What with taxes behind us, Artomatic in full swing for several more weeks to come, and the DC Filmfest kicking its fancy feet off, and the Cherry Blossom madness (basically) over we figured that this is as good of a time as any for an “April art up”.
Events/movies/shows that make you feel good for enjoying yourself while attending. All that or your money back (with thankfully most of the suggested events being gratis)
Bonus cocktail party conversation points on the side.

1.Before Matthew Barney there was ….
The Freer Gallery is running a two weekend movie program on Hiroshi Teshigahara’s allegorical and arresting movies. This Friday at 7 see: “The Woman in the Dunes”(An entomologist wanders into a strange village and finds himself trapped with a woman in a house at the bottom of a sandpit, where, he is told, they must constantly shovel out sand to avoid a cave-in - or do they? A haunting masterpiece of nightmarish beauty, this film asks the unanswerable existential question: “Do you shovel to survive, or survive to shovel?” ) and next Sunday (April 29th at 2pm) see “One Face or Another” (Part horror movie, part philosophical meditation on the nature of identity, this adaptation of one of Abe’s creepier novels tells the story of a man whose face is disfigured in an industrial accident. His wife can barely look at him, so he participates in a medical experiment to replace his face with that of another man. His new identity in place, he sets out to seduce his wife as a stranger.).
Both events are free. But call for reservations.(202-633-4880)

2.Hirshhorn continues to be the place for any self-respecting-art-loving-scene-craving person to be with its “Pervert’s Guide to Cinema” showing on April 26th and 27th where Slavoj Zizek
(THE ELVIS OF CULTURAL THEORY! sends up every auteur worth their weight in Criterion movie editions. And while you are there visit The Wish tree for DC a work (or plant) by Yoko Ono.
Always free.

3.Rejoice contraversy seekers: After much polarizing touring “Bodies:The Exhibition” finds its way to DC
(well, to Virginia, technically as it is being shown at the Rosslyn Dome on 1101 Wilson Blvd). This event is NOT free but dammit, we think its worth it, if for nothing then to be able to partake in random discussions about it that are bound to arise.
Tickets are 26 to 30 dollars and you have till October 28th to see it.
And hopefully buy some of this awesomely creepy official merchandise

4. The Goethe Institute refuses to be outdone by the always stellar programs at the Maison Francais and the Swedish Embassy and hosts a really terrific young German photographer’s exhibit on now till June, including works by Vanessa Jack and Arno Schidlowski.

5. And speaking of Maison Francais, if you are even remotely a francophile…you won’t want to miss Fanny Ardant’s appearances in
Marguerite Duras’ “The Malady of Death” on April 27th through 30th. A once in a lifetime opportunity (even if you live in France) if we ever saw one.

6. The local art fort is held (aside from the aforementioned Artomatic-which everyone in DC should visit at least once) by 2 events closing this weekend (so run, don’t walk to these): The Civilian Art Projects closes its first two exhibits on the 21st and opens a new one for Nilay Lawson on April 27th. and The DeerMilk Collective wrapping its clever and funny “Warewolf Youth” at the Warehouse Gallery on Saturday.

There. We picked. WE CROSSlinked.
We almost took your hand and walked you over and pointed our (virtual middle) finger to the art.
Now all you have to go and do is:

DO

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