Art beyond the Smithsonian: unique galleries and museums thrive in D.C

Art Business News, July, 2005 by Barbara Murray

Kreeger's striking collection of works span the artistic periods between the 1850s and 1970s. Its offerings, all amassed by the world-traveling philanthropist husband and wife team, David and Carmen Kreeger, include works by renowned European artists of the 20th century, pieces by American artists, as well as works from central and west Africa. One should not be surprised to see Frank Stella's strikingly colorful "Flin-Flon XIII," with its rounded geometric shapes that hold court in the lower level gallery along with pieces from the likes of Rosenquist and Gene Davis--all part of a permanent collection that also contains its share of Kandinskys, Monets, Picassos and Van Goghs. And then there is the Sculpture Terrace that graces the 5.5-acre estate with works by Jean Arp, Henry Moore and others. But that's not all. The Kreeger Museum encompasses the arts beyond the visual with a concert venue, or the Great Hall where, among other events, the museum presents the annual June Chamber Festival. "It is truly a jewel in Washington," says Kreeger Museum Director Judy A. Greenberg. "It's been open to the public for 11 years and the audience is still growing; and they're not just coming in to see art."

One can hardly dismiss, however, those destinations that are found quite conspicuously on the beaten path. While Vision Gallery is not hidden in a secluded area--the locale makes its home in a sleek, 12,000-square-foot space at the Georgetown Place Mall in D.C.'s eternally trendy Georgetown neighborhood--it stands out for its business origins and its collection's unusual blend of cultures. Mahmoud Naemi, owner and director of the Vision Gallery, keeps an inventory of works on consignment by 17 local, national and international artists, including talent from Russia, Ghana and Iran. A native of Iran himself, Naemi also boasts a catalog of original lithographs by such contemporary masters as Chagall, Dali, Lichtenstein, Picasso, and Warhol. The diverse collection has emerged as a direct result of Naemi's straightforward selection process. "If I like the artwork, I choose to carry it," he explains."Also, I look at the market and at what sells in the area." Vision Gallery offers something else not often seen in galleries--an onsite framing shop. Naemi began an art framing business in 1996, long before his Georgetown days, and maintains the operations within the gallery. It is one-stop shopping on the gallery circuit.

Cultural Insight

For those who made the trek to our nation's capital to take in the cultural sights prior to Fall 2004, it may very well be time for a return trip. Just when it seemed that the Smithsonian had solidified its stable of museums, up pops the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI), a seemingly obvious venue, considering the origins of the nation's history. A nearly $220-million project, NMAI captured the last remaining parcel of unoccupied real estate, a 4.25-acre site, on the National Mall.

The new 350,000-square-foot museum's collection of approximately 7,500 items, dedicated to highlighting the culture of Native Americans, is held within the confines of one of the district's most distinctive examples of contemporary architecture. With an exterior made of the terracotta-hued Kosota limestone from Minnesota, the NMAI building is a striking five-story structure that can be aptly described as an expanse of darkly tinted sand dune wrapped like ribbons around a gift box. Among NMM's expansive roster of treasures are various cultural items such as baskets, clothing, quilled hides and wood carvings; as well as religious and ceremonial artifacts. And the pieces hail from locales around the world such as the Caribbean, Central America, Mexico, Peru and South America. The collection is so vast--and accentuated by two theaters, museums shops and a cafe--it can only be summed up as an all-encompassing history of Native Americans contained under a single roof.