names, locations, and years of operation of galleries, non-profits, theaters, dance companies, artist studios, music spaces, and other small-scale arts organizations. The installation is both a presentation of research and an invitation for input from the public, especially individuals who have direct knowledge of the downtown DC arts scene. Additions, corrections, and edits will be made to the installation throughout the course of the exhibition. Images, ephemera, and text contributed by the public and relating to specific arts spaces will also be added to the installation and integrated into future presentations of the project.
The exhibition’s title refers to The Lansburgh’s Notebook – a trove of meeting notes, letters, contact lists, and other ephemera that document efforts to create the Washington Humanities and Arts Center (WHAC). Located in the Lansburgh’s Building at 8th and E Streets NW from 1980 to 1984, WHAC was home to dozens of arts organizations from across the city. The documentation in The Lansburgh’s Notebook was organized by Janet Schmuckal, from the Museum of Temporary Art. The notebook itself can be found in the papers of the Museum of Temporary Art, contained in the Smithsonian Archives of American Art.
Press:
BmoreArt
The Washington Post
All images courtesy Tony Hitchcock Photography
