First Friday Dupont Circle: Art Walk

The Embassy of Peru is opening, “Quapac Ñan: The Great Inca Trail. The trail is one on the most important human creations in the Andean world. From the start, the Inca Trail functions as the backbone that articulated the people of Tawantinsua, the resources of various regions, and the provincial administrative sites that were monitored from Cusco. Five centuries later, Quapac Nan is still relevant for many people who continue to use it to communicate and safeguard their ancestral knowledge through transmission between generations. The Embassy of Peru is located at 1700 Massachusetts Avenue, NW.

IA&A at Hillyer presents three new exhibitions, “Democracy at the Crossfire: Art, Identity, and Resilience,” curated by Tim Brown and Dr. Sarah Klein; “Optimal Delusion” by April Webb; and “Phoenix Series” by Redeat Wondemu. Take this opportunity to meet the artists in person and mingle with friends and colleagues. Free to the public ($10 suggested donation). IA&A at Hillyer is Dupont Circle’s largest nonprofit gallery, located in a carriage house at 9 Hillyer Court, NW – behind the Phillips Collection. To learn more, visit www.athillyer.org.

This July 5th, Studio Gallery is proud to present a series of captivating new exhibits showcasing the talents of local artists. Experience the transformative journey of Suzanne Goldberg through her solo exhibit, “Changes.” Curated by Adah Rose Bitterbaum, this exhibit represents the artist's changes over several years inspired by important life events. In the lower gallery, discover the beauty in discarded materials with “It’s Not Trash,” a collaborative exhibition by Pam Frederick, Harriet Lesser, and Veronica Szalus. Curated by Craig Cahoon, these artists breathe new life into what would otherwise be waste. Frederick’s cardboard wall sculptures are made entirely from shipping boxes and salvaged materials, while Lesser’s mixed media prints transform everyday junkyard items into engaging abstractions. Szalus’s 3-D sculpture, featuring suspended paper forms, commands attention at the gallery's center, encouraging conversations about repurposing materials in innovative ways. In the garden gallery, Kimberley Bursic conveys the complexities of living and the struggle to articulate it. “As I Was Saying” captures the essence of interrupted thoughts and conversations, leaving viewers with a sense of meaning and a feeling of distraction. Also in the Garden Gallery, “Summer Treats” by Robert Cwiok relives the joys of childhood summers in Cleveland, Ohio. Both exhibits in the Garden Gallery are curated by Deborah Addison Coburn and Miriam Keeler. Studio Gallery is an art cooperative located at 2108 R Street NW. We hope to see you there!

The Washington Center of ADA Art Gallery, an extension of ADA University’s Art Program, welcomes their Summer 2024 exhibition Parallax Paradigms. The works from the Perspective, Architectural, and Garden Pond series were created over the past three years. This collection embraces serendipity and contradiction, blurring reality while prioritizing color over shape and form. Abol Bahadori is an award-winning Azerbaijani artist who lives in Northern Virginia. He was born in Tabriz, the capital city of Iranian Azerbaijan and started painting at a very early age, inspired by the colorful carpets in his hometown. Bahadori masterfully renders space to create immersive environments that viewers can imaginatively enter – what Mark Jenkins, art critic for The Washington Post, described as “inviting but impossible.” The Washington Center of ADA University is a 501 (c) 3 organization aiming to promote social, fraternal, and networking opportunities, facilitate education activities, and advance cultural ties between the United States and Azerbaijan. You can find the Washington Center of the ADA Art Gallery at 1627 21st Street, NW on Gallery Row.

Join the Washington Studio School for First Friday Artwalk on July 5 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Drawing inspiration from our current exhibition featuring the emotive works of Diane Wilson, attendees are invited to create their own mixed media portrait – free. The Washington Studio School is located at 2129 S Street, NW. You can sign up for classes too!

Woman’s National Democratic Club is pleased to feature Leslie Harris’ exhibition, "Traveling the River of My Imagination," in the club's ballroom gallery. Appropriately, this summer exhibition will take you to the sea, rivers, and forests. Looked at carefully, Harris' dramatic and colorful art will draw you in. She uses various media such as oil and cold wax, ink and collage, and acrylic and ink on wood panels to create abstract paintings that are informed by her previous career as a human rights and civil liberties lawyer. Free! A cash bar will be available from 6:00 p.m. The Woman’s National Democratic Club is located at 1526 New Hampshire Avenue NW.