Second Fridays through October
The Art Center’s signature evening series returns with eclectic art and activities. In among three floors of open artists’ studios, find gallery receptions, stimulating artist talks, pop-up performances, hands-on projects, lively music, and more.
Celebrate the final Late Shift of the season with The Art of Questioning.
This is a night for research, exploration, and most importantly, uplifting the arts and imagination. Target Gallery presents an artist reception for the new exhibition Hypotheses. Alexandria’s Poet Laureate KaNikki Jakarta leads a reading with three of the DMV’s finest poets: 13 of Nazareth, C. Thomas, and Kim B. Miller. The Alexandria Archaeology Museum provides a hands-on project focused on their history of research and experimentation. DJ One Luv spins beats all night. Plus: open studios on all three floors.
Masks are required for all visitors.
RSVPs requested. This event is free and open to the public.
Schedule
Grand Hall (Inside)
- 7:30 – 8:00 pm: Hypotheses Reception and Artist Talk
- 8:30 – 9:30 pm: Live Poetry Performances curated by KaNikki Jakarta
- 7 – 10 pm: Hands-on project with Alexandria Archaeology Museum
- 7 – 10 pm: Live Music by DJ One Luv
Image Credit: Fanni Somogyi, Cross Species Connection, 2021.
Target Gallery
Reception and Art Talk
7:30 – 8:00 P.M.
Grand Hall
Target Gallery presents a new group exhibition Hypotheses. This exhibition is all about the process of intellectual experimentation and/or the exploration of new ideas and techniques in an artist’s practice.
The goal of this theme is to create a dialogue of work in conversation with each other about embarking outside one’s traditional boundaries of understanding. Whether it be based in cerebral or scientific research or experimenting with a new technique or conceptual idea, each work in the exhibition will embody this concept of questioning and discovery.
Poetry Performances: The Art of Questioning
Curated by KaNikki Jakarta
8:30 – 10 p.m.
Grand Hall
Explore the creativity of poets in the DMV with this selection of performers, curated by Alexandria’s Poet Laureate KaNikki Jakarta.
About the Poets
13 of Nazareth
13 of Nazareth13 of Nazareth is a convergence of Hip-Hop culture, old school R&B/Soul music, scientific spirituality and a child-like love of language. Rhythms that are warm to the heart embedded with lyrics that are challenging to the ear often emerge from this intersection and have resulted in him being labeled a “poet’s poet.” His writing is elevated without being condescending as it invites seeing from his vantage point without dismissing that of others. 13 of Nazareth encourages each listener/reader to apply what is useful from his work while discarding what is not.
C. Thomas
C. ThomasC. Thomas amplifies his voice through his art, teachings, and advocacy work for the benefit of Child Abuse Prevention Awareness, Mental Health, Black Lives Matter, Mental Health, and the LGBTQ+ community which he is proud to be a part of.
Kim B. Miller
Kim B. MillerKim B. Miller is a native New Yorker, born in Brooklyn, New York. Her family later moved to Long Island, NY. Kim later moved to her “forever home” in PWC Virginia. She is the First African American Poet Laureate for PWC, VA. She has performed at The National Black Theater in New York, Northern Virginia Community College, Atlas Performing Arts Center and The Black Box Theater in DC and many other venues. She has performed nationally in person and internationally online.
Kim B Miller is an award-winning spoken word poet. She is the 2019 Southern Fried Poetry Haiku Champion and 2018 Black Poetry Café Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is slam champion.
Curated by KaNikki Jakarta
Alexandria Archaeology Museum
“Drawing from the Past” – Hands on Project
7:00 – 10:00 p.m.
Grand Hall
Archaeologists have studied a variety of ceramic wares and decorative techniques in Alexandria ranging from the 18th – 20th century. Apply your own temporary tattoo in the style of transfer printed porcelain and create dendritic patterns similar to those on 19th century mochaware. City archaeologists will demo decorative styles and show similar artifacts found in Alexandria.
Untitled by Ryan Burnett, Virginia Tech
NEW PROJECT STUDIO
2021 AIA Virginia Prize Competition
7:00 – 10:00 p.m.
Exhibition extended through September
Now through the end of September! The New Project Studio hosts an exhibition of the 2021 AIA Virginia Prize competition. The competition — which took place over the weekend of Jan. 22–25, 2021 — was inspired by the Equal Justice Initiative’s Community Remembrance Project and challenged students to design a pillar installation for the City of Alexandria’s Market Square.
Conducted simultaneously at Hampton University, University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, and the Washington-Alexandria Architecture Center, the competition engaged students at all of the accredited schools of architecture in Virginia. Students were given the competition program on a Friday afternoon and had until the following Monday to submit their designs. Each school’s faculty reviewed the submissions and sent up to 10 finalists for final consideration by the jury.
LIVE MUSIC: DJ ONE LUV
7 – 10 P.M.
Jamal “DJ One Luv” Muhammad was born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA. He has resided in the Washington, D.C. area since 1994. He is an established full time DJ, a talk show host, a visual artist and dedicated community activist in the Washington area. As a DJ he is renowned for his classic Old School parties and events celebrating and paying tribute to the history and greatness of music and artists from years past. He is in high demand for various events from parties, festivals, corporate & community events, political events and major conferences. Since 2018 he has been the host of his weekly online show “The Old School Lunch Bag Mix”. Since 2016, Jamal has been the resident DJ for the National Education Association’s Annual Race and Social Justice Conference block parties held in different cities across the country. He takes great pride in giving back and giving his all in everything he does.
