Simone Leigh at the Hirshhorn Museum, Washington DC

The Hirshhorn Museum

A short trip to Washington DC gave me and The Amazin’ Mrs. D the opportunity to visit the Hirshhorn Museum. We wanted to see an exhibit of work by an excellent sculptor.

The Hirshhorn is one of the Smithsonian Institute’s smaller museums, and it is dedicated to contemporary art. While much of contemporary art doesn’t move me, this exhibit did. Simone Leigh (b. 1967) is an American artist who draws on her African roots and creates pieces focused on “Black female subjectivity.” Many of her works integrate female forms with historical and household objects, creating figures that are larger than life and bring together the history of Black women in slavery and service with the objects that they used. (Through March 3, 2024)

Cupboard

Cupboard (detail)

Breezebox

Breezebox (detail)

Sharifa

Herm and Vessel

Herm

Vessel

Sentinel

Sharifa

Jug

Sphinx

The Hirshhorn is a circular building, with two galleries (inner ring and outer ring) on the second and third floor. In the second floor’s inner ring is The Wheel of Life by Jessica Diamond (b. 1957). Her large paintings fill the gallery with poems and slogans that seem unconnected, but that together offer musings on the life of a Boomer. (Through June 2, 2024)

The Hirshhorn also hosts an ongoing exhibit—Belief & Doubt by Barbara Kruger, filling the Lower Lobby, in front of the museum store. Kruger (b. 1945) creates work using large graphic texts, often on plain black or red backgrounds. Her current exhibition asks viewers to question their beliefs, in an attempt to introduce doubt with a series of open ended questions.

As always, trips to smaller museums offer a more intimate visit with art, and time to do other things when visiting a city, especially when time is short.