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Byzantium and the Nomads Lecture at Dumbarton Oaks Oct. 13
Florin Curta, professor of medieval history and archaeology at the University of Florida, will be giving a public lecture October 13, 2016 from 5:30-7:30 pm on: An Uneasy Relation: Byzantium and the Nomads at Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection in the Oak Room, Fellowship House, located at 1700 Wisconsin Avenue in Georgetown.
Although the relations between the nomads and Byzantium have been the subject of many studies, there is to date no comprehensive treatment of the topic. Byzantine sources provide abundant information about how the imperial government in Constantinople dealt with the peoples inhabiting the steppe lands north of the Black and Caspian Seas. Conclusions drawn on the basis of written sources, however, differ from those resulting from archaeological excavations. New evidence from excavations has enriched our understanding of relations between nomadic and settled communities and has questioned the pigeonholing of diverse communities into preconceived ethnic categories such as “Pechenegs,” “Oghuz,” and “Cumans.”
Recent research has moved beyond the study of burial mounds to focus on the cultures of those nomads who moved into areas neighboring the Byzantine Empire or into Hungary between the eleventh and the thirteenth centuries. These studies have emphasized the processes of sedentization, conversion to Christianity, and eventual assimilation. The study of local settlements in the Balkans has revealed great differences between their relations with sedentary populations north and south of the Danube. Pioneering research in bioarchaeology has only begun to enrich the already complex picture of the archaeology of medieval nomadism in Eastern Europe.
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Via Umbria Hosts Earthquake Relief Cooking Class & Chef Gala
(Photo by: viaumbria.com)
Spaghetti All’Amatriciana
Via Umbria is hosting two very special events this month to raise funds for the Italian American Relief Fund, a fund established by the National Italian American Foundation to support earthquake relief activities in central Italy.
The first one is a cooking class and dinner this Friday evening, September 23, featuring spaghetti all’amatriciana, the famous pasta dish from Amatrice, the town at the epicenter of the earthquake.
Chef Rissa Miller was in Italy during the earthquake and will share her love of cooking Italian cuisine and her experience of the tenacity and character of the Italian people in response to the disaster.
The evening will include a demonstration cooking class with Chef Rissa followed by a 3-course dinner. Wine is not included and can be purchased at retail at Via Umbria.
All profits from this evening will be donated to the Italian American Relief Fund.
(Photo by: viaumbria.com)
Next Tuesday, September 27, join Via Umbria for a gala evening of food, wine and a special auction. Area chefs will be donating their time, energies and expertise to showcase their signature dishes throughout the market in a program that also features a special wine tasting and tastings of products from the affected region.
The evening will be capped by an auction of products and experiences donated by the local Italian community, including special donations from Via Umbria.
100% of the ticket sales and donations from this event will go to the Italian American Relief Fund.
There are three ways to donate:
Place your online order and Via Umbria will forward your donation to Italian American Relief Fund (not tax deductible);
Make your tax deductible donation directly with the Italian American Relief Fund by clicking here. Be sure to specify "Via Umbria" as your referring organization (instructions) to ensure space reservation;
Reserve your place by emailing events@viaumbria.com and bring your check made payable to "NIAF" with you to the gala.
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Hemphill Fine Arts Presents Elizabeth Catlett & Benny Andrews
Hemphill Fine Arts presents Elizabeth Catlett & Benny Andrews in celebration of the Grand Opening of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. The NMAAHC is the 19th museum of the Smithsonian Institution and is located at the foot of the Washington Monument on the National Mall in Washington, DC. The museum provides for the collection, study, and establishment of programs and exhibitions related to African American life, history, art, and culture. It is a place where people can learn about the richness and diversity of the African American experience; it is a place of meaning, memory, reflection, laughter, and hope.
In addition to the works on view by Catlett and Andrews we have gathered other pieces by historically important African American artists, including works by Margaret Burroughs, Herbert Gentry, Sam Gilliam, James Wells, Walter Williams and Alma Thomas. These additional works may be seen upon request.
Special hours: Sunday, September 25, 2016, 12:00 - 5:00 pm
Exhibition on view until October 29, 2016
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Taste of Tudor Place Oct. 22
Tudor Place is hosting Taste of Tudor Place on October 22 from 1:00-4:00 p.m. Celebrate 200 years of heritage as you enjoy historic food and drink! To celebrate its Bicentennial, Tudor Place invites you to sample a variety of heritage foods and distinctive beers, wines, and liquors, representing notable eras in the estate’s and our nation’s past. One ticket ($60) covers everything including site admission, complimentary tasting glass, and tastings of 10+ local and historic drinks, savories, and treats.
Special VIP Admission ($75) includes an exclusive noon reception with private tastings, gift bag, and a unique guided tour, “Tudor Place Eats,” exploring the culinary aspects of the mansion, grounds, and smokehouse.
Guests must be 21 or older. Space is limited and registration required. To register by phone or email, contact Felice Herman, 202.580.7321. To register online, please click here.
Proceeds benefit the preservation and growth of Tudor Place. Tickets are non-refundable.
Tudor Place is located at 1644 31st Street in Georgetown
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C&O Canal Restoration Kick-Off Oct. 5
Georgetown Heritage and the National Park Service are kicking off a multi-year restoration of the first mile of the C&O Canal in Georgetown at noon on Wednesday, October 5 at Lock 4 (Thomas Jefferson Street), as Georgetown community members and officials wave goodbye to the old Georgetown boat.
Mules will tow away the Georgetown, which operated as a popular attraction on the Canal until 2011, one last time before it is disassembled at Fletcher’s Cove. National Park Service staff, city officials, and community leaders will also begin the draining of Lock 3 before sharing plans to restore, revitalize and re-imagine this historic one-mile section of the park.
The send-off marks the first phase of the restoration project, October 2016 through April 2018, which will include repairs to Locks 3 and 4, a new boat, and the development of a Comprehensive Master Plan to guide further revitalization of the park.
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'Isfahan' at Syra Arts Sept. 22- Oct. 6
SYRA Arts presents Isfahan, the first collaboration between Iranian artists Rashin Kheiriyeh and Sina Nayeri - a collection of paintings that provide a window into the world of Persian art and literature. The exhibit will be on view from September 22nd - October 6th and there will be an Opening Reception to meet the artists on September 22nd, 2016 from 6:00 - 8:00 pm.
Inspired by traditional Persian art techniques and poems by Rumi, Rashin and Sina bring together woodblock printing techniques with hand-lettering from their Iranian heritage and incorporate Western abstraction.This exhibition of paintings brings the perspective of the traditional artworks from Isfahan, a beautiful city in Iran. Isfahan is known worldwide for talented artisans who specialize in textiles, carpets, woodwork, painting, and inlay pieces. It is home to breathtaking Persian–Islamic architecture and paintings. There’s a Persian proverb that says"Isfahan nesf-e jahan” or “Isfahan is half the world.”
Rashin Kheiriyeh is internationally recognized for her award-winning children’s books. She’s an artist who is making waves with her paintings and animation, illustration and graphic design. Her works reveal a quirky, edgy aesthetic and deeply original style.
Sina Nayeri is a painter, graphic designer, animator and calligrapher. His unique focus and proficiency in Persian calligraphy and woodblock printing introduces Farsi letters and traditional patterns from Isfahan art into different mediums including paintings and animation.
SYRA Arts has been promoting contemporary Middle Eastern art and artists in the United States since 2011. The gallery, which represents some of the Middle East’s leading contemporary painters, sculptors, and jewelry designers, gives a glimpse of the depth and diversity of contemporary art in the region through showcasing work by artists of different generations in a range of artistic mediums.
SYRA Arts is located at 1054 31st Street in Georgetown
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The Taj Mahal Trio Live at Blues Alley
The Taj Mahal Trio will be performing live at Blues Alley September 29- October 2, 2016.
In September 2014, some 50 years after moving to Los Angeles to form the band Rising Sons with fellow blues musician Ry Cooder and Jessie Lee Kincaid, Taj Mahal hightailed it to Nashville to receive an honor he called “one of the most powerful and wonderful things that could ever happen in my life.” Celebrating decades of recording and touring that have nearly singlehandedly reshaped the definition and scope of the blues via the infusion of exotic sounds from the Caribbean, Africa and South Pacific, the two-time Grammy winning singer, songwriter, film composer, guitarist and multi-instrumentalist was feted with the Lifetime Achievement for Performance Award at the 13th Annual Americana Honors and Awards.
“I’ve been performing for over 50 years, and to be recognized for the road I’ve traveled means the world to me, says Mahal, who during the show performed “Statesboro Blues” – which he first recorded on his eponymous 1968 debut album – on dobro with a band that included Cooder and Don Was. “I could not have done this without the audience that has been so supportive of me throughout my musical journey. It was a fantastic night and I was thrilled to be there and celebrated among such other outstanding American musical treasures like Jackson Browne and Flaco Jimenez, whose music and talent I am a fan of. It certainly represented a diversity of musical styles and culture. That’s what I’m talking about!”
“I’ve been performing for over 50 years, and to be recognized for the road I’ve traveled means the world to me, says Mahal, “I could not have done this without the audience that has been so supportive of me throughout my musical journey."
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Music On The Lawn Every Thursday in September at Grace Church
Grace Episcopal Church, Georgetown will present “Music on the Lawn,” a series of Thursday evening concerts, during the month of September 2016. All performances will take place on the lawn at Grace Church at 1041 Wisconsin Avenue. For each event, gates will open at 5:30 pm, with music from 6:00 to 7:15 pm. Suggested donation for each event is $10.
Bring a picnic supper, or buy something from the on-site Dog Tag Bakery concession – sandwiches, salads, cold drinks. Seating (chairs) will be available.
Performances are as follows:
September 1: Squeeze Bayou – Cajun & Zydeco dance music of Southwestern Louisiana
September 8: Ira Gitlin & the Backroads Band – Bluegrass & Country; one of the DC area’s top honky-tonk country groups
September 15: Machaya (Yiddish word describing something that gives great joy) – Klezmer & more performed by Washington and Baltimore's most experienced, nationally acclaimed, klezmer and rock band
September 22: Cloudburst - Vocalese a la Lambert, Hendricks and Ross, Manhattan Transfer
September 29: Marshall Keys, sax and Herman Burney, bass - great musicians, longtime faithful friends of Grace
For additional information visit Grace Episcopal Church or 202.333.7100 or e-mail office@gracedc.org
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'Four Seasons' at Hillwood
The lush foliage, colorful blooms, and vegetation native to each of the seasons are spectacularly transformed into four larger-than-life, three-dimensional portrait busts for the special exhibition Four Seasons, on view at Hillwood from October 1, 2016 through March 31, 2017.
(Photo by: hillwoodmuseum.org)
Arcimboldo's Spring
Contemporary American artist and filmmaker Philip Haas’s fifteen-foot high fiberglass sculptures are inspired by the series, The Seasons,by Italian Renaissance painter Giuseppe Arcimboldo (1526-1593). This unusual series represents each season through the depiction of a portrait rendered in botanical materials such as flowers, fruits, vegetables, and branches. Haas’s re-creations transform these intriguing works, enlarging the scale, altering the materials, and adding dimensionality to shed a contemporary perspective on the popular paintings. Four Seasons represents the third contemporary art exhibition at Hillwood, following the notable presentations of works by Eva Zeisel in 2005 and Isabelle de Borchgrave in 2012. It is the first time Hillwood has presented an installation of art in the gardens.
The fantastical seasons will emerge from the ellipse lawn at Hillwood, encircled by flowers, shrubs, and verdant woodlands. Viewers will be invited to explore the intricate details of the sculptures from all angles, discovering the previously unseen sides of Arcimboldo’s two-dimensional interpretations. The installation will weather the changing seasons, as the surrounding gardens transition from late summer, through fall, winter, and into early spring.
(Photo by: hillwoodmuseum.org)
Haas's Spring
Giuseppe Arcimboldo was a Renassiance painter, born in Milan, who likely studied the works of Leonardo Da Vinci before he left Italy to paint for the imperial courts of the Habsburg rulers in Vienna and Prague. During the reign of Austria’s Emperor Maximilian II, Arcimboldo created the series The Seasons, comprising Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. The portraits, painted in 1563, depict faces composed of plants associated with each season. Rosebuds form the lips of Spring, while a ripe peach stands in for a plump cheek on Summer. The portraits also represent the ages that are often linked with each season of the year. Spring is a youthful face crafted from flower blossoms and lush greenery. A wizened old man’s face, constructed out of twisted tree branches, is the subject of Winter. The strange series was greatly appreciated for its humor as much as for the artist’s technical skill, and the paintings became quite popular in the Habsburg court.
Click here for tickets to November 7 illustrated talk with artist Philip Haas.
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Wolf Kahn at Addison/Ripley
(Photo by: Wolf Kahn)
'Surprising Green' oil
Join Addison Ripley Fine Art in welcoming Wolf Kahn on Saturday, December 12, 2015 for his opening reception from 5:00-7:00 pm. The artist will be exhibiting from December 12-January 23, 2016.
Born in Germany, Wolf Kahn has lived in the United States since 1940. He began his studies in art under abstract painter Hans Hofmann and became his assistant, after which he received a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Chicago. Kahn's career continues to flourish. He has received such honors as a Fulbright Scholarship, a John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship, and an Award in Art from the American Academy of Arts and Letters.
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