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Public Programs

 

Kandinsky and the Harmony of Silence: Painting with White Border
(June 11–September 4, 2011)

SYMPOSIUM
June 11, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Kandinsky: Looking Forward, Looking Back
Frank Stella and leading artists, conservators, and scholars reconsider Kandinsky’s contribution to modern art and his lasting legacy. Panelists discuss Kandinsky’s painting methods and techniques, the historical context in which he worked, and how his art and ideas resonate in contemporary art. Included in admission to special exhibition; free for members

THEATER
July 7, 6:30 p.m.
Staged Reading of Six Degrees of Separation*
In John Guare's award-winning play, a con artist wins his way into the home of New York art dealers and dines in the shadow of their two-sided painting by Wassily Kandinsky. Alan Paul, associate director of the Shakespeare Theatre Company, directs. $20, $8 for members; registration required: www.phillipscollection.org/calendar

CURATOR/ CONSERVATOR’S PERSPECTIVE
July 14, 6:30 p.m.
Kandinsky and the Harmony of Silence: Painting with White Border
Curator Elsa Smithgall and Head of Conservation Elizabeth Steele discuss Kandinsky’s artistic process and share new findings about how he developed his compositions. Included in admission to special exhibition; free for members

PHILLIPS AFTER 5
August 4, 5–8:30 p.m.
Spirituality in Art*
Enjoy music and videos by DJ Robin Bell and a chair yoga class led by Kimberly Wilson of Tranquil Space. Included in admission to special exhibition; free for members

ARTIST/CURATOR’S PERSPECTIVE
August 11, 6:30 p.m.
The Art of Sound: Kandinsky and Beyond*
Sound and installation artist Richard Chartier considers the importance of music in Kandinsky’s art and speaks with Curator Elsa Smithgall about the role of sound in his own work. Included in admission to special exhibition; free for members

LECTURE
August 25, 6:30 p.m.
Kandinsky, Münter, and the Circles of Influence*
Bibiana Obler, assistant professor of art history at The George Washington University, discusses how the longtime collaboration between Wassily Kandinsky and Gabriele Münter affected their work and that of their peers. Cosponsored by the George Washington Alumni Association, Washington, D.C. $12, free for members; registration required: www.phillipscollection.org/calendar

GALLERY TALKS
Sundays, June 12–Sept. 4, noon
Kandinsky and the Harmony of Silence: Painting with White Border
This exhibition reunites the artist’s 1913 masterpiece with preparatory studies from international collections, including the Phillips’s oil sketch. Included in admission to special exhibition; free for members

June 16, 6 & 7 p.m.
Kandinsky, Abstraction, and the Mystic
Fascinated with the spiritual properties of color and determined to advance art on the path to pure abstraction, Kandinsky saw his work as a means to unlock the imagination and stimulate the senses. Included in admission to special exhibition; free for members

June 23, 6 & 7 p.m.
Signs and Symbols in Kandinsky’s Painting with White Border
Mining Russian mythology and biblical stories, Kandinsky’s use of motifs such as the troika and St. George allude to the spirit and energy of Moscow. Included in admission to special exhibition; free for members

July 7, 6 & 7 p.m.
Kandinsky’s Experimental Process*
Creating at least 15 preparatory studies for Painting with White Border, Kandinsky experimented with orientation and composition, moving freely among pen, watercolor, and oil. Included in admission to special exhibition; free for members

July 21, 6 & 7 p.m.
Music, Kandinsky, and the K Series
Just as Kandinsky, an accomplished cellist, saw painting in musical terms, Frank Stella sought to re-create the colorful and ornate music of Scarlatti in his sculpture. Included in admission to special exhibition; free for members

July 28, 6 & 7 p.m
Kandinsky: Painter and Philosopher
The Phillips celebrates the centennial of Kandinsky’s famous written work, Concerning the Spiritual in Art, which explores the process of abstraction and the role of the artist. Included in admission to special exhibition; free for members

August 4, 6 & 7 p.m.
Seeing Sound: Kandinsky and Synesthesia*
Kandinsky drew upon his ability to hear color and see sound to create vibrant abstract paintings that stimulate the senses. Included in admission to special exhibition; free for members

Sept. 1, 6 & 7 p.m.
Moscow: Kandinsky’s Enduring Muse*
Kandinsky once said, “Moscow has always been the cornerstone, the leitmotiv, of my art.” He aimed to communicate both the famous sights and political turmoil that he witnessed during his trip in 1912 in Painting with White Border.

*Part of Phillips after 5, a lively evening of art and entertainment, with cash bar.

Check the calendar for a complete list of programs.