UNION OF THE STATE

It is hard to imagine Washington D.C. today as anything other than a laager of criticism, circumlocution and cynicism split on reform. So confounding has become the rhetoric on the front line that its daily reporting usually poses “Who will be jumping on the bandwagon this time?” For Superfine! – The Fair founders Alex Mitow and James Miille there is but one course: to hitch their wagon to a star and inspire the next generation to do the same. From October 31 to November 4, 2018 that “sight” is Union Market, Dock 5, 1309 5th Street Northeast, where all are welcome to celebrate the first Superfine! DC art fair.

Andrew Ooi, Temple, 2017 | 16 x 14.5 x 2.5 inches, 40.6 x 37 x 6.5 cm | 487 Acrylic-and-ink-painted, folded Gampi paper pieces

Programming highlights for the postprandial include a Masquerade Vernissage, replete with bubbly and bagged couture candy; Ice Cream Social; Beer-Tasting Mixer; live performances; and LGBT Art Shorts screening, where, (naturally) artisanal popcorn will be served. For those iris-whitened and able to get to an early-PM start, tours, panels and discussions led by local and national industry professionals open the conversation with particulars of art: from buying and collecting to marketing and community-building.  With over 70 exhibits and 300+ artists, of which more than half are based in the Washington Metropolitan Area, the opportunity to meet, greet, learn, look, support, snack and shop will be the rational take away from the Market’s proverbial big tent.

Andrew Ooi, Moss, 2018 | 7.5 x 6 x 3.5 inches, 19.16 x 15.2 x 8.9 cm | 173 Acrylic-and-ink-painted, folded Gampi paper pieces

Additional “sites” not to miss are Foto Kaip-Sool 2018–a photography exhibition examining the current political purview of gender and identity in society–and Heartlandia–ten galleries from American cities showing the best of, originally-discovered new directions in art. Included in the select grouping is Heartlandia-curator, Nicole Capozzi’s BoxHeart Gallery Pittsburgh PA, located at Booth 41. Seen here, will be two diverse works of mine, Temple 2017 and Moss 2018, alongside the thoughtful paintings, sculptures and objet d’art of artists Hannah Pierce, Annie Heisey, Sara Catapano, Heather Kanazawa, Seth Clark, Crista Pisano, Kyle Ethan Fischer, Daria Sandburg, and BoxHeart Gallery co-owner, Joshua Hogan. Collectively, the representative artworks are not unlike the vociferous camps in the Nation’s capital defending their distinct point of view. However, they do so quietly, surely, and without force to appeal. Because, in the constellation of humanity, all stars, no matter how different–artistic, civic, individual and more–shine. Who can’t get on board with that?

Superfine! DC tickets are available at Eventbrite.com; fair updates, at Superfine.World. Camp followers, visit @superfine.fair on Instagram.com. Remember: the time for glamping is now.