First Friday: Art Walk

The Alex Gallery, a leading commercial art gallery in Washington, D.C., featuring contemporary American and European painting, sculpture, and work on paper, will be open to display their art on this First Friday ArtWalk! The Alex Gallery is located at 2106 R Street, NW.

The Church of Scientology National Affairs Office is hosting a special exhibition presented by United for Human Rights, Youth for Human Rights DC Chapter, and Art Impact® International to celebrate human rights! The show features ten artists with a variety of styles who will be present to discuss their art with you. Come and enjoy the artwork and meet the artists who are united for human rights: Carolyn Goodridge, Hubert Jackson, E.J. Lee, P.J.P. Martin, Sharon Robinson, Patrick Smith, and J. Thomas Wells. The Church of Scientology National Affairs Office is located at 1701 20^th St. NW.

The Heurich House Museum features local makers & artisans during its Mini Markt at 1921 biergarten as part of Dupont’s monthly First Friday ArtWalk from 4-8pm. The Mini Markt program provides small maker businesses with an accessible in-person sales platform and gives DC residents an opportunity to learn about their small business community. This month the Markt will feature four locally-owned artisan maker businesses. The biergarten bar, called 1921, is located with the museum’s exhibit HOME/BREWED, which features objects from a rotating collection of over 1,000 artifacts from the historic Heurich brewery. The Heurich House is located at 1307 New Hampshire Ave, NW.

IA&A at Hillyer is proud to once again partner with the Foundation for Art and Preservation in Embassies (FAPE) to present FAPE’s latest art initiative, GIFT FOR THE NATION 250, hosted at IA&A at Hillyer. Works from FAPE’s GIFT FOR THE NATION 250 Collection. FAPE is a public-private partnership dedicated to providing permanent works of American art for U.S. embassies worldwide. The exhibition has been curated by FAPE Board member and Chairman of the Fine Arts Committee, Jack Shear.. Free to the public (suggested donation $10). Location: 9 Hillyer Ct, NW.

At the John Cavanaugh Foundation Gallery, see the work of a prolific mid-century sculptor who was based out of this space in Dupont Circle. Cavanaugh's works have been shown at the National Sculpture Center in New York City, and at the National Arts Club in Washington, D.C. Some of Cavanaugh's pieces were presented by President Clinton as state gifts to the presidents of Egypt and France. His sculpture, Demeter, after the Greek goddess of agriculture, is featured in the Friendship Garden of the U.S. National Arboretum. The John Cavanaugh Foundation Gallery is located at 1801 Swann Street NW.

The Korean Cultural Center Washington, D.C. (KCCDC), in partnership with the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design and IA&A at Hillyer, is proud to present Écriture with the Body: Contemporary Korean Women’s Art, a multi-venue touring exhibition featuring works by 18 Korean and Korean American women artists who use writing, language, and text-based practices as powerful means of expressing subjectivity and resisting entrenched gender and racial inequalities. Rooted in traditions historically shaped by patriarchy but often challenged by women—such as calligraphy, classical poetry, and literati painting  --  this exhibition reclaims these artistic forms through an embodied feminist lens.  The Korean Cultural Center is located at 2370 Massachusetts Avenue, NW.

Visit Lūneh as they display art by 22nd Canvas, a collection of acrylic on canvas paintings in various sizes. Their work blends elements of healing, sacred geometry, and surrealism, inviting viewers into a meditative experience that explores universal consciousness and the energetic connection between all beings. They are also displaying art by Ximena Rozo Design, a design studio specializing in interior decor products. Each piece is self-designed in Washington, D.C. and manufactured in Colombia and South America by skilled artisans. Location: 2000 S St. NW.

The Middle East Institute presents Arab Pop Art: Between East and West, which explores the evolution of a dynamic Arb pop art movement that merges Arab cultural symbols with the bold visual language of Western Pop Art. Drawing on satire, street culture, and a sharp socio-political lens, Arab pop artists reframe regional narratives while subverting stereotypes. The works on view juxtapose everyday icons and traditional motifs with imagery echoing the likes of Warhol and Lichtenstein, resulting in a powerful visual dialogue that redefines identity, challenges conventions, and offers fresh perspectives on contemporary life in the Middle East.

The Museum of the Palestinian People is honored to showcase the people, places, and special moments in Gaza captured through a collection of photographs stretching over four decades. This collection is part of the museum’s Gaza Remains the Story exhibit curated in cooperation with the Palestinian Museum in BirZeit, West Bank. The exhibit, which highlights Gazan family photos from the archives, along with 33 art pieces from Gazan artists, and a history presented through the research and infographics of Visualizing Palestine, all of which introduces, informs, educates, and bears witness to Gaza’s reality, while offering a glimpse into the art, aspirations, and enduring spirit of its people. Throughout the continuing tragedy, Palestinians continue to write a new chapter in human history, defined by unwavering love, spirit, and resolve. The Museum of the Palestinian People is located at 1900 18th St. NW.

This November 7, the National League of American Pen Women (NLAPW) is excited to open its historic doors to the public as part of First Friday. This special evening is dedicated to community outreach and welcoming new members who share a passion for the literary, visual, and performing arts.  Visitors will have the opportunity to explore the League’s rich artistic legacy, view members’ creative works, and learn how NLAPW supports and connects professional women in the arts across the nation. The event offers a chance to meet current members, discover upcoming programs, and experience firsthand the League’s ongoing mission to inspire, educate, and empower women creators.  The National League of American Pen Women is located at 1300 17th Street, NW.

Barbara Bennett and Q Street Fine Art are pleased to feature the paintings of Rafael Gallardo including some of the archived pieces not shown in a while and to introduce the paintings of Cuban artist Reina Maria Valdes and sculpture artist William Perry and a must see surprise addition of a well known local watercolorist.. There will be a reception and art talk in the Carriage House gallery nestled behind Saint Matthew's Cathedral at 1 Saint Matthew's Court NW.  Call 202 255 2893 for directions.  

Studio Gallery is hosting multiple exhibitions in different sections of their gallery. In the upper gallery, they host Stillness in the Noise by Chris Chernow, which promises to offer a space for quiet reflection in a world overflowing with chaos. In the lower gallery, they host Red/White/Blue by Elizabeth Curren, which seeks to examine the nationalization of color and its role in US identity and imagery. In the Garden Gallery, they host Cycles by Lisa Battle, a collection of ceramic sculptures reflecting on the ebb and flow of life. All this and more can be found at Studio Gallery, which is located at 2108 R Street, NW. 

Join us for an exciting evening at The Ven at Embassy Row, Washington, D.C., a Tribute Portfolio Hotel for the opening of a captivating solo exhibition by internationally acclaimed photo artist Sebastian Schuster. Witness the artist's unique exploration of beauty through contrast in his stunning artworks, mainly in the form of digital collages. Immerse yourself in a world of creativity and inspiration as you mingle with fellow art enthusiasts. Don't miss this opportunity to experience art in a whole new light! The Ven is located at 2015 Massachusetts Avenue, NW.

The Washington Center of ADA University, ADA Art Gallery presents Light Works by Mira Hecht. Mira Hecht’s paintings explore life’s transience, fragility and profound interconnection. Built through the slow layering of transparent veils of oil paint, her luminous abstractions reveal radiant color, depth, and a kaleidoscopic interplay of light. Light, both material and symbolic, is central to her work - illuminating form while embodying awareness, hope, and healing. Her work calls us to awaken to our shared vulnerability and to live with respect, compassion and unity. The ADA Art Gallery is located at 1627 21st Street, NW on the corner of 21st & R Street NW.