Cool Art and Happenings to Beat the August Heat

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A great way to get cool this August: Head for the hills! Whispering Waters, acrylic on canvas, by Camille Kouyoumdjian is part of the Wild Harmony exhibit at 868 Estate Vineyards in Purcellville, VA. (Photo Camille Kouyoumdjian)

Alexandria, VA – July was a record-breaking scorcher around the DMV. Experience reminds us that we can’t count on the dog dayz of August to expect any relief. Can’t get to the pool or beach? A divinely arctic air-conditioned art gallery or museum is just the ticket.

Pearl Earring. mixed media by Brazilian-born artist Romero Britto, on exhibit at Nepenthe Old Town and Hollin Hall this month. (Photo: Nepenthe Gallery)

22-year-old May Pang with John Lennon back in the days of his Lost Weekend era in LA. Pang appeared at Nepenthe Gallery last month to recount her time with the legendary Beatle and sign her intimate portraits documenting their relationship. (Courtesy photo)

Speaking of coolness, Nepenthe Gallery has turned up the heat with some crowd-gathering events elevating the local art scene. On July 18 – 21, Nepenthe’s Hollin Hall fine art space hosted a very special event ~ John Lennon and May Pang: The Lost Weekend. Photographer May Pang was Lennon’s friend and lover during his “lost weekend” of ‘73-‘75 when Lennon was separated from Yoko Ono. The Beatle bad boy moved to Los Angeles, hit the club scene hard as one of the Hollywood Vampires, and set up housekeeping with 22-year-old May Pang.

Photographer May Pang posed with John Lennon fans at Nepenthe Gallery during the packed opening reception for her exhibit The Lost Weekend: The Photography of May Pang. (Photo: Scott MacConomy)

Pang’s candid photographs of her life and times with Lennon reveal a compellingly poignant archival documentation of that “Lost Weekend” in La La Land. Pang was on hand all four days to recount her relationship with John and Yoko and to sign her limited-edition photographs taken from late 1973 to 1975. All the work on exhibit was for sale. If you missed the exhibit, you can view the documentary The Lost Weekend: A Love Story on Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video.

Celebrating Marian Van Landingham, who founded the Torpedo Factory Art Center 50 years ago. Pictures are (l-r) Lucelle 0’Flaherty, Nina Tisara, Allison Silberberg, Marian Van Landingham, Boyd Walker, Janet Barnett, Christa Watters, and Robert Ray IV. (Photo Steven Halperson/Tisara Photography)

Over in Old Town, Torpedo Factory Founder Marian Van Landingham celebrated her establishing the landmark art center 50 years ago on the sultry Saturday of Alexandria’s 275th anniversary soirée. Native Alexandrian Boyd Walker hosted an open house barbecue at the home of the former Virginia delegate, Living Legend, and artist extraordinaire. Be sure to spend some time artfully cooling down these dog days of summer in Ms. Landingham’s labor of love and legacy!

August art events of note, not to be missed, include:

The Athenaeum ~ Street Photography II from August 8 — September 22, with an opening reception on August 11, 4-6 pm.

Del Ray Artisans ~ The Science of Our Surroundings, curated by Aaron and Amanda Fletchersmith through August 25, 2024. There’s a First Thursday sneak preview until 9 pm with family-friendly activities on 8/1 and the opening reception on 8/2 from 7-9 pm.

Nepenthe Gallery ~ Meet Andreas Barrett at Nepenthe Hollin Hall on August 15 from 6 – 7:30 pm for ART + WINE + CHEESE. On 8/22 from 5-7:30 pm, the ArtSpireVa non-profit performs live as dancers showcase choreography inspired by Nepenthe artists’ work in the gallery.

There’s a special Romero Britto Summer Showcase Pop-Up at Nepenthe Old Town (108 N. St. Asaph) August 23-25, followed by an ongoing exhibit spotlighting the expansive global artist and philanthropist, who founded the Happy Art Movement at Nepenthe Hollin Hall beginning August 27. Check the gallery website for hours. August 29, meet author, kidnapping survivor, and founder of Soul Speak Press, Jessica Buchanan, along with author, yoga instructor, and wellness warrior Delia Sullivan, discussing their second of the Deserts and Mountaintops Anthology Series, “Choosing Our Healing Through Radical Self-Acceptance.”

River Farm at 7931 East Boulevard Drive, ALX, continues to exhibit the mosaics and photography of Nina Tisara and the photographs of Steven Halperson. Nature’s Spirit images will be displayed at the historic estate through August 26, 2024. Call 703-768-5780 ext. 137 to confirm viewing times.

Alexandria artist Camille Kouyoumdjian frequently exhibits her fine art at Del Ray Artisans, as well as the Art League and the Van Landingham Gallery of the Torpedo Factory, and she has art on exhibit at 868 Estate Vineyards in Purcellville. Wild Harmony is on exhibit through October 6, 2024.

Detail from an exquisite Amish Lone Star/Star of Bethlehem quilt on exhibit at the Smithsonian American Art Museum through August 25. 2024. Photo Kelly MacConomy.

LAST CALL ~ Closing August 26 at the Smithsonian American Art Museum: Pattern and Paradox: The Quilts of Amish Women is a must-see exhibition of the stellar quilt collection of Faith and Stephen Brown- a promised gift to the SAAM. The SAAM is open until 7 pm every day.

High-school and college-student artwork chosen for the 2024 Student Art Anthology by Nepenthe curators Patty Owens and Beth Hamed as well as master photographer Renée C. Gage. (Photo Nepenthe Gallery)

Keep your cool and be cool jumping into art spaces and places these final weeks of DMZ summer daze and haze. From the Mall to a King Street stroll, from North Old Town and Del Day to Hollin Hall and south to River Farm, public to private, art on exhibit is all around. Pop in to beat the heat. Stay to find your art. You’ll become an art aficionado before you can say…… I miss summer.

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