Alma W. Thomas: Everything Is Beautiful
THROUGH JANUARY 23, 2022
This major retrospective of Alma W. Thomas (1891-1978) traces her journey from semi-rural Georgia to Washington, DC, to becoming the first Black woman given a solo show at the Whitney Museum of American Art at age 81. Through artworks and archival materials, this exhibition demonstrates how Thomas’s wide-reaching artistic practices extended far beyond her studio, shaping every facet of her life—from community service to teaching, to gardening. Learn More
David Driskell: Icons of Nature and History
THROUGH JANUARY 9, 2022
Featuring over 50 works, this exhibition offers the first comprehensive examination of the paintings, collages, prints, and drawings of David Driskell (1931–2020), a celebrated American artist, art historian, and educator. His legacy in the history of American art is unparalleled: through his curatorial work, writing, and teaching, he demonstrated that the art of Black people is essential to the story of American art. Learn More
Intersections: Sanford Biggers
THROUGH JANUARY 9, 2022
Mosaic by Sanford Biggers is part of The Phillips Collection’s ongoing Intersections contemporary art projects. Drawing from pieces in the museum’s permanent collection and bridging different cultures and histories, Biggers will produce a new body of work: a three-dimensional quilt, a marble sculpture, and a floor piece made with sand. Learn More
Digital Intersections: Daniel Canogar
THROUGH JANUARY 2, 2022
Amalgama Phillips by Madrid-based artist Daniel Canogar is a new major acquisition by The Phillips Collection undertaken during its centennial year. This generative digital work by Madrid-based artist Daniel Canogar blends 550 images from the museum’s permanent collection to create a seamless blend of ever-changing, fluidly morphing imagery. The site-specific piece occupies the three-story spiral stairway in the museum’s Goh Annex. Learn More
EVENTS
ART AND WELLNESS
Guided Meditation
EVERY WEDNESDAY, 12:45 PM
Join us for a free, 30-minute weekly meditation led by local yoga teacher Aparna Sadananda via Zoom. Inspired by an artwork from our permanent collection, we will practice techniques for mindful looking and thinking that we can carry with us wherever we are.
SPECIAL EVENT
The Phillips Collection’s 100th Birthday Party
NOVEMBER 12, 11 AM
When it opened on November 12, 1921, as the Phillips Memorial Art Gallery, the museum comprised one room and 237 paintings. Now, 100 years later, the museum has expanded to include numerous buildings and nearly 6,000 works of art. Join us for a birthday bash including access to our fall exhibitions, art activities, spotlight talks, cupcakes, and more! This event is pay-what-you-wish…a birthday wish for our next 100 years! Donations are encouraged to support America’s first museum of modern art. Reservations are required for nonmembers; members are welcome to walk in. Learn More
PHILLIPS TALKS
Alma W. Thomas & David Driskell: Journeys in Art
NOVEMBER 13, 3 PM
The Phillips Collection and Howard University present four 30-minute conversations about Alma W. Thomas and David Driskell and their connections to Spirituality, Howard University, and Identity. Speakers include numerous Howard faculty and staff members, Phillips curators, and faculty at Towson University and University of Delaware. Close looking at artworks by both artists and a poetry reading by Howard University students are also a part of the program. Learn More
PHILLIPS MUSIC
Attacca Quartet
NOVEMBER 14, 4 PM
Attacca Quartet returns to the Phillips for the world premiere of a commissioned work by composer Gabriel Kahane. Kahane’s “String Quartet No. 1” was inspired by five paintings from the permanent collection by Paul Klee that lend their names to the five movements of the quartet: Nach Rechts, Nach Links; Botanical Garden (Passacaglia); Tree Nursery; Cathedral; and Printed Sheet. Learn More
PANEL DISCUSSION
Haunted: The Black Body as Ancestor and Spectre
NOVEMBER 17, 6 PM
Bridget R. Cooks, Associate Professor in the Department of Art History and the Department of African American Studies at UC Irvine, and Robert Cozzolino, Curator of Paintings at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, will discuss their recent projects regarding representation of the Black body in art. This event is part of Antiracism: Communities + Collaborations, a new series co-sponsored by The Phillips Collection in partnership with the University of Maryland. Learn More
CURATOR’S PERSPECTIVE
Alma W. Thomas: Everything Is Beautiful
NOVEMBER 18, 6 PM
Phillips Collection Associate Curator Renee Maurer will introduce Alma W. Thomas: Everything Is Beautiful, discussing Thomas’s wide-reaching artistic practices that extended far beyond her studio and shaped every facet of her life—from gardening to teaching to community service. Learn More
PHILLIPS MUSIC
Cafritz Young Artists of Washington National Opera
NOVEMBER 21, 4 PM
Hear a musical response to the work of Alma W. Thomas as part of the Washington, D.C., citywide celebration of the iconic artist. Singers from the Cafritz Young Artists of Washington National Opera and Program Director Robert Ainsley will perform songs that engage with the exhibition Alma W. Thomas: Everything Is Beautiful. Learn More
