Highbrow Hip Hop and Nepalese Child Workers
Exhibition Picks:
If you love vintage posters, drop by the National Portrait Gallery's "Ballyhoo! Posters as Portraiture" exhibit before it ends on Feb. 8. Featured works include a Bob Dylan poster from the 60s, a Got Milk? PSA shot by Annie Leibovitz and an army recruitment ad circa 1917. The exhibit illustrates how posters "define the reputation of prominent Americans" (which kind of explains how Shepard Fairey turned Obama into ahipster.) [ Smithsonian ]
Catch the tail end of Zenith Gallery's "Inaugural Inspiration," an exhibit devoted to "change, optimism, hope and humor." It's basically another Obama shrine, with plenty of paintings of Obama and the American flag, but the only funny thing about it is that some of the artwork has absolutely no resemblance to the prez whatsoever. Until Feb. 8. [ Zenith Gallery ]
In honor of Senator Harkin's major contributions to RugMark, an organization devoted to ending child labor in the handmade carpet industry, the Russell Senate Building is showcasing "Faces of Freedom," an "uplifting" photo exhibit of child workers in Pakistan, Nepal and India. Until Feb 6. [RugMark ]
Museum Events:
Thursday, Feb. 5: Hip hop goes highbrow at the Phillips Collection's panel discussion on music and identity,"Poetic Voices: Hip Hop Here and Now." In case you'd rather "keep it real," there is a full-service cash bar and live hip hop music courtesy of DJ Adrian Loving, so feel free to get crunk. 5PM. [Phillips Collection ]
Friday, Feb. 6: The Touchstone Gallery is hosting a closing event for its "My Space on 7th" exhibition, a collection of works from D.C. artists ranging from amateur to pro. If that sounds too touchy-feely for your taste, it gets worse. There's going to be poetry reading and, eek, world music. 6: 30PM. [Touchstone Gallery ]