Le mostre in dicembre alla National Gallery

 

Ellsworth Kelly: Colored Paper Images In 1977, Ellsworth Kelly (born 1923) unveiled a series of molded handmade paper images that spilled beyond the crisp geometry and pristine monochromes for which he was well known. Irregular textures, pools and drifts of color, and meandering edges are celebrated in the 23 prints from the Gallery's collection.   December 16–May 19 East Building, Ground Floor www.nga.gov/exhibitions/kelly.htm

Glenn Ligon, Untitled (I Am a Man), 1988 Untitled (I Am a Man) is the Gallery's first painting by Glenn Ligon (born 1960). A reinterpretation of signs that were carried by 1,300 striking African American sanitation workers in Memphis in 1968, made famous in Ernest Withers' photographs of the march, this small, roughly made painting combines layers of history, meaning, and physical material in a single dense, resonant object.   East Building, Concourse www.nga.gov/collection/acquisitioninfo.htm

PUBLIC SYMPOSIUM Tony Smith at 100 He studied architecture at the New Bauhaus in Chicago and apprenticed with Frank Lloyd Wright, but Smith (born 1912) was largely self-taught as an artist. This symposium explores the career of this prolific sculptor with illustrated lectures by Harry Cooper, curator, National Gallery of Art; Eileen Costello, editor and project director, The Catalogue Raisonne of the Drawings of Jasper Johns, The Menil Collection; and Charles Ray, artist. This program is held in collaboration with Kiki Smith, Seton Smith, and the Tony Smith Estate. (Image: Courtesy of the Tony Smith Estate)   December 1, 1:00–4:00 East Building Concourse, Auditorium www.nga.gov/programs/lectures/index.htm#smith100

CHILDREN'S FILM Powers of Ten Iconic American shorts by designers Charles and Ray Eames and computer programmer and mathematician Al Jarnow include the Eames' Powers of Ten (1977), Toccata for Toy Trains (1959), and Tops (1969). Screened by episode on early childhood television series such as Sesame Street and 3, 2, 1 Contact, Jarnow's animations are as familiar as his name is unknown. Classic titles from the 1970s include Cosmic Clock, Autosong, and Paper Origami. Total running time 55 minutes. (Ages 6 and up) (Image: Still from Cosmic Clock)   December 1, 10:30; December 2, 11:30 East Building Concourse, Auditorium www.nga.gov/programs/flmchild/index.htm#powers

FILM SERIES American Originals Now: James Benning Known for composed long takes with an acute sensitivity to out-of-frame sound, Benning's films and high-definition recordings are intense studies of places, travels, landscapes, and more recently, individuals. He visits the Gallery to present three programs of his films, presented in association with the exhibition The Serial Portrait: Photography and Identity in the Last One Hundred Years. (Image: Still from small roads, courtesy of James Benning)   December 8, 2:30, 4:30; December 9, 4:30 East Building Concourse, Auditorium www.nga.gov/programs/film/aon-benning.htm

LECTURES In honor of the exhibition Roy Lichtenstein: A Retrospective, artist Laurie Lambrecht—who worked as a studio assistant for Lichtenstein—joins Harry Cooper, curator, National Gallery of Art, for a conversation, Roy Lichtenstein in His Studio, on December 9. Avis Berman, a writer, art historian, and consultant for oral history for the Roy Lichtenstein Foundation, visits the Gallery to present Roy Lichtenstein: Voices from the Archives on December 16. (Image: Avis Berman, copyright Miriam Berkley)   December 9, 12:00; December 16, 2:00 East Building Concourse, Auditorium www.nga.gov/programs/lecture

HOLIDAY CAROLING AND CONCERTS Visitors are invited to sing along with guest choirs and ensembles surrounded by seasonal decorations for caroling in the Rotunda. The Gallery also presents two holiday concerts this season: on December 16, New York City's Empire Brass comes to the Gallery with soprano Elisabeth von Trapp (child star of the classic film The Sound of Music). On December 30, in celebration of the New Year, the National Gallery of Art Vocal Ensemble sings favorite arias from Viennese operettas by Lehar and the Strauss family. (Image: Photo by Charles Bauduy)   Holiday Caroling See individual dates for performers December 15, 16, 22, 23, 1:30, 2:30 West Building Main Floor, Rotunda   Holiday Concerts December 16, 30, 6:30 West Building, West Garden Court   www.nga.gov/programs/music

National Gallery of Art Ornament Continuing a great holiday tradition, this year's ornament is inspired by a woodcut by Albrecht Durer. It is one of a series of six circular patterns of intertwined ornament, which Durer refers to as "knots," and inspired by ornamental motifs devised by Leonardo da Vinci and engraved by a follower in Milan. Complex, yet perfectly balanced, Durer's knots are a technical tour de force with great visual appeal. The 24-karat-gold finished brass ornament, engraved with "National Gallery of Art" and the year 2012, is packaged in a handsome gift box with information about the design that makes it a perfect item for collectors.   shop.nga.gov/nga/category.cgi?item=410000470480

DJs in the Garden: Spin, Cut, & Groove Celebrate the season at the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden ice rink! New this year, every Thursday night a DJ brings the rink alive with the sound of popular music from the 1960s, '70s, '80s, and '90s. Skaters may make requests and twirl across the ice to their favorite tunes. Stay warm with the Pavilion Cafe's gourmet espresso and hot chocolate bar, complete with toppings, liqueurs, and biscotti.   December 6–February 28, 6:00–9:00 Weather permitting 7th Street and Constitution Ave NW www.nga.gov/ginfo/skating.htm

Imperial Augsburg: Renaissance Prints and Drawings, 1475–1540 This exhibition—the first of its kind in America—serves as an introduction to the remarkable artistic community that flourished in Augsburg, Germany. Some 100 works, almost all taken from the Gallery's own collections, include imperial propaganda, humanist subjects, and devotional works. This distinctive body of work also celebrates artistic virtuosity and invention.   Through December 31 West Building, Ground Floor www.nga.gov/augsburg

The Serial Portrait Photography and Identity in the Last One Hundred Years In the early 20th century, some photographers questioned whether a single image could adequately capture the complexity of an individual. This exhibition features 153 works by 20 artists who photographed the same subjects—primarily friends, family, and themselves—over the course of days, months, or years to create some of the most provocative and revealing portraits of their time.   Through December 31 West Building, Ground Floor www.nga.gov/serial

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