Accessible
for people with disabilities Current Exhibitions
Ubuhle Women: Beadwork and the Art of Independence
December 9, 2013 - Sepember 21, 2014
Location: Main Gallery
Ndwango (means "cloth") is a new form of bead art developed by a community of women living and working together in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The Ubuhle (means "beautiful") artists' community was established in 1999 by local resident Bev Gibson and master beader Ntombephi Ntombela [En-Tom-be-Fi En-tom-bell-la] to empower local women with the means to provide for their families through their art. The flat surface of the textile onto which the Ubuhle women bead is reminiscent of the Xhosa headscarves and skirts that many of them grew up wearing. Using black fabric as a canvas and different colored Czech glass beads as the medium of expression, the Ubuhle community has re-imagined the longstanding beading tradition as a contemporary art form. Twenty-nine works are featured, including The African Cruxifixion. Ubuhle: pronounced Uh-Buk-lay in Xhosa (Ho-Sa)
Home Sewn: Quilts from the Lower Mississippi Valley
December 9, 2013 - September 21, 2014
Location: Main Gallery
The first in a series of collections-focused exhibitions, Home Sewn features quilts created by Annie Dennis (1904–1997) and Emma Russell (1909–2004). Quilts represent classic American quilt patterns and techniques passed down through five generations. This exhibition examine the generational, social, and economic fabric of an African American quilting community in rural Mississippi. In addition, fieldwork and interviews with present-day African American women quilters give voice to the continuing tradition of quilting in these communities.
Separate and Unequaled:
Black Baseball in the District of Columbia
On view indefinitely
Back by popular demand after a recent successful run at the Historical
Society of Washington, D.C., a condensed version of this exhibition is on view
at the museum. From Reconstruction to the second half of the 20th century, baseball,
the great American pastime, was played in Washington, D.C., on segregated fields.
“Separate and Unequaled” looks at the phenomenal popularity and
community draw of this sport when played by African Americans. Featured are
such personalities as Josh Gibson and “Buck” Leonard, star players
of the Negro Leagues most celebrated team, the Washington Homestead Grays. The
show also highlights community teams that gave rise to the various amateur,
collegiate and semi-pro black baseball teams and leagues. For special viewing
hours and tours, call 202.633.4844.
