Founded in 1858 as the first museum in the United States solely dedicated to art, the Renwick Gallery is home to some of the worlds most ambitious contemporary American art. Though, it hasn't always been that way. In the first half of the 20th century, the as-intended "American Louvre" fell into bureaucratic disarray until Jackie Kennedy Onassis campaigned for its historic preservation. With a recent renovation in 2015, the Renwick boasts both a rotating special exhibit and a stunning permanent collection, making the Renwick a must-see Smithsonian project.
(Sophia Moustaid)
Whether you realize it or not, glass is everywhere in museums. Glass is used to display objects and at the same time to protect them. But what happens when glass becomes the center of the exhibit?
The special exhibition “New Glass Now” at the Renwick Gallery asks just that, with an exhibit that will surprise you with the incredible, and almost mind-bending, possibilities of glass art. On display from October 22, 2021 to March 6, 2022, the exhibit explores how glass art has evolved since the late 20th century, suggesting even more fascinating glass innovations to come.
(Gujie Shen)
The glass installation "Things Change" by Maria Bang Jespersen features four glass vases "'infected' with foreign materials" and in various states of calculated decay. As time passes, the vases fall apart in front of Renwick audiences, leaving glass shards on the pristine platform. This aspect of the installation verges on performance art, presenting a reinvented spectacle for each ensuing audience. The concept of "infection" as the catalyst for destruction personally landed quite ominously, as we now navigate the second full year of the coronavirus pandemic. Though created in 2015 and before our unwelcome and heightened awareness of death, this installation perhaps presciently suggests embracing a more comfortable relationship with mortality. This piece bravely suggests we welcome that "Things Change."
Throughout the Renwick, we repeatedly encountered an ethos of reinvention, with countless artists using recycled materials and many other artworks advocating for a transformation of the country's political and social conventions. "Things Change" is one of many pieces that challenges conventional standards for beauty and art, calling into question our expectations of what is considered "museum worthy." This installation instead offers a more holistic view of beauty, implying that there is something meaningful to be found in all intended and unintended imperfections, a belief that rings true to our experience of the DC Winter Seminar.
(Sophia Moustaid)
(Sophia Moustaid)
Numerous artists tackled the recent Coronavirus pandemic, including the embroidered masks featured to the left, commenting on utility and self-expression during the recent public health crisis.
(Art by Vicki Lee Soboleff, Marian Thompson, and Katrina Mitten)
(Sophia Moustaid)
Unveiled at the 2015 reopening, the fabric and lights installation by Janet Echelman,1.8 Renwick, is a truly magnificent sight to behold. Located on the ceiling of the museums largest room, the exhibit invites visitors to lay down and soak up the magic of the quasi-psychedelic lightshow. Truly a communal space, this dynamic installation is thankfully a permanent feature at the Renwick, providing both a rest for Smithsonian-weary feet and a feast for the eyes!
(Sophia Moustaid)