Into The Light Exhibit At The Athenaeum In Alexandria
BY Amanda Pelletier
January 20th, 2012
If you’re looking for a way to insert a dose of culture into your weekend, I highly recommend venturing down to Old Town Alexandria to pay a visit to the Athenaeum where “Into the Light” is currently on display. Curated by Amy Morton, “Into the Light” is an exhibition of artwork by Esther Yi and Victoria Shaheen.
Although the two artists work with different mediums, Yi and Shaheen both experiment with the theme of light. For her installation entitled “White Heat, White Light”, Shaheen cast light bulbs in plaster, creating what she describes as “a beautiful and poetic dystopian circle in her artwork”. In this exhibition, Esther Yi has taken black and white images of masterpieces by the likes of da Vinci and Jan Van Eyke and cast them in a new light-using a process known as mordancage, creating a melting effect.
Esther Yi’s work on display at the Athanaeum (Photo Credit: Jason Tucker)
Amy Morton owns and operates an innovative gallery in DC, which showcases museum-quality contemporary art in a relaxed, accessible environment. Morton describes herself as an advocate for emerging artists, highlighting the work of young artists- some who are fresh out of school. True to her philosophy, Morton handpicked Victoria Shaheen and Esther Yi after seeing their artwork on display at “Next at the Corcoran”, the senior thesis exhibition for the Corcoran College of Art and Design. “An emerging artist show of this caliber offers an exciting opportunity for collectors to view and acquire work ahead of the curve by these exceptional young artists”, said Morton at the exhibition’s artist reception last month.
Amy Morton with “White Heat, White Light” by Victoria Shaheen (Photo Credit: Jason Tucker)
Hurry down to Alexandria to see this exhibit before it closes on Sunday. If you’re in the U Street area, be sure to stop in to Morton Fine Art at 1781 Florida Avenue to view more visionary artwork.
WHEN: Exhibit on display until Sunday, January 22. Gallery hours are Thursday, Friday, and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. and on Saturday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
WHERE:
Athenaeum
201 Prince Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
ADMISSION: Free
http://askmissa.com/2012/01/20/into-the-light-exhibit-at-the-athenaeum-in-alexandria/
Morton Fine Art: curator's notes 