One of the highlights of living in DC is culture. Whether it is museums, music, theater, or history, there is plenty of cultural events to experience. On the hot summer month of August, things can be quite crowded along the National Mall with international tourists and student groups. This Sunday we discovered a serene and colorful place steps from the White House: the Art Museum of the American States (AMA). AMA collects and exhibits works by established and emerging artists and carries out other activities of an educational nature. The museum’s permanent collection of contemporary Latin American and Caribbean art is one of the most important of its kind in the United States.
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| The passageway leading to the courtyard |
As we entered the museum, we loved the warm intimate space. The ceilings are high, there is plenty of light for the exhibitions, and it’s small enough not to overwhelm. We first studied the first exhibition “Femininity Beyond Archetypes” which challenged many of the views about the female form in our society. The Colombian photographer Natalia Arias interprets historical views of women in her modern photographs. She depicts classic stereotypes such as the “Madonna” in her photographs which women in every culture can relate to.
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| One of the works of Natalia Arias |
We moved on to the second exhibition, “Small Guide to Homeownership” by Mexican photographer Alejandro Cartagena. The photographs we were most fascinated by is “The Carpoolers”. It’s a series of photographs of day day laborers along Monterrey Highway 85. I admired how the photographer captured the color, diversity, and sentiment of the men.
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| The fountain at the courtyard |
Last but not least, we worked our way to the courtyard via the deep blue tiled walls and Aztec wall sculptures of the inner patio of the museum. The courtyard is as impressive as the interior with a gorgeous space, a serene fountain which seemed to transport me to Mexico in midst of the chaos of a Sunday in Washington, DC.
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| The Outdoor Garden |
Experience the museum at a different light (literally) this Friday, August 22nd at the event Art After Dark. During this event, the exhibition and outdoor garden will be open until 1am for outdoor video art projected on the building, live music, DJ Shea Van Horn, performance art, and food trucks. You can purchase tickets to the event here for $50, which include wine and Famosa Guatemalan Beer. We hope to see you there!
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