As the nation celebrates 250 years, exhibitions highlight artists’ interpretations of the American flag, Joan Miró’s printmaking, collage as critique, Black design, Pueblo pottery, and more.
Faith Ringgold, “The American People Series #18: The Flag is Bleeding” (1967), oil on canvas (photo Emma Cieslik/Hyperallergic)
Washington, DC, is preparing for grand celebrations of the 250th anniversary of America, with artists and cultural institutions redefining American aesthetics and the potential of American art. Amidst these celebrations, Trump aims to reshape DC, including plans to reinstall a monument to an enslaver in Freedom Plaza. The city is experiencing an intense artistic transformation. From Faith Ringgold’s intense flag painting at the National Gallery of Art to Gail Rebhan’s collages using US census language, these displays challenge narrow perspectives on American art history. Visitors should be aware that street closures during the celebrations could impact access to museums on the National Mall.
Reset: Abstraction Embodied in Design
National Museum of African American History and Culture, 1400 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC
Ongoing
Reset presents the works of contemporary Black artists who use everyday items to examine how we interact with and shape our environments. Artists like Hadiya Williams, Jomo Tariku, and Simone Brewster reimagine common objects like chairs, rugs, and lamps to explore themes of identity, place, and function. The museum also features Revelation, a companion exhibit focusing on Black abstract art from the mid-20th century to today.
Rip! Tear! Collage as Critique
Eye Street Gallery, 200 I Street SE, Washington, DC
Through August 7
Collage, an art form centered on deconstruction and reimagining, is explored in this exhibition as a way to reject appropriation and cultural extraction, especially prevalent in the age of generative AI. Supported by the DC Commission on the Arts and the Humanities, the show demonstrates how reshaping existing colors, textures, and symbols reflects not only artistic practice but also the American experience. Eye Street Gallery will host a lecture and live demonstration on DJ culture as sonic collage by King Britt on Saturday, July 18, and a collage workshop with the featured artists on Thursday, August 6.
Gail Rebhan: What Questions Do We Ask? and Bonnie Lautenberg: ARTISTICA! Where Hollywood Meets Art History
American University Museum, 440 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC
Through August 9
This summer, the American University Museum is showcasing seven exhibitions, including those by photographers Gail Rebhan and Bonnie Lautenberg. Rebhan’s art examines race, disability, identity, and classification in American history through the lens of US census language. Lautenberg juxtaposes abstract art and iconic films such as Singin’ in the Rain (1952) and Funny Girl (1968), prompting a dialogue between language and aesthetics similar to Rebhan’s collages.
