Gallery Y is located in the lobby of Anthony Bowen YMCA at 1325 W St NW. Please call 202-232-6936 for any schedule updates.
Open hours: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 7am-10pm, Friday 7am–8pm, Saturday and Sunday 7am-7pm & by appointment.
To purchase art or make an appointment with the curator: contact Beth Ferraro, theartisland.dc@gmail.com or call 202-780-8275
DC Museum of Sidewalk Stuff: Mutual aid stories
by Artist Organizers Allison Press & Xena Ni
Opening Reception: July 11 from 6-8pm
Workshop Dates: August TBD
Exhibit dates: July 11 - September 6, 2024
DCMoSS is about the stories behind the free stuff we leave for each other on the street. Learn from local organizers who took to the sidewalk to share with their neighbors, and the relationships they cultivated as a result. In a city surrounded by museums that honor moments in our national history, DCMoSS reminds us that the ways we care for each other everyday are just as important.
PAST EXHIBItions 2019-2024
Artist Talk: June 26 from 6-8pm
Exhibit Dates: May 9 - June 28
Featured Artists:
Akinview, Donavon Brutus, Adam Chamy, Eliza Clifford, Tim Grant, Khin, Mark Leatherman, Jun Lee, Yolanda Marie, Neha Misra I नेहा मिश्रा, Addie Moore, Dragon's Pitchfork, Rodrigo Pradel, Elisabeth Rhyne, Autumn Spears, Ali Syverson, Ira Tattelman, Steve Wanna
Curated by Beth Ferraro
This group art exhibit captures the beauty and inspiration found in the earthly landscapes and celestial wonders that surround us. From the Earth to the Sky aims to showcase the harmony, contrast, and synergy that exists between these two captivating realms. Together, we hope to inspire and instill a deeper appreciation for the beauty and fragility of our environment. We can celebrate this moment, even in uncertainty and constant change.
This spring marks the fifth anniversary of Gallery Y. Come celebrate and support local artists and creative spaces.
GATHER/TOGETHER
Curated by Beth Ferraro @the.art.island
Dates: February 1 - April 25, 2024
Gallery Y @ymcabowen : 1325 W Street NW
IN CONVERSATION ~ ARTIST TALK: Thursday, MARCH 7, from 6-8pm
The Terrell's need no introduction in the DC art scene. GATHER / TOGETHER is an intimate exhibition of both Zsudayka and James' individual work and one piece, Garden of Eden (shown here) they collaborated on together. They do this often, trading a canvas back and forth, a continuous private artistic conversation where they encourage and challenge each other's talents. All the works selected for this exhibit highlight how we gather and share our spaces together.
Zsudayka Nzinga Terrell
@zsudayka is a multi-disciplinary fine artist, curator and arts educator from Aurora, CO living in DC. Her work is cultural anthropology, largely focusing on mixed media portraiture and interior design installations that reflect American culture. Her pieces explore mixing patterns and textures to create collages using acrylic, oil, decorative and hand dyed paper, fabric, thread, linocut stamp and ink on canvas. In 2023, she was honored with the Annual East of the River award from Honfleur Gallery. Currently, she is in a MFA program at MICA in Baltimore.
James Stephen Terrell
@jtcolorofsound is a native Washingtonian who was raised in Ward 7. His parents are Rev. Dr. James E.
Terrell, Pastor of historic Second Baptist Church of Washington, DC and Retired Superior Court Associate Judge Mary A. Terrell of the Superior Court of Washington, DC. Terrell received a BFA from Howard University, MFA from Parsons School of Design, and a Master of Divinity Degree from the Union Theological Seminary. Terrell recently had an exhibit at the Priscilla Tyson Cultural Arts Center in Columbus, OH. He has taught art in DC for 15 years.
Zsudayka Nzinga Terrell & James Stephen Terrell have shown many places in DC, most recently at Art of Noize and IA&A at Hillyer. Read their full bios: www.terrellartsdc.com
THU ANH NGUYễN & PHILIPPA PHAM HUGHES
Exhibit dates: November 8 2023 - January 15, 2024
Artist Thu Anh Nguyễn and cultural strategist Philippa Pham Hughes are spearheading the creation of an art installation that includes a 20-foot floral garden mural incorporating expressions of identity from hundreds of AAPI women. A recording of Philippa’s short animated film The Greatest Poem will play alongside the mural
Please join us on January 11th from 6-8pm for The Greatest Poem’s Poetry Reading at Gallery Y. Four Asian American women will read poems that reflect their AAPI identities. Poets include: Ishanee Chanda, Nida Sophasuran, Sooji Choi, and Thu Nguyen. There will also be a live reading of some of the poems created by The Greatest Poem project.
For more details: www.curiosityconnects.us/weshouldtalk
August 20 through
September 16, 2023
Endless Summer • a solo exhibit by Elizabeth Kim
Reception: September 14 from 6-8pm
Curated by Beth Ferraro
Artist Statement: Anything can look like a piece of art when illuminated by the summer sun. For many, summer is the most romanticized time of year, full of possibility, the chance to travel, explore, rejuvenate, fall in love, and indulge. It’s a glorious time for early risers, who get to experience the world illuminated by the sun’s early rise while most are still asleep, for heat lovers and sunbathers who have long afternoons, and for nightlife, when balmy evenings bring crowds to outdoor patios and rooftops until the early hours of the morning.
My art attempts to shine a light on ordinary moments illuminated by the magic of summer. All pieces are done with acrylic paint, hand painted without the rigidity of measurements, straightedges, or projections, based on real-life sights and warped through an imperfect human lens, bound to interpret things in a slightly different way than they actually occurred.
FOUND
Artists: Sondra N. Arkin, Lydia Brianna, Peggy Defay, Thomas Drymon, Rosalie Ferris, Tim Kime, Jenn Kotler, Nick McMillan, Estefania Mitre, Brady Newell, Lisa Rosenstein, Michael Seto, Neil Stewart, and Ira Tattelman
curated by Beth Ferraro / @the.art.island
May 12 - July 8, 2023
Artist Reception: June 7 from 6-8pm
FOUND celebrates Earth Day 2023 with temporary, community-made, found-object sculptures in Alethia Tanner Park, Eckington, DC. Ira Tattelman created FOUND to unite neighbors in a shared artistic experience that benefits the community's public spaces.
FOUND exhibits culminate from three neighborhood workshops led by Sondra N. Arkin, Tim Kime, Lisa Rosenstein, and Ira Tattelman. Eckington neighbors brought scavenged finds to Alethia Tanner Park and used them to create fun, environmentally friendly art. In the process, they formed a new way of looking at trash in their streets.
Today, goods are manufactured at a scale never imagined years ago. We have become a disposable society - discarding what we use rather than repairing or reusing things. Recycling is a system that reduces environmental pollution by collecting, processing, and remanufacturing items into a new product. Upcycling takes recycling to another level by reusing items to increase their perceived value. FOUND zeroes in on the concept of upcycling by bringing people together with things they've found tossed away to give them new life as art. In the process, landfills, streams, and parks benefit from less waste.
This exhibit is a curated selection of the works created at Alethia Tanner Park. The photographs show the three community work days and how the project developed. To follow along with this project, please visit www.founddc.net and @found.dc (Instagram).
All artists involved in this project: Carissa Anderson, Elizabeth Ashe, Nadya Babich, Kanchan Balse, Lily Barrow, Tamika Barrow, Lydia Brianna, Cynthia Connolly, Peggy Defay, Thomas Drymon, Alexander Falco, Rosalie Ferris, Heather Ferris, Oona Giebel, Jenn Kotler, Nick McMillan, Isabella Merlos, Estefania Mitre, Brady Newell, Brenda Ortiz, Mark Osele, Felix Resnick, Sofia Resnick, Michael Seto, Neil Stewart, Ann Stoddard, Veronica Szalus, Luke Walter, Ellyn Weiss, Tai Williams, and all the community members who contributed or interacted with this project.
The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (DCCAH) funded the project through the Public Art Building Communities (PABC) Grant. FOUND also worked with community partner Eckington Parks & Arts.
Power & Peace, Peace & Power
Opening: Thursday, February 16 from 6-8 pm
ARTIST TALK: APRIL 19 from 6-8pm
Curated by Beth Ferraro @the.art.island
Artists Include:
Elmer Calata
Rose Jaffe
Khánh H. Lê
Timoteo Murphy & Maps Glover
Aiyah Sibay
Vanessa Villarreal
This exhibit represents power, peace, and duality. The relationship to the themes can be apparent or more personal in your art. Share your journey as you explore these themes and connections. We ask each artist to submit at least three pieces related to power, peace, or both. Bring forward your imaginative and innovative projects; think outside the box.
Opening reception: December 8
Join the 19 artists, curator, and YMCA staff for an opening reception on December 8 from 6-8pm.
The theme of this group exhibit is simple. Show us joy. How do you create joy? What does joy mean to you? Are you in a place of joy now? Was it a fleeting moment of joy? Are you searching for more joy? When was the last time you felt joy? As we close out 2022 and begin a new year, let's share a moment of joy with this group exhibit celebrating, letting go, moving on, remembering, experiencing, and being in the moment together.
Emon Surakitkoson
What was & What will
Opening Reception June 22 from 5-8 pm
Curated by Beth Ferraro
The exhibit is on view from June 18 through August 5.
“What Was & What Will” is a new solo show from artist Emon Surakitkoson. Envisioning time as a process, rather than a series of moments, these paintings represent a distilled experience of the Covid-19 pandemic. Chronologically, the paintings span from March 2020 to the present day, during which there has been economic insecurity, political instability, and violent hate crimes.
Materially, they embrace a stripped-down aesthetic of painting, with a monochrome palette, large brush strokes, and a deliberate approach to composition. Eschewing narration and figurative subject matter, Surakitkoson offers, instead, a dialogue of elements: black and white; texture and evenness; depth and surface. Looking closely, there is also a variety of material, as paint is combined with folded fabric and ceramic beads. These choices, elevating the process and materiality of the work, represent both a challenge towards staying focused, as well as a means of expression and release, as she comes to terms with her identity as a Thai-born immigrant living in a country that has been openly hostile to people like her. Despite this background of pain and trauma, though, the paintings also offer a path forward, by invoking the contemplation of nature, seen in a horizon line, and by cultivating a space for the joy and play of creation.
“What Was & What Will ” is both a statement, about our ability to progress and adapt, as well as a rumination for the living, who are always, necessarily, eternally caught in the present moment.
Emon Surakitkoson (b. 1985) was born in Thailand and emigrated to the United States when she was 19 years old. She has developed the unique style of sculptural, black and white paintings for which she is known, and in 2020 she transitioned to working as a full-time artist.
KAMANI SUTRA - A SOUTH ASIAN AUNTY’S TRANSFORMATIVE DRAG JOURNEY
Created by Pavni Guharoy & Mani Soma
Exhibit dates: May 2-May 30
Opening Reception: Saturday, May 7 from 4 - 6pm
Two South Asian immigrants found each other on Instagram and collaborated to tell the story of a transformative drag journey. This exhibit culminates ImpactLens Photo’s visual storytelling and KaMani Sutra’s evocative drag evolution. You're invited to celebrate the desi LGBTQ+ community, saris, mujras, feminine energy, and self-love.
Created by: Pavni Guharoy, ImpactLens Photo reframes visual stereotypes of People of Color. Her storytelling aims to change mindsets and create visibility for individuals who defy social norms. Follow @impactlensphoto and contact 240 372 8394 for exhibit details and print purchases.
Mani Soma, KaMani Sutra is a South Asian, genderqueer, bearded drag artist. Their spectacular performance avatar and traditional Indian aesthetic defy western drag expectations and social norms around gender fashion. #telugay Follow @kamani_sutra_ for performance bookings.
Opening Reception & Artist Round Table: Wednesday, February 23 from 6-8 pm.
The exhibit is about the impact of Covid in our local communities, specifically the Black community in the DMV. IMPACT is all of your experiences during the pandemic: hope, anger, fear, joy, resistance, and everything in between. Selected Artists: Broadie, Lisa Brown, Deborah Grayson, Hilltop, Ricky Parker, Ty Phillips, Qrcky, Lora Reina, Jessica Valoris.
+ A second special featured exhibition by Life Pieces to Masterpieces Creating Art, Changing Lives will be on view in the YMCA Capital Event Room.
Both exhibits are made possible by a Choose Healthy Life grant in partnership between the YMCA Anthony Bowen Gallery Y and BCAC. Black Coalition Against COVID is leading and coordinating local efforts to help fight the pandemic and support the needs of our community. The exhibits are on view from February 19-March 30, 2022.
Robert and Roberta: A Family Portrait
by Dany Green
Curated by Beth Ferraro
August 27, 2021 - January 8, 2022
My “Family Portrait” mosaic series uses my family as a microcosm of American history. The two main “characters” are my paternal grandfather and my maternal grandmother My grandfather, Robert L. Green, is one of 9 children born to a Pentecostal minister. He grew up poor but started helped to support his family as a child by picking up small jobs here and here. He eventually earned a PhD from Michigan State University. He went on to become a civil rights activist who worked closely with Martin Luther King Jr. in his early career. My grandmother, Roberta Derr is a white woman who married a black man, George Sutherland, in the 1950s. When my mother was just 10 years old, her father George passed away from sickle cell anemia. Both Robert and Roberta made courageous choices and pushed through boundaries that supported the status quo at the time. Sadly, America finds itself yet again confronting systemic racism and massive efforts to undermine the voting rights my grandfather, Robert, fought so hard to strengthen. In many ways, my “Family Portrait” series can lead to a larger conversation about race, gender, poverty, wealth, education, and health.
America is in a period of adapting and overcoming the devastation of the current Covid-19 crisis and recent political turmoil. The future of this country will be a mosaic. There is no going back to the old way of doing things. Right now, we are in the process of picking up the pieces and putting them back together again. Just like I take the broken shards of dazzling sheets of stained glass and put them back together again. This time into something stronger and more beautiful.
ART IS ESSENTIAL
May 20-August 1, 2021
ART IS ESSENTIAL is our first exhibit in over a year and our first call to artists in the DMV for a group exhibit. Follow along with @YMCABOWEN and all the artists on Instagram:
@black.toystory
@elizabeth.ashe_studio
@scratchpaperpoem
@bbrody04
@d.c.mamacita
@pencildrawingart_hsin.hsi.chen
@childers.travis
@juliechristenberryart
@thebeginningg
@__cayg
@RadicalEleanor
@jarrett.hendrix
@Rikasso
@ilyin.mike
@Miriam.Julianna
@jonmalis
@Thelexmarie
@terrylart_
@Kaisalily.art
@iamrickyparker
@whitneyalanaparker
@momentframer
@luis202artist
@the_art_of_ricemoore
@dinaazsalem
@emonartdc
@jordannwine
our worlds apart
by Roslyn Cambridge
January 30 - March 12, 2020
Roslyn Cambridge, a native of Trinidad and Tobago, resides in Silver Spring, Maryland. Her paintings are housed in the permanent collections in Europe, West Indies, and North America. Both of these imaginative abstract expressionistic paintings are inspired by science in nature.
from the artist: “The universality and beauty of God’s nature, the sparkle and hoy of life persistently excites me. This consciousness inspires me to observe and create paintings reminiscent of my surroundings. I choose to address the unexplained beauty in nature by recreating a series of imaginative abstract expressionist paintings on ‘Lunascapes’ and the ‘Earths Reaction’ this consciousness inspires me to observe and create paintings reminiscent of my surroundings.”
Motion
The Community Collective Photography Showcase
Creative Hands Studio
October 17, 2019 - December 2019
Besides being an actual studio located in the heart of Washington, DC, The Creative Hands Studio’s mission is to provide opportunities for artists to express themselves creatively. From those just discovering art, to those that have creating their entire lives. The goal is to provide opportunities for everyone. This includes exhibits, workshops, contests, and community activities related to art.The Community Collective Photography Showcase, which began in 2016 is one of those opportunities. The purpose of The Collective is to provide an opportunity for artists to experience their work outside of a digital screen, and for that work to be enjoyed by others as well.
Photographers: Daniel “King Fufu” Osei, Zack Lewkowicz, Kelly Paras, Ammar Habib, Sehvrine Lezeau, Tom Mullins, Darnell Gardner, Beau Finley, Bang Le, Annika Young, Seth Erves, Elvis Martinez, Kelly Haymes, Kelly Bell, Kham Owens, Akshat Vishal, Joe Baniewicz, Ciara Dawn, Lilly Grossman, Chantal Dussuel.
TO THE MOON AND BACK
Rose Jaffe Curated by Beth Ferraro
August 8 - October 11, 2019
Rose Jaffe is a visual artist, with mediums spanning mural painting, ceramics, printmaking and illustration. Born, raised and loving Washington, D.C., she earned her BFA at the School of Art and Design at the University of Michigan before returning home. She has painted over twenty murals in the DMV area, nationally and internationally, including Peru and Pakistan.
The content of her work is most often based upon the human form - exploring themes of political activism, female empowerment, natural healing and spiritual grounding. This series explores relationships with each other and the natural world. Reconnecting with the earth beneath us is essential to understanding the ways we can save that which allows us to live. Creating bonds with one another; family, community, lovers - is one of the most powerful ways to express humanity and grace. Rose is inspired by the vibrancy of these connections, and aims to use her art to spark conversation, contemplation, or create a moment of silence and reflection in a seemingly nonstop society.
Find her entire portfolio at www.rosejaffe.com
Curator website: www.theartisland.com
A JOURNEY IN MIXED MEDIA
Tracy Monsanto
In celebration of Caribbean Heritage Month
June 7 - August 2, 2019
Tracy has been working as a professional artist for over 15 years. Her work is heavily textured and multi-layered with vibrant colors. There is warmth and energy to her work which draws you in. She completed her formal education in Bristol, England where she graduated with a Bachelors of Education with a specialization in Fine Art. She has done solo shows in Washington, DC and the US Virgin Islands. She often visits with family in St Thomas and Virgin Gorda, an island in the British Virgin Islands. These areas offer much inspiration for her work. Tracy's work, which is intuitive, vibrant, richly textured and full of bold exotic colors, can be found in collections in several countries in Europe, the Caribbean and United States. She currently lives and works in Tampa, Florida. When Tracy is not in her art studio, she works as an art educator at a local elementary school.
Artist Statement: My exploration of mixed media continues in this exhibition. I am fascinated by the connection between shapes, colors, and textures within a strong composition. Many times when working on a canvas I begin by texturing the surface with various mediums. From there the journey begins using the strong elements of color, shape, and composition. In this exhibition, I incorporated collaged pieces that include hand-made painted papers, Tyvek, Plaster of Paris painted embellishments along with other found objects. My Caribbean background provides continuous inspiration and is forever present in my intuitive method of working.