By F. Lennox Campello
Many times over the last few decades I’ve used this column to send a shout out to hard working artists who do not wait to be “discovered”, but who are always on the move, taking advantage of opportunities both around the DMV and elsewhere – they follow the maxim that the best place for art that one creates in on someone else’s walls.
One such hard-working artist is Anna U. Davis, who is one of the most active artists in our region, and whose solo exhibition “And Still We Rise” opens on September 6 and runs through the 29th at International Arts & Artists, located at 9 Hillyer Court NW, Washington, DC, 20008, behind The Phillips Collection.
From the news release, we learn that “And Still We Rise features a monumental colorful mixed-media painting with a selection of Anna U. Davis’s black and white wall sculptures exploring the perpetual misogynistic behavior that has been indoctrinated within society, while investigating the physical and emotional impact it has had on the artist. Davis’s Swedish roots are central to her brand of feminism. She remembers growing up in an environment where notions of gender justice were firmly embedded in the legal framework and norms of the community. Her struggles with inadequate childcare and family leave as a young mother in the United States, then, formed a strong undercurrent shaping her critical perspective.”
Born in Lund, Sweden, Davis is a tornado of artistic activity! Her recent solo shows include the Swedish American Museum (Chicago), Galerie Myrtis (Baltimore), the Embassy of Sweden (Washington, D.C.), and Davis Gallery (Copenhagen). Her work has been shown in additional solo and group exhibitions in the United States, Europe, Cuba (13th Havana Biennial) and Qatar and is held in public and private collections. She will also be featured at Art Vilnius 2024 (with Davis Gallery) this coming 6-8 October.
September usually marks the beginning of the “gallery season” in the DMV, and as such, after you go to Anna’s opening reception on the 6th, you can then attend Nancy Sansom Reynolds’ opening at Addison/Ripley on Saturday, September 7 5-7PM.
The gallery notes that “Glimpsing this new collection of works by Nancy Sansom Reynolds, based upon a broad spectrum exploration of the artist’s signature forms, one cannot help but be reminded of the great Japanese artist, Hokusai, in particular his “Great Wave”, from the 36 Views of Mt. Fuji. The intricate dance that these forms make in treading their way from powerful shapes to graceful forms, from intricately fabricated layers of shop grade plywood to weightless, wall mounted flows resembling still lives of fabric, is medium defying. The crests of breaking waves, the hushed drape of fabric on skin or the invisible waves that make up light itself seem almost impossible to achieve. These sculptures are all created from multiple layers of plywood made fluid with an artisan’s skill and an artist’s imagination. Each one begins with a complex working drawing, several of which are included in this exhibition, that serves as a template for the finished work. Each has a palette which has been carefully chosen for its harmony with the overall composition. And expanding on the fabric theme, the artist has included several of her “wearable” sculptures.”
This will be her 7th show at Addison/Ripley Fine Art, which is located at 1670 Wisconsin Avenue in Upper Georgetown at the intersection of Reservoir Road.
In addition, many times over the last few years I have discussed why it is so important for both galleries and artists to participate in art fairs. From September 25-29, the Affordable Art Fair Fall edition takes place at the Metropolitan Pavilion on West 18th Street in Chelsea, New York City. Go check it out and see about 75 galleries from all over the world showcase a few hundred artists.
About the Author: F. Lennox Campello’s art news, information, gallery openings, commentary, criticism, happenings, opportunities, and everything associated with the global visual arts scene with a special focus on the Greater Washington, DC area has been a premier source for the art community for over 20 years. Since 2003, his blog has been the 11th highest ranked art blog on the planet with over SIX million visitors.