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WPA Auction Preview

Feb. 28, 2009

Amy Jean Porter's freaked out monkey

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Chris Saah's photographic image
Thursday night was the preview and curators’ talks for the 2009 WPA (Washington Project for the Arts) auction. The auction, which brings some serious local collectors together with serious art, is the primary fund-raiser annually for the WPA. This year is special, since it is, sadly for us, The Inestimable Kim Ward’s last as Director of the WPA. In her five years, Kim brought new life and spirit and great growth to the WPA and succeeded in separating it from the Corcoran (no mean feat) and installing it in a great new home in Dupont Circle. She also brought the WPA closer to the local artists who are its primary constituency and mission. Argh, I sniffle and weep.
Anyway, the preview exhibit and talks were at the Katzen Center. There is some good art and some very good art this year, along with a few also-rans, as ever. (Gotta say, since most of the work is an the small side, it does kind of tend to get lost in that soaring space a the Katzen, but that’s a nit, since it isn’t going to stay there, but will go home with some happy buyers next Saturday night.)
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Katr Hardy's porcelain with decal
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Jason Houchen's woodburnt moose
Some of my favorites are Jason Houchen’s woodburning on moose head, Amy Jean Porter’s goache from her “Freaked Out Monkeys in Trees” series, Kate Hardy’s porcelain vessel with vintage decal and Chris Saah’s electro-cinemagraph (huh?).
The consensus hit of the night, though, was Jack Rasmussen’s acceptance speech when he received the Alice Denny prize for his contributions to our arts community – an award which is richly deserved. Jack sang his speech to the tune of “My Way” with great gusto and shockingly good voice. It left the audience speechless. I am just pleased that I will be able to tell my grandchildren that I was present at this historic occasion.
The curators’ talks were often interesting and helpful, but a couple of them were overfilled with the kind of art blather of which I have grown increasingly intolerant. I just can’t sit through that stuff anymore and I’ll confess that I bolted like a rabid bat at the end.

 

 
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