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Boldly curving lines and stark concrete dominate this striking architectural photo of the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, part of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. The image centers on the museumās inner courtyard and iconic fountainānow empty, exposing its deep mechanical structure like the gears of a machineāset within the circular embrace of Gordon Bunshaftās modernist building.
Opened in 1974 and named after financier and art collector Joseph H. Hirshhorn, the museum is known for its radical departure from the neoclassical architecture of the National Mall. Designed by architect Gordon Bunshaft of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, the cylindrical buildingās clean curves and minimalist windows suggest an almost otherworldly presenceāa concrete drum that defies convention. The brutalist aesthetic is unmistakable, yet softened here by the organic circularity of the space.
The symmetry in this photo draws the eye inward, emphasizing the sculptural fountain at the center. Radiating ribs in the surrounding stone direct visual flow to the middle, while the upper stories of repeating rectangular windows offer a rigid contrast to the radial lines below. The yellow āWELCOMEā banner to the left and the bold āHIRSHHORNā text to the right add bursts of color and contemporary branding, anchoring the institutionās identity amid the concrete.
Visitors appear through the glass corridor behind the fountaināsome pausing, some in motionāoffering a scale reference and a reminder that this is a living museum. Their presence breathes life into an otherwise monolithic setting, illustrating the museumās role not only as a home for modern art, but as a vital public gathering space in the heart of D.C.
From the moment it opened, the Hirshhorn Museum has challenged assumptions about what an art museum should be. Its architecture alone is a sculptural work of artāoften drawing comparisons to a spacecraft, a fortress, or even a giant doughnut. The buildingās shape allows for an uninterrupted gallery loop, with exhibitions wrapping around the perimeter and views periodically opening into the sky-lit courtyard.
The sculpture garden below street level further expands the museumās reach, offering works by artists such as Rodin, Henry Moore, and Yoko Ono. The museumās curatorial focus on postwar contemporary art makes it one of the premier destinations for avant-garde, boundary-pushing visual expression in the United States.
This image captures more than just a moment of architectureāit distills the very ethos of the Hirshhorn: forward-thinking, visually striking, and unapologetically modern. Itās a place where art meets infrastructure, where design becomes the experience, and where Washingtonās powerfully traditional architecture gives way to fearless experimentation.
Rick Loweās Fire #4 - This Time Athens, 2023 is a dynamic, large-scale painting that pulses with vibrant energy and layers of meaning. On view at the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington, D.C., this monumental work captures the viewerās attention with a dense network of interwoven red, orange, and yellow brushstrokes that build a visual lattice across the canvas.
Born from Loweās community-focused artistic practice, this piece draws inspiration from his time spent in Athens, Greece, reflecting the cityās urban energy and the complex intersections of history, culture, and contemporary life. The painting is part of Loweās ongoing Fires series, which began in response to global social and political upheaval, addressing themes of resilience, transformation, and collective experience.
In Fire #4 - This Time Athens, 2023, Lowe employs an abstract language of repeated lines and shapes that resemble a tapestry of marks, forming a dense yet ordered chaos that evokes the textures of cityscapes, the rhythm of everyday life, and the collective human experience. The bold, fiery hues echo the warmth of the Mediterranean sun while hinting at the social tensions that ignite change.
Loweās use of acrylic paint and his layering technique add depth and complexity to the composition, inviting viewers to navigate the surface and discover hidden pathways of meaning. His work bridges the gap between abstraction and social commentary, engaging audiences in a dialogue about place, community, and identity.
As a prominent figure in socially engaged art, Loweās painting reflects his dedication to fostering dialogue and understanding through creative practice. Fire #4 - This Time Athens, 2023 is a testament to the power of art to illuminate and transform.
Still Life (Natura morta), 1953
Oil on canvas
20.4 x 40.2 cm
The Phillips Collection,
Wasington, D.C.
Ā© 2008 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / SIAE, Rome
This immersive photograph captures a vibrant sound installation by Brazilian artists OSGEMEOS, exhibited at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, D.C. Featuring dozens of handcrafted, painted speaker boxes transformed into expressive faces, this piece fuses street culture, music, and identity into a joyful, surreal environment.
Mounted on a pale pink wall, the sculptural forms seem to sing, speak, and listen all at once. Each speaker box is unique ā painted in OSGEMEOSās signature cartoon style with bold expressions, sleepy eyes, pursed lips, and wild lashes. The boxes are adorned with speaker cones, knobs, glitter, cassette decks, graffiti tags, and found materials. The result is a room that feels like itās alive, buzzing with sound and personality.
At the center of the installation stands a yellow rolling sound system ā a kind of anthropomorphic DJ booth, complete with vintage gramophone horns, sculpted limbs, and faces of its own. Itās a nod to Brazilian street sound systems and hip-hop culture, filtered through the artistsā dreamlike visual language. Playful and political, the work references the artistsā childhood in SĆ£o Paulo, where music, graffiti, and invention shaped their worldview.
This installation brings to life OSGEMEOSās commitment to transforming everyday objects into portals of expression. By turning speakers into faces, they humanize machines and animate the walls with a chorus of cultural references. The piece invites viewers to imagine a world where even objects speak, emote, and participate in community.
Exhibited at the Hirshhorn ā one of the Smithsonianās leading institutions for contemporary art ā this installation marks a celebration of global street art on the museum stage. It blurs the boundaries between sound, sculpture, and painting, and asks: What does it mean to be seen, heard, or ignored?
This photograph captures the installationās visual energy and immersive intent, highlighting the wild color palette, clever detailing, and irrepressible humor that define OSGEMEOSās art. Whether you come for the visual feast or the sonic experimentation, this piece is an unforgettable moment of connection between audience, artwork, and artist.
This photograph features āPoppin Jozeā, a vivid mixed-media work by Brazilian street art legends OSGEMEOS, as exhibited at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, D.C. Known for their instantly recognizable yellow-skinned figures, twin brothers Otavio and Gustavo Pandolfo infuse their work with a surreal, dreamlike energy that draws from Brazilian culture, hip-hop, graffiti, and personal memory.
In Poppin Joze, we meet a stylized family rendered in OSGEMEOSās trademark style: elongated limbs, small eyes, patterned clothing, and a flat, matte yellow skin tone thatās intended to represent a āneutralā humanity. The central figure, Joze, sports a bold blue shirt with āPOPPIN JOZEā printed across the chest, surrounded by family members who evoke both intimacy and tension. A baby is cradled at the motherās hip, a girl picks her nose, and a revolver is playfully (yet ominously) pointed into the frame.
Though cartoonish at first glance, the work is rich in emotional and socio-political resonance. This is a domestic scene shaped by urban hardship and resilience ā equal parts tenderness, chaos, and coded commentary. Household clutter, scribbled wall drawings, and worn clothing all add to the textured realism. The shelf in the background with bottles and cans, the tired flooring, and the stereo speaker tucked under a foot all speak to lived-in space ā layered, imperfect, real.
Framed in a vibrant green box and photographed against the Hirshhornās distinctive lavender wall during a special exhibition, Poppin Joze reflects the museumās commitment to showcasing cutting-edge global contemporary art. OSGEMEOS, who began their careers as graffiti writers in SĆ£o Paulo, have since exhibited in major institutions worldwide ā and here, their street-inspired visual language translates powerfully to the museum setting.
This photo captures the artwork in full color and context ā documenting not just the piece itself, but how it breathes within the museum space. It stands at the intersection of street and fine art, personal and political, playful and profound.
Still Life (Natura morta), 1950
Oil on Canvas
40.5 x 45.5 cm
Museo di Arte Moderna e Contemporanea di Trento e Rovereto,
Rovereto, Italy
Giovanardi Collection
Ā© 2008 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / SIAE, Rome
Still Life (Natura morta), 1950
Oil on canvas
40.5 x 45.5 cm
Museo di Arte Moderna e Contemporanea di Trento e Rovereto,
Rovereto, Italy
Giovanardi Collection
Ā© 2008 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / SIAE, Rome
Still Life (Natura morta), 1954
Oil on canvas
35.6 x 46.4 cm
Smith College of Art,
Northampton, Mass.
Ā© 2008 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / SIAE, Rome
Still Life (Natura morta), 1959
Oil on canvas
30.5 x 35.4 cm
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts,
Richmond Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon
Ā© 2008 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / SIAE, Rome
Still Life (Natura morta), 1943
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden,
Smithsonian Institution,
Washington, D.C.
Gift of the Marion L. Ring Estate.
Ā© 2008 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / SIAE, Rome
Still Life (Natura morta), 1960
Oil on Canvas
30 x 40 cm
Museo di Arte Moderna e Contemporanea di Trento e Rovereto,
Rovereto, Italy
Giovanardi Collection
Ā© 2008 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / SIAE, Rome
Still Life (Natura morta), 1946
Etching in black on laid paper
National Gallery of Art,
Washington, D.C.
Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon
Ā© 2008 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / SIAE, Rome
Courtyard on via Fondazza (Cortile di via Fondazza, Paesaggio), 1957
Oil on Canvas
54 x 47 cm
Museo di Arte Moderna e Contemporanea di Trento e Rovereto,
Giovanardi Collection
Ā© 2008 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / SIAE, Rome
Still Life (Natura morta), 1956
Oil on canvas
40.5 x 35.4 cm
Museo di Arte Moderna e Contemporanea di Trento e Rovereto,
Rovereto, Italy
Giovanardi Collection
Ā© 2008 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / SIAE, Rome
Landscape With Houses (Peasaggio con case), 1941
Oil on Canvas
33 x 52.5 cm
Museo di Arte Moderna e Contemporanea di Trento e Rovereto,
Rovereto, Italy
L. F. Collection
Ā© 2008 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / SIAE, Rome
Self-Portrait (Auroritratto), 1924
Oil on Canvas
47 x 42 cm
Museo di Arte Moderna e Contemporanea di Trento e Rovereto,
Rovereto, Italy
L. F. Collection
Ā© 2008 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / SIAE, Rome
Classroom preparation
Kenmore Middle School
Arlington, VA
The Phillips Collection, Mentor Teacher Program
November 2008
In the classroom
Kenmore Middle School
Arlington, VA
The Phillips Collection, Mentor Teacher Program
November 2008
Art teacher Jeff Wilson reviews the project plans before beginning the installation
Kenmore Middle School
Arlington, VA
The Phillips Collection, Mentor Teacher Program
November 2008
Samantha Tigner, Maddy Harrelson-Periandri, Nia Zekan, and Erin Wall from Kenmore Middle School (above) and Chaos and Order panel. The panel was created with found objects, such as color paint samples, by Kenmore students to explore the concept of visual order and structure.
A student works on releasing an anchor from the ground.
Kenmore Middle School
Arlington, VA
The Phillips Collection, Mentor Teacher Program
November 2008
The finished project at night
Kenmore Middle School
Arlington, VA
The Phillips Collection, Mentor Teacher Program
November 2008
Fabric billowing in the wind
Kenmore Middle School
Arlington, VA
The Phillips Collection, Mentor Teacher Program
November 2008
Measuring and cutting the fabric
Kenmore Middle School
Arlington, VA
The Phillips Collection, Mentor Teacher Program
November 2008
Hauling a cinderblock to the roof
Kenmore Middle School
Arlington, VA
The Phillips Collection, Mentor Teacher Program
November 2008
The finished project
Kenmore Middle School
Arlington, VA
The Phillips Collection, Mentor Teacher Program
November 2008
Tying the fabric to the anchor
Kenmore Middle School
Arlington, VA
The Phillips Collection, Mentor Teacher Program
November 2008
On the rooftop
Kenmore Middle School
Arlington, VA
The Phillips Collection, Mentor Teacher Program
November 2008
The finished project at night
Kenmore Middle School
Arlington, VA
The Phillips Collection, Mentor Teacher Program
November 2008
Students tape the strip down
Kenmore Middle School
Arlington, VA
The Phillips Collection, Mentor Teacher Program
November 2008
Students fasten the fabric to the anchor
Kenmore Middle School
Arlington, VA
The Phillips Collection, Mentor Teacher Program
November 2008
Cinderblocks to be used as anchors for the fabric on the roof
Kenmore Middle School
Arlington, VA
The Phillips Collection, Mentor Teacher Program
November 2008
Preparing the fabric for the anchor
Kenmore Middle School
Arlington, VA
The Phillips Collection, Mentor Teacher Program
November 2008
The outdoor area becomes a jumble of fabric, lights and anchors.
Kenmore Middle School
Arlington, VA
The Phillips Collection, Mentor Teacher Program
November 2008
Securing the fabric
Kenmore Middle School
Arlington, VA
The Phillips Collection, Mentor Teacher Program
November 2008
Unexpected wind gusts prevent the fabric from being tied down
Kenmore Middle School
Arlington, VA
The Phillips Collection, Mentor Teacher Program
November 2008
Students working together to get the fabric and anchor to the roof
Kenmore Middle School
Arlington, VA
The Phillips Collection, Mentor Teacher Program
November 2008
Exhibition Review - Rob Pruitt:' Therapy Paintings' Massimo De Carlo, London till 30th Jan 2016.
Pruitt's ink scores,
dipped in feline panic,
rub ancient bruises into bloom
that bleed together
into a strip-tease.- Drenched Co
Comment: "Through his doodles, Mr Pruitt keeps a mental block in his head occupied, which lets him talk freely about himself during therapy. And this block, from the nature of Pruitt's drawings, must be guided by some incarnation of a maligned cat or panda, trying to scratch its way in or out of Pruitt's head. Here, I believe, Pruitt is once again ridiculing and celebrating through his pretty exhibitions with his hatchet buried squarely where his art lives. I loved the cats best! " - FaSa
See www.massimodecarlo.com/exhibitions/view/11993
See also www.woundsthatbind.com/2016/01/exhibition-review-rob-prui...
See also www.soaked.space/2016/01/exhibition-review-rob-pruitt-the...
Caption: Image above: Installation view Rob PruittĀ© Massimo De Carlo, London 2016 Photo: Todd-White Art Photography
Image courtesy of the artist and Massimo De Carlo, London.
We take great care not to harm the image in any way. And these views, they are ours only and not those of the gallery or artist.
#cutsoverart #drenchedco #soakedspace #MassimoDeCarlo #RobPruitt #artinlondon #londonart #artlondon #artberlin #berlinart #artinberlin #artnewyork #newyorkart #artinnewyork #artreview #contemporaryart #artexhibition #artinstallation #installationart #sculpture #painting #therapy #automatism #automaticdrawing #Surrealistautomatism #jackearly #dcart #washingtondcart #artindc #gavinbrownsenterprise
Kenmore Teacher Shauna Dyer assists in cleanup.
Kenmore Middle School
Arlington, VA
The Phillips Collection, Mentor Teacher Program
November 2008