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Artists

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Inside America’s Great Romance With Norman Rockwell

A new biography of the artist reveals the complex inner life of our greatest and most controversial illustrator

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Remembering an Iconic Era Lost to Time: The Stars and Films of the Silent Pictures

Curator Amy Henderson reminds us of power and influence and glory of the celebrities that pioneered the silent film era

“Sonic Bloom,” a solar sculpture at the Pacific Science Center in Seattle

Energy Innovation

Sonic Bloom! A New Solar-Powered Sculpture

Dan Corson’s latest installation in Seattle—flower sculptures that light up at night—show that solar energy is viable even in the cloudy Pacific Northwest

Oceanographer Gareth Lawson, who studies pteropods, was able to identify Kavanagh’s sculptures to species, such as this Limacina helicina.

The Gorgeous Shapes of Sea Butterflies

Cornelia Kavanagh’s sculptures magnify tiny sea butterflies—ocean acidification’s unlikely mascots—hundreds of times

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Contributors

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Why David Hockney Has a Love-Hate Relationship With Technology

A new retrospective highlights the artist’s two, seemingly opposite passions

Go-go legend Chuck Brown poses on the Big Chair, a downtown Anacostia landmark.

Bust Loose at Chuck Brown Birthday Party at American Art Museum

The museum remembers D.C.’s own “Godfather of Go-Go” with a concert today

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The Civil War

Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson and the War That Changed Poetry, Forever

The two titans of American poetry chronicled the death and destruction of the Civil War in their poems

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When America Entered the Modern Age

Obsolescence yaps at the heels of every dazzling invention, says curator Amy Henderson as she considers the birth of modernism a century ago

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Sharks Made Out of Golf Bags? A Look at the Big Fish in Contemporary Art

Intrigued by the powerful hunters, artists have made tiger sharks, great whites and hammerheads the subjects of sculpture

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Landscape Through a Car Window, Darkly

A new exhibition presents 1970s photography that challenged the traditional American landscape

This gold and pearl hair ornament from the days of China’s Qing Dynasty shows the symbolic significance of the phoenix in Chinese culture. Come see an exhibit at the Sackler Gallery showcasing materials from the creation of Chinese artist Xu Bing’s Phoenix Project, on display until September 2.

Hurry In! These Smithsonian Exhibitions Won’t Be Here Much Longer

Spend your remaining summer days at the museums, and don’t miss out on the Smithsonian’s soon-to-be-closed exhibits

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The End of the World Might Just Look Like This

Artist Ron Miller presents several scenarios—most of them scientifically plausible—of landscapes imperiled and of Earth meeting its demise

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What the Handwriting Says About the Artist

A new exhibition by the Archives of American Art examines the handwriting of more than 40 American artists

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Smithsonian Displays Its Own AIDS Memorial Quilt Panel

Created by Smithsonian volunteers and staff, the panel will be on view in the Kogod Courtyard one day only, July 17

Grab some popcorn for this summer’s blockbusters.

Minions! Did You See How Much a Movie Ticket Might Cost One Day?

Best way to beat the heat, says curator Amy Henderson, is the summer blockbuster, but are they going the way of the dinosaurs

Alexander Calder’s ‘Gwenfritz’ will be reinstalled in its original location on the west side of the American History Museum in October. This mock-up shows the sculpture at its new and old home in a reflecting pool, part of Calder’s intended aesthetic.

How Do You Freshen Up an Alexander Calder? Bolt by Precious Bolt

Alexander Calder’s 40-foot black steel sculpture is getting a makeover and then returning to its original location near the American History Museum

What do you see?

Fruits and Veggies Get a Close-Up

In the darkroom, photographer Ajay Malghan creates abstract art by casting light through thin slices of produce

Bring your friends to the Renwick Gallery for a night of craft art and craft beer at an adults-only DIY how-to.

Events July 9-11: Verbal Gymnastics, Craft Art and Beer and West African Music and Storytelling

This week, unlock your inner poet, make DIY garden-themed craft art and drink craft beer and sway to the beat of West African music and storytelling

Continue the patriotic celebration Friday, July 5, with the United States Air Force Band, which will perform at the Air and Space Museum.

Events July 5-7: Listen to Air Force Tunes, Dance the Day Away and Get Local with Art

This weekend, listen to sounds of the U.S. Air Force Band, participate in a day of dance and get a glimpse of a local artist’s perspective on art

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