Fall 2016 

National Gallery of Art

East Building Renovations Unveiled 

Los Angeles to New York: 

Dwan Gallery, 1959–1971 

Photography Reinvented: The Collection of 

Robert E. Meyerhoff and Rheda Becker

Stuart Davis: In Full Swing
2 East Building 3 East Building

East Building: 

New Spaces and Modern 

Art Back On View

www.nga.gov/EastBuilding

On September 30, the East Building galleries, which house 

the modern collection and several temporary exhibition 

spaces, will reopen after three years of renovation and 

construction. Some 12,250 square feet of new spaces 

for art, as well as two new staircases that extend the full 

height of the building and a new large elevator, will enable 

the Gallery to showcase more art from the ever-growing 

modern collection and accommodate more visitors. Mark Rothko, Untitled, 1949, National Gallery of Art, Washington, Gift of The Mark Rothko Foundation, Inc. © 1998 Kate Rothko Prizel and Christopher Rothko

Created within the current footprint of the I. M. Peidesigned East Building (which opened in 1978), the new 

spaces include the outdoor rooftop terrace overlooking 

Pennsylvania Avenue, as well as two flanking, sky-lit tower 

galleries. Tower 2 will showcase a lively installation of 

works by Alexander Calder (1898–1976) and Tower 1 will 

present large-scale abstract expressionist works, including 

paintings by Mark Rothko (1903–1970), whose works at the 

Gallery comprise the largest public repository of his art. 

The rooftop terrace will feature several outdoor sculptures, 

such as the renowned 14-foot-tall Hahn/Cock (2013) by 

Katharina Fritsch, on long-term loan from Glenstone 

Museum.

With more than 500 works from the collection on view, the 

East Building galleries offer a comprehensive experience 

of modern art. The principal pathway presents the history 

of art in continuous galleries from 1900 to the present, 

while other spaces are organized by artist, theme, and 

nationality. Important post-impressionist works provide 

the historical anchor for the presentation, and recent 

works, many from the collection of the Corcoran Gallery 

of Art, point to the future. The integration of drawings, 

collages, prints, photographs, and film/ video represents 

yet another first in the Gallery’s presentation of its 

extraordinary collection of modern art.

These reimagined gallery spaces will be complemented by 

a new Terrace Café and East Building shop. Several public 

programs will inaugurate the reopened galleries, including 

monthly evening events and a community weekend.

Community Weekend: 

Celebrating the Reopening of the East Building

November 5, 10:00–5:00; November 6, 11:00–6:00

This celebratory weekend will feature live music and 

inspiring performances, interactive tours of modern 

art, and hands-on art making. Explore the reconfigured 

collection of modern art, showcased in newly renovated 

galleries, and discover the new outdoor rooftop terrace. 

All activities are free; participation is on a first-come, firstserved basis. A detailed schedule will be available online in 

September at www.nga.gov /family. E-mail family@nga.gov

for more information.

Made possible by a generous grant from The Walton Family Foundation

After Hours in the East Building:

Evenings at the Edge

October 2016–April 2017

Second Thursday of the month, 6:00–9:00

Enjoy a vibrant mix of art and entertainment, including 

music, films, and live performances, in the newly 

renovated East Building. Discover the museum’s 

collections and special exhibitions with fun and interactive 

events throughout the evening. Tickets required; reserve 

a free ticket online. Tickets become available on the Friday 

one month before each program date. All activities are 

free; food and beverages are available for purchase. E-mail 

evenings@nga.gov for more information.

Cover Rendering showing an aerial view of the new rooftop terrace of the National Gallery 

of Art’s East Building. Image by Hartman-Cox Architects
4 Exhibitions 5 Exhibitions

Los Angeles to New York: Dwan Gallery, 1959–1971

September 30– January 29, East Building Concourse

The remarkable career of gallerist and patron Virginia 

Dwan will be featured for the first time in an exhibition 

of some 100 works, featuring highlights from Dwan’s 

promised gift of her extraordinary personal collection to 

the National Gallery of Art. It will trace Dwan’s activities 

and the emergence of an avant-garde gallery in an age 

of increased mobility, when air travel and the interstate 

highway system linked the two coasts and transformed 

the making of art and the sites of its exhibition.

A 12-minute film features original interviews with Dwan, 

some of the artists closest to her, and archival footage of 

earthworks and other site-specific installations. Robert 

Smithson’s 1970 Spiral Jetty, a 35-minute film, shows the 

evolution of his sculpture of the same name created on 

the shore of Great Salt Lake, Utah. These films are shown 

in alternation in the East Building Small Auditorium.

Organized by the National Gallery of Art, Washington/Made possible through the generous 

support of the Robert and Mercedes Eichholz Foundation/ The exhibition film was made possible 

by the H.R.H. Foundation

Larry Rivers, Maquette for Larry Rivers Exhibition at Dwan Gallery, 

1961, Collection of Virginia Dwan

Robert Smithson, Glass Stratum, 1967, 

National Gallery of Art, Washington, Gift of 

Virginia Dwan

Exhibitions

www.nga.gov/exhibitions

In Celebration of Paul Mellon

Through September 18, West Building, Main Floor

Paul Mellon was one of America’s greatest art collectors 

and one of the Gallery’s leading benefactors. Timed to 

coincide with the Gallery’s 75th anniversary, a special 

exhibition of some 80 of the finest pastels, watercolors, 

drawings, prints, and illustrated books selected from his 

donations celebrates both his wonderful generosity and 

his distinctive approach to collecting.

Organized by the National Gallery of Art, Washington

Samuel Palmer, Harvesters by Firelight, 1830, 

National Gallery of Art, Washington, Paul Mellon 

Collection

In the Tower: Barbara Kruger

September 30– January 22, East Building Tower

Part of the Gallery’s In the Tower series, this exhibition 

features Barbara Kruger’s works from the early 1980s 

until today that focus on the face in profile. Among her 

strongest commentaries on cultural production, the works 

include the iconic Untitled (Your gaze hits the side of my face)

(1981) and the Gallery’s recent acquisition, Untitled (Know 

nothing, believe anything, forget everything) (1987 / 2014). 

A five-minute film featuring an interview with the artist 

is part of the exhibition.

Organized by the National Gallery of Art, Washington/Presented with support from the 

Tower Project/ The film was made possible by the H.R.H. FoundationBarbara Kruger, Untitled (Know nothing, Believe anything, Forget everything), 1987/ 2014, 

National Gallery of Art, Washington, Gift of 

the Collectors Committee, Sharon and John 

D. Rockefeller IV, Howard and Roberta 

Ahmanson, Denise and Andrew Saul, Lenore 

S. and Bernard A. Greenberg Fund, Agnes 

Gund, and Michelle Smith
6 Exhibitions 7 Exhibitions

Hubert Robert, 1733–1808

Through October 2, West Building, Main Floor

In the first monographic exhibition showcasing Robert’s 

full achievement as a draftsman and painter, some 100 

works chart his development in Rome and subsequent 

accomplishments after his return to Paris, his lasting 

contribution to French visual culture, and the fundamental 

role he played in promoting the architectural capriccio

(caprice or fantasy).

Organized by the National Gallery of Art, Washington, and the Musée du Louvre, Paris/Made 

possible through the leadership support of the Leonard and Elaine Silverstein Family 

Foundation/Additional funding is provided by The Exhibition Circle of the National Gallery of 

Art/ Supported by an indemnity from the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities Hubert Robert, The Fountains, 1787 –1788, The Art Institute of Chicago, Gift of William G. Hibbard Hubert Robert, The Oval Fountain in the Gardens of the Villa d’Este, Tivoli, c. 1763, National Gallery of Art, Washington, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Neil Phillips and 

Mr. and Mrs. Ivan Phillips, in Honor of the 50th 

Anniversary of the National Gallery of Art

In the Library: 

Selections from the Dwan Gallery and Virginia Dwan 

Archives

September 30– January 29, East Building, Study Center

In conjunction with Los Angeles to New York: Dwan Gallery, 

1959–1971, the National Gallery of Art Library will mount 

an exhibition highlighting ephemera and documentary 

material from the Dwan Archive. A combination of 

exhibition announcements and posters, photographs, 

account documents, and correspondence will provide a 

look inside the workings of the gallery and the life of its 

founder, Virginia Dwan. 

Dwan Gallery, Robert Smithson exhibition announcement, New York, 1966, National Gallery of 

Art Library

Photography Reinvented: 

The Collection of Robert E. Meyerhoff and Rheda Becker

September 30–March 5, East Building, Upper Level

In celebration of a pledged gift of 33 photographs, 

Photography Reinvented brings together works of 

critically important artists who have changed the course 

of photography through their experimentation and 

conceptual scope. Especially rich in work by members of 

the famed Düsseldorf School, the collection also includes 

examples by photographers exploring the nature of the 

medium itself.

Organized by the National Gallery of Art, Washington

Thomas Demand, Clearing, 2003, Collection of Robert E. Meyerhoff and Rheda Becker. 

© Thomas Demand, VG Bild-kunst, Bonn/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
8 Exhibitions 9 Exhibitions

Stuart Davis: In Full Swing

November 20–March 5, West Building, Main Floor

One of the most important American modernists, Davis 

blurred distinctions between text and image, high and low 

art, and abstraction and figuration, crafting a distinct style 

that continues to influence art being made today. Some 

100 of his most important, visually complex, jazz-inspired 

compositions will be on view in this exhibition that offers 

a new exploration of his working method.

Featuring archival footage and photographs, an exhibition 

film explores Davis’s use of avant-garde styles to capture 

the energy of modern America. A 15-minute version 

is shown in the exhibition, and a 30-minute version is 

screened in the Lecture Hall Theater. Both films play 

continuously.

Organized by the National Gallery of Art, Washington, and the Whitney Museum of American Art, 

New York /Made possible by Altria Group in celebration of the 75th Anniversary of the National 

Gallery of Art/Major support is provided by the Henry Luce Foundation/ The Terra Foundation 

for American Art also provided generous support/ Supported by an indemnity from the Federal 

Council on the Arts and the Humanities/ The film was made possible by the H.R.H. Foundation Stuart Davis, Arch Hotel, 1929, Sheldon Museum of Art, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Anna R. and Frank M. Hall Charitable Trust. Photo © Sheldon Museum of Art Stuart Davis, Lucky Strike, 1921, The Museum of Modern Art, New York, Gift of the American Tobacco Company, Inc. Digital Image © The Museum of Modern Art / Licensed by SCALA / Art Resource, NY

In the Library: 

Growth and Development of the Salon Livret

Through September 16, East Building, Study Center

The livret—a catalog that accompanied an 

exhibition—began as a simple pamphlet listing the works 

of art on view, but evolved into a fully developed, detailed 

record of all aspects of an exhibition. These books, along 

with related critical literature, provide documentation that 

allows for a better understanding of the intricacies of the 

French art world in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Organized by the National Gallery of Art, Washington

Attributed to Jacques Lacombe, Le Salon

(Paris, c. 1753), National Gallery of Art 

Library, David K. E. Bruce Fund

Drawings for Paintings in the Age of Rembrandt

October 4–January 2

Some 100 drawings and paintings by such renowned 

Golden Age artists as Jan van Goyen and Rembrandt 

van Rijn will reveal the many ways Dutch artists used 

preliminary drawings in the painting process. The 

exhibition will include sketchbooks, broad compositional 

drawings, individual figural motifs, counterproofs, and 

carefully ruled construction drawings. It will also examine 

the underdrawings artists made on their supports 

before painting.

Organized by the National Gallery of Art, Washington, and the Fondation Custodia, Collection 

Frits Lugt, Paris/Made possible through the generous support of Dr. Mihael and Mrs. Mahy 

Polymeropoulos/Additional funding is provided by The Exhibition Circle of the National Gallery 

of Art

Michiel van Musscher, An Artist in His Studio with His Drawings, 

c. 1665– 1667, Liechtenstein Museum, Vienna
10 Exhibitions 11 Exhibitions

Intersections: Photographs and Videos from the 

National Gallery of Art and the Corcoran Gallery of Art

Through January 2, West Building, Ground Floor

This exhibition brings together highlights from the 

collections of the Corcoran Gallery of Art and the National 

Gallery of Art by a range of artists from the 1840s to 2011. 

The connections between the two photography and video 

collections are explored through five themes—movement, 

sequence, narrative, studio, and identity—found in the 

work of photographers Eadweard Muybridge and Alfred 

Stieglitz, among many others.

Organized by the National Gallery of Art, Washington/Made possible through the generous 

support of the Trellis Fund/Additional funding kindly provided by Brian and Paula Ballo Dailey Vik Muniz, Alfred Stieglitz, from the series Pictures of Ink, 2000, National Gallery of Art, Washington, Corcoran Collection (Museum Purchase with funds provided by the FRIENDS of the Corcoran Gallery of Art) Alfred Stieglitz, Self-Portrait, probably 1911, National Gallery of Art, Washington, Alfred Stieglitz Collection

Damien Hirst: The Last Supper

Through January 1, West Building, Concourse Gallery

The Last Supper (1999), a series by British artist Damien 

Hirst, comprises 13 large-scale prints. Each print replicates 

a pharmaceutical label, except that the medicine’s name is 

replaced with that of a common British food (for example, 

“Ethambutol Hydrochloride” becomes “Steak and Kidney”) 

and the manufacturer’s name or logo is replaced with that 

of the artist. The series capitalizes on the minimalist style 

of pharmaceutical packaging and contemporary society’s 

faith in pills, ingesting them as if they were food.

Organized by the National Gallery of Art, Washington Damien Hirst, The Last Supper

—Steak and Kidney, 1999, 

National Gallery of Art, Washington, Corcoran Collection 

(Gift of Anthony T. Podesta, Washington, DC)

Recent Acquisitions of Dutch and Flemish Drawings

Through January 2, West Building, Ground Floor

More than 20 recent acquisitions from the mid-15th to 

the early 20th century, many of which are on public view 

for the first time, celebrate the growth of the Gallery’s 

holdings of Dutch and Flemish drawings over the last 

decade. Executed in a variety of media and presenting a 

range of genres, they demonstrate much of the richness 

and originality of Dutch and Flemish draftsmanship and 

reveal aspects of its stylistic evolution. 

Organized by the National Gallery of Art, Washington Jan van Huysum, Bouquet of Spring Flowers in a Terracotta Vase, 1720s, National Gallery of Art, 

Washington, Pepita Milmore Memorial Fund, The 

Ahmanson Foundation Fund, Linda H. Kaufman 

Fund, and Mr. and Mrs. Louis Glickfield Fund
12 Gallery Talks 13 Lectures

Gallery Talks

www.nga.gov/talks 

The National Gallery of Art’s education division offers daily 

tours of the permanent collection and special exhibitions 

for our visitors. Gallery talks are delivered by professional 

lecturing staff and occasional guest lecturers on special 

exhibitions as well as on selected artists and topics from 

the permanent collection. These talks focus on a variety 

of approaches to art, from stylistic development and 

biography to the history of art and the meaning and 

interpretation of European and American imagery. Guided 

tours of the East and West Buildings and overviews of 

special areas of the collection are given by our volunteer 

docents on the half hour throughout the day. Foreign 

language tours and accessible tours are also available. 

For more information, see pages 21–22.

A Gallery docent leads a tour in front of Jean-Honoré 

Fragonard’s paintings Blindman’s Buff and The Swing, 

both c. 1775 /1780, National Gallery of Art, 

Washington, Samuel H. Kress Collection

Staff lecturers will lead gallery talks on current special 

exhibitions, including In Celebration of Paul Mellon; 

Intersections: Photographs and Videos from the National 

Gallery of Art and the Corcoran Gallery of Art; Hubert Robert, 

1733 – 1808; Photography Reinvented: The Collection of Robert 

E. Meyerhoff and Rheda Becker; Los Angeles to New York: 

Dwan Gallery, 1959– 1971; In the Tower: Barbara Kruger; and

Drawings for Paintings in the Age of Rembrandt.

As part of the East Building reopening celebration, 

lecturers will emphasize the new installations of 20thand 21st-century painting, sculpture, works on paper, 

and photographs. 

Lectures

www.nga.gov/lectures

Arnold Newman Lecture Series on Photography

September 10, 12:00, East Building Auditorium

Artist Lorna Simpson discusses her artistic career and 

influences in conjunction with the exhibition Intersections: 

Photographs and Videos from the National Gallery of Art and 

the Corcoran Gallery of Art.

Lorna Simpson, Untitled (Two Necklines), 1989, National 

Gallery of Art, Washington, Gift of the Collectors Committee

The Light of the World

September 11, 2:00, East Building Auditorium

Elizabeth Alexander, poet, essayist, playwright, and 

scholar; chancellor, Academy of American Poets; director 

of creativity and free expression, Ford Foundation; 

and Wun Tsun Tam Mellon Professor in the Humanities, 

Columbia University. Book signing of The Light of the 

World follows. This program is generously supported by 

Darryl Atwell.

Carlos Garaicoa

September 18, 2:00, East Building Auditorium

Artist Carlos Garaicoa in conversation with Michelle Bird, 

department of French paintings, and Andrea Nelson, 

department of photographs, National Gallery of Art

The Collecting of African American Art XII: 

Pamela J. Joyner in Conversation with Leonardo Drew 

and Jennie C. Jones

September 25, 2:00, East Building Auditorium

Artists Leonardo Drew and Jennie C. Jones with Pamela 

J. Joyner, collector. Book signing of Four Generations: 

The Joyner Giuffrida Collection of Abstract Art follows.
14 Lectures 15 Lectures

Introduction to the Exhibition—In the Tower: 

Barbara Kruger

October 23, 2:00, East Building Auditorium

Molly Donovan, department of modern art, National 

Gallery of Art

Barbara Kruger, Untitled (Your gaze hits the side of my face), 1981, 

Glenstone © Barbara Kruger

The Sydney J. Freedberg Lecture on Italian Art

November 6, 2:00, East Building Auditorium

Patricia Fortini Brown, professor emerita of art and 

archaeology, Princeton University, presents The Aesthetics 

of Water: Wellheads, Cisterns, and Fountains in the Venetian 

Dominion.

Los Angeles to New York: Dwan Gallery, 1959–1971

November 18, 3:30; November 19, 11:00, East Building 

Auditorium

Illustrated lectures by Robert Hobbs, Rhoda Thalhimer 

Endowed Chair, Virginia Commonwealth University, 

and visiting professor, Yale University; Jane McFadden, 

department chair of humanities and sciences, ArtCenter 

College of Design; Alex Potts, Max Loehr Collegiate 

Professor, University of Michigan; and Emily Taub Webb, 

professor of art history, Savannah College of Art and 

Design

Introduction to the Exhibition—Stuart Davis: 

In Full Swing

November 20, 2:00, East Building Auditorium

Harry Cooper, department of modern art, National Gallery 

of Art

Discoveries from the Dwan Archive

September 26, 12:10, 1:10, West Building Lecture Hall

Paige Rozanski, department of modern art, National 

Gallery of Art

Conversation with Collectors: 

Virginia Dwan and James Meyer

September 27, 3:30, East Building Auditorium

Virginia Dwan, collector, and James Meyer, deputy director 

and chief curator, Dia Art Foundation. Book signing of 

Dwan Gallery: Los Angeles to New York, 1959–1971 follows. Virginia Dwan standing in the Language III installation (May 24 –June 18, 1969). Photo courtesy Dwan Archive

The Landmarks of New York 

October 14, 1:00, East Building Auditorium

Barbaralee Diamonstein-Spielvogel, chair, Historic 

Landmarks Preservation Center and the NYC Landmarks 

50 Alliance; chair, New York State Council on the Arts. Book 

signing of The Landmarks of New York: An Illustrated Record 

of the City’s Historic Buildings, 6th edition follows.

Diamonstein-Spielvogel Lecture Series

October 16, 2:00, East Building Auditorium

Artist Thomas Struth in conversation with Sarah Greenough, 

department of photographs, National Gallery of Art

The John Wilmerding Symposium on American Art

October 22, 2:00, East Building Auditorium

Illustrated lectures by Wendy Bellion, associate professor, 

department of art history, University of Delaware; Rachael 

Z. DeLue, associate professor, department of art and 

archaeology, Princeton University; Randall Griffey, associate 

curator, department of modern and contemporary art, 

Metropolitan Museum of Art; Mark D. Mitchell, Holcombe 

T. Green Curator of American Paintings and Sculpture, Yale 

University Art Gallery; Jennifer Raab, assistant professor, 

department of the history of art, Yale University; and Justin 

Wolff, associate professor of art history, Universtiy of Maine. 

Made possible by a generous grant from The Walton Family Foundation
16 Concerts 17 Concerts

Concerts

www.nga.gov/music

Vermont Opera Project

September 10, 11, 3:00, West Building, West Garden Court

Performing Ricky Ian Gordon’s Orpheus and Euridice

National Gallery of Art Guitarfest

Presented in honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month

September 15, 12:10, West Building Lecture Hall

Winner of the 2016 Boston GuitarFest Competition

September 15, 1:10, West Building Lecture Hall

Gohar Vardanyan performs music by Isaac Albéniz, Manuel 

de Falla, Manuel Maria Ponce, and Joaquín Rodrigo

September 16, 12:10, West Building Lecture Hall

Scott Borg performs music by Enrique Granados and Mario 

Castelnuova-Tedesco

September 16, 1:10, West Building Lecture Hall

Adam Kossler performs music by Claude Debussy, Manuel 

De Falla, Maurice Ravel, and Erik Satie

September 17, 3:00, West Building, West Garden Court

Jorge Caballero performs music by Isaac Albéniz, Agustin 

Barrios, Mauro Giuliani, Antonio Lauro, Fernando Sor, 

Joaquín Turina, and Heitor Villa-Lobos

September 18, 3:30, West Building, West Garden Court

Pablo Villegas performs “Americano”

October 8, 2:00, West Building, West Garden Court

Sphinx Virtuosi perform “Latin Voyages: Viajes Latinos”

No BS! Brass Band

September 25, 12:00, 2:00, Mall Steps

Performing East Coast modern funk 

Vicky Chow, pianist 

September 30, 12:30, East Building Auditorium

Performing Tristan Perich’s Surface Image for piano and 

40 one-bit speakers

Performer to be announced 

October 1, 4:00, East Building Auditorium

Performing Yves Klein’s Symphonie Monotone—Silence in 

honor of Los Angeles to New York: Dwan Gallery, 1959–1971

Philip Glass

October 2, 2:00, East Building Auditorium

Performance and discussion in honor of Los Angeles to 

New York: Dwan Gallery, 1959–1971

Curtis on Tour

October 16, 3:30, West Building, West Garden Court

Performing Hugo Wolf’s Italienisches Liederbuch

LeStrange Viols

October 23, 3:30, West Building, West Garden Court

Performing music of the Dutch Golden Age in honor of 

Drawings for Paintings in the Age of Rembrandt

Anderson and Roe Piano Duo

October 30, 3:30, West Building, West Garden Court

Performing Danse Macabre

Four Variations on J. S. Bach’s Goldberg Variations

November 6

Ignacio Prego, harpsichord (12:00, West Building Lecture 

Hall); Aspen String Trio (1:30, West Building, West Garden 

Court); Atlantic Reed Consort (3:00, West Building Lecture 

Hall); and Dan Tepfer, jazz piano (4:30, West Building, West 

Garden Court) 

A Far Cry

November 20, 3:30, West Building, West Garden Court

Performing “Dreams and Prayers” with guest clarinetist 

David Krakauer

Eliot Fisk, guitarist

November 26, 27, 3:00, West Building, West Garden Court

Performing the complete cello suites by J. S. Bach
18 Films 19 Films

Los Angeles to New York: Virginia Dwan and Film 

October 8, 15, 29, 2:00; October 9, 16, 23, 4:00

A series devoted to the American collector, gallery owner, 

and art patron Virginia Dwan includes works by and about 

Dwan herself, as well as the many artists she supported, 

including earthwork pioneers Robert Smithson, Michael 

Heizer, and Walter De Maria.

Film still from Spiral Jetty by Robert 

Smithson (1970)

Festival del film Locarno 2016

October 30, 4:00

Now in its 70th year, the Festival del film Locarno in 

southern Switzerland has, since 1946, been a beacon for 

cinéastes, filmmakers, curators, and artists interested in 

thought-provoking and imaginative filmmaking. Italian 

author and journalist Carlo Chatrian serves as the artistic 

director for Festival del film Locarno. He introduces one 

of his selections from the festival’s most recent edition in 

August 2016. The event is presented in association with the 

Locarno Festival and the Embassy of Switzerland.

Objects of Desire: The Films of Luis Buñuel

November 12, 4:00

The Gallery joins the American Film Institute, American 

University, Embassy of France, Embassy of Spain, and 

the Mexican Cultural Institute to present a citywide 

retrospective of works by the visionary filmmaker Luis 

Buñuel. 2016 marks the 70th anniversary of the start of 

Luis Buñuel’s decisive Mexican period.

From Asian Archives

November 12, 26, 2:00; November 27, 4:00

A retrospective of rarely seen works from China is presented 

in association with the Freer Gallery of Art. Titles may 

include Cave of the Spider Women, (1927), Confucius (1940), 

Crossroads of Youth (1934), Old Well (1987), and a new essay 

compilation, Around China with a Movie Camera (2015). 

Highlights from the International Festival of Films on Art

November 25, 12:30; November 27, 12:00

Award winners from the most recent International Festival 

of Films on Art, an annual event in Montreal now in its 34th 

year, are presented during November. 

Films

www.nga.gov/film

Films are shown in the East Building Auditorium.

Synchronized Pantomimes /Early Animations

September 3, 4, 2:30

A lecture on pantomime, unique ciné-concerts—including 

D. W. Griffith’s Broken Blossoms (1919) with live orchestral 

accompaniment and a recreation of live theatrical effects 

contrived by Griffith—and early animations by Spanish 

artist Segundo de Chomón, are included in this unusual 

celebration of early cinema.

Shakespeare as Cinematic Experiment: 1908– 1921

September 10, 17, 24, 2:30 

Hundreds of short films in the pre-sound era of cinema 

were derived from Shakespeare’s plays. They were often 

inspired by the era’s theatrical productions and tableaux. 

While most of these rare works have been lost, the Library 

of Congress, British Film Institute, and other international 

archives still hold significant collections. Organized to 

coincide with the international commemoration of the 

quatercentenary of Shakespeare’s death, this series 

includes lectures, ciné-concerts, and rarely seen features 

from the pre-sound era.

Washington Premieres

September 11, 18, 25, November 20, 4:00 

Washington premieres this fall include Thom Andersen’s 

2015 compilation essay The Thoughts That Once We Had

(September 11), The Seasons in Quincy: Four Portraits of John 

Berger (September 18), Hungarian director Béla Tarr’s avantgarde Macbeth (September 25), and Olga (November 20), 

a new film about Olga Havlová.

Film still from The Thoughts That Once We 

Had (2015)
20 Family Activities 21 Tours and Guides

Tours and Guides

www.nga.gov/tours 

Download self-guided tours or participate in docent-led 

tours. Tours and gallery talks begin in the West Building 

Rotunda or at the East Building Information Desk.

Guided Tours

Introductory tours of the collection are offered daily. Tours 

in foreign languages are offered monthly, including French, 

German, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin, Russian, and Spanish, 

among others. Call (202) 842-6247 to arrange group tours 

three weeks in advance. 

A Gallery docent shows a tour group Leonardo 

da Vinci’s Ginevra de’ Benci, c. 1474 /1478, 

National Gallery of Art, Washington, Ailsa 

Mellon Bruce Fund

Self-Guided Tours

Easy-to-use printed sheets offer suggested routes and 

commentaries on select works of art. 

Gallery Talks

Talks by museum educators and specialists focus on specific 

aspects of the Gallery’s permanent collection or exhibitions.

Family Guides 

American, Dutch, French, and Italian art illustrated guides 

are filled with games and exercises designed for families 

and groups with children ages 6 and up.

Audio Tours

Recorded tours of the permanent collection are available 

in the West Building Rotunda. Exhibition tours are available 

at exhibition entrances for $5, unless otherwise noted. 

Mobile Apps

Discover highlights of the National Gallery of Art collection 

with the Your Art app for iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, and 

Android. Available for iPad, NGAkids Art Zone features eight 

interactive activities and an array of art-making tools.

Family Activities

www.nga.gov/family

Discover a variety of multigenerational programs and 

resources that engage children, teens, and adults in 

active exploration of art.

A Gallery educator leads a children’s 

program in front of James McNeill 

Whistler’s Symphony in White, No. 1: The 

White Girl, 1862, National Gallery of Art, 

Washington, Harris Whittemore Collection

Family Guides

Children ages 6 and up can learn about American, Dutch, 

French, and Italian paintings in the collection. Available at 

www.nga.gov / content/ngaweb/ education/families/familyguides.html. 

An Eye for Art

A family-oriented art resource that introduces children to 

over 50 great artists and their work, with corresponding 

activities. Available for purchase in the Gallery Shops.

NGAkids Art Zone for iPad

Eight new interactive activities and an array of art-making 

tools inspire artists of all ages. Available from the iTunes 

App Store: itunes.apple.com/app/ id904766241.

Children’s Video Tour: Time Travel

Presented in a kid-friendly, interactive style, highlights 

from the collection can be viewed at www.nga.

gov / education/timetravel/index.shtm.

Lizzy and Gordon Visit the Sculpture Garden

Children 4 to 10 years old can follow a brother and sister 

as they encounter iconic works on the 6.1-acre site in an 

animated musical adventure at www.nga.gov / kids/lizzy.

Teen Programs

Programs designed for students in grades 9 through 12 

offer a variety of museum experiences, including in-gallery 

conversations around original works of art, studio instruction, 

behind-the-scenes tours, arts career information, and an 

opportunity to collaborate with other teens interested in art. 

Visit www.nga.gov/teens for more information.
22 Accessibility 23 Restaurants

Restaurants

www.nga.gov/ cafe

Pavilion Café

Sculpture Garden

Monday–Thursday, Saturday: 10:00–7:00

Friday and Saturday: 10:00–9:00

Sunday: 11:00–7:00

With a panoramic view of the Sculpture Garden, the 

Pavilion Café offers specialty pizzas, sandwiches, salads, 

desserts, and assorted beverages.

Garden Café

West Building, Ground Floor

Monday–Saturday: 11:30–3:00

Sunday: 12:00–4:00

A buffet of healthy and wholesome entrées, specialty 

greens, antipasti, cheeses, soups, and desserts is offered 

in an elegant setting.

Espresso & Gelato Bar

East Building, Concourse

Monday – Saturday: 10:00–4:30

Sunday: 11:00–5:30

A full espresso bar offers 19 flavors of house-made gelato 

and sorbetto and a selection of fresh sandwiches, pastries, 

and desserts.

Cascade Café 

East Building, Concourse 

Monday – Saturday: 11:00–3:00

Sunday: 11:00– 4:00

The family-friendly Cascade Café offers soups, salads, specialty entrées, pizzas, sandwiches, and a selection of fresh 

pastries and dessert with a view of the cascading waterfall.

Accessibility

www.nga.gov/accessibility 

The 6th Street entrance to the West Building and the 

4th Street entrance to the East Building have ramps to 

accommodate wheelchairs and strollers. Accessible 

parking is located in front of the East Building or on 

Madison Drive. Wheelchairs and strollers are available at 

all entrances. For more information, call Art Information 

at (202) 842-6179 or Visitor Services at (202) 842-6690, 

Monday –Friday, 10:00–5:00.

ASL at the NGA: An Introduction to the National Gallery 

of Art Collection

September 11, October 9, November 13, 1:00

These highlights tours are led by deaf guides in American 

Sign Language (ASL) with voice interpretation into English. 

September and November tours are in the West Building; 

the October tour is in the East Building.

Art for ASL Learners

Groups of 10 to 20 ASL students may book a 60-minute 

tour and discussion led entirely in ASL. The tour is offered 

by appointment only; contact asl@nga.gov. 

ASL Video Tour

The Director’s Tour is available online as an ASL video tour 

at www.nga.gov / content/ngaweb/audio-video/ video/asl.

html. Videos can also be viewed on Acoustiguide devices 

available at the Acoustiguide desk in the West Building 

Rotunda. 

Picture This: Tours for People with Low Vision or Who 

Are Blind

September 24, 27, October 22, 26, November 23, 26, 1:00

Tours with an emphasis on verbal description of the 

collections are offered twice a month; topics change 

monthly. September and November tours are in the West 

Building; October tours are in the East Building.

Special Tours, Audio Devices, and Print Materials

Tours for visitors who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind, or 

partially sighted are available upon request. Visitors may 

borrow assistive listening devices for the West Building 

Lecture Hall from the Information Desk at the 6th Street 

entrance and for the East Building Auditorium from the 

Information Desk inside the 4th Street entrance. To make an 

appointment, call (202) 842-6905 or e-mail access@nga.gov. 
24 Gallery Shops 25 Sculpture Garden Ice Rink

Sculpture Garden Ice Rink

www.nga.gov/ skating

Mid-November through mid-March (weather permitting)

Monday–Thursday: 10:00–9:00

Friday: 10:00– 11:00

Saturday: 11:00–11:00

Sunday: 11:00–9:00

Admission: $8.50 (adults); $7.50 (age 50 and over, children 

age 12 and under, and students with valid school ID); $3 

(skate rental fee); $0.50 (lockers, with a $5 deposit required); 

$195 (season passes)

The experience of skating in the Sculpture Garden, 

surrounded by the grand architecture of national 

museums and monuments, is enhanced by splendid views 

of large-scale sculptures by modern and contemporary 

artists, including Louise Bourgeois, Alexander Calder, Roy 

Lichtenstein, Roxy Paine, Tony Smith, and others, from the 

Gallery’s renowned collection. Call (202) 216-9397 for more 

information.

Skating Lessons and Registration

This season, Guest Services offers skating lessons for all 

ages and abilities directed and taught by Emme Porter, 

Bruce Porter, and their team of instructors through the US 

Figure Skating Basic Skills Programs. Classes are separated 

into age-appropriate categories with a comprehensive 

lesson and evaluation structure. We will offer specialty 

group skating classes for adults, featuring Happy Hour and 

Coffee Club skating lessons.

Photo by Rob Shelley, National Gallery of Art, 

Washington

Gallery Shops

shop.nga.gov

The National Gallery of Art’s exhibition merchandise 

ranges from catalogs and other publications to jewelry, 

giftware, and printed products such as posters and 

stationery, all created from the Gallery’s renowned 

permanent collections and the exceptional special 

exhibitions on view. Among the available exhibition 

catalogs are Los Angeles to New York: Dwan Gallery, 

1959–1971; Photography Reinvented: The Collection of Robert 

E. Meyerhoff and Rheda Becker; Drawings for Paintings in 

the Age of Rembrandt; and Stuart Davis: In Full Swing. For 

reproductions, publications, jewelry, and giftware inspired 

by 20th- and 21st-century art, visit the newly refurbished 

East Building Shop. To order, visit shop.nga.gov; call 

(800) 697-9650 or (202) 842-6002; fax (202) 789-3047; 

or e-mail mailorder@nga.gov. 

Los Angeles to New York dwan gallery 1959–1971

THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO PRESSL O S A N G E L E S C O U N T Y M U S E U M O F A R T NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART

Los Angeles to New York dwan gallery 1959–1971 MEYER

Virginia Dwan, founder of leading avant-garde galleries in Los Angeles and New York between 1959 and 1971, was 

a major force in an art world made increasingly mobile by commercial jets and the interstate highway system. New York 

artists Franz Kline, Philip Guston, Ad Reinhardt, Robert Rauschenberg, and Claes Oldenburg, along with the Los 

Angeles-based Edward Kienholz, were among those who had shows in Dwan’s Westwood gallery. A keen follower of the 

Parisian art scene, Dwan also gave Yves Klein and Martial Raysse their American debuts. Her 1962 group show My 

Country ‘Tis of Thee is among the earliest exhibitions of Pop art. 

Dwan supported artists who challenged the limits of art’s status as both object and commodity, and eventually 

developed an art sited outside the gallery in remote locations in the American West. If the Los Angeles gallery featured 

abstract expressionism, neo-Dada, and Pop, the New York branch broke ground with brilliant presentations of minimalism (Ten, (New York), 1966), conceptual art (Language I–IV, 1967–1970), and land art (Earthworks, 1968) featuring 

the work of Carl Andre, Sol LeWitt, Robert Morris, and others. Dwan sponsored iconic earthworks such as Robert 

Smithson’s Spiral Jetty, Michael Heizer’s Double Negative, Walter De Maria’s Test Lightning Field, and Charles Ross’s 

Star Axis. This is the storied history of the Dwan Gallery told by an astute scholar of modern art, the gallerist herself, 

and a meticulous researcher.
26 Information 27 Map and Guide

Map and Guide

www.nga.gov/visit

The Gallery’s Map and Guide is available at all entrances 

in nine languages:

English, Français, Deutsch, Italiano, Español, Pусский, 

中国的, 日本人, 한국.

Smithsonian Station Blue, Orange, and  Silver Lines

Sculpture 

Garden

West

Building

East

Building

Judiciary Square Station Red Line

THE

CAPITOL

metr

Mo

metr

Mo

NEW JERSEY AVENUE

PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE

CONSTITUTION AVENUE

JEFFERSON DRIVE

INDEPENDENCE AVENUE

MADISON DRIVE

C STREET

D STREET

TREET 12TH S

TREET 10TH S

TREET 9TH S

TREET 7TH S

TREET 4TH S

TREET 3RD S

Archives–Navy Memorial–Penn Quarter Station Yellow and Green Lines metr

Mo

TREET 14TH S

L'Enfant Plaza Station Yellow and Green Lines Blue, Orange, and Silver Lines metr

Mo

TREET 6TH S

Federal Triangle Station Blue, Orange, and  Silver Lines

metr

Mo

Natural History American History

Air and Space American Indian Hirshhorn Freer/Sackler African Art

Washington

Monument

Mellon

Fountain

Information

www.nga.gov or www.nga.gov/help

Address 

The National Gallery of Art and its Sculpture Garden 

are located on the National Mall between 3rd and 9th 

Streets along Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC. 

Public parking is limited to the surrounding streets and 

commercial garages.

Telephone

(202) 737-4215

Hours

Monday–Saturday: 10:00–5:00

Sunday: 11:00–6:00

The Gallery is closed on December 25 and January 1.

E-newsletters and Calendar

E-newsletters: www.nga.gov /subscribe

Complete calendar of events: www.nga.gov /programs

To inquire or subscribe: calendar@nga.gov

Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi service is available in the West Building Rotunda, 

Main Floor Information Room, and Founders Room. 

About the Gallery

The Gallery’s campus includes the original neoclassical 

West Building designed by John Russell Pope, which is 

linked underground to the modern East Building designed 

by I.M. Pei, and the verdant 6.1-acre Sculpture Garden. 

Specific drawings and prints not on view may be 

seen by appointment by contacting (202) 842-6380 

(European works), (202) 842-6605 (American works), or 

printstudyrooms@nga.gov; for photographs, (202) 842-

6144 or photographs@nga.gov; for access to the Library 

collection, (202) 842-6511 or refdesk@nga.gov.

Make a Gift to the Gallery

The National Gallery of Art relies on a partnership of public 

support and private philanthropy to exhibit, preserve, and 

enhance our nation’s art collection. For more information, 

call (202) 842-6372 or e-mail giving@nga.gov. 

© 2016 Board of Trustees, National Gallery of Art, Washington 
NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART

MAILING ADDRESS: 

2000B SOUTH CLUB DRIVE, LANDOVER, MD 20785

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

Schematic drawing of East Building reinstallation by Mark Leithauser. Photo by Tricia 

Zigmund, National Gallery of Art, Washington

Programs are subject to change. Visit the website for up-to-date information.

www.nga.gov

 

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