Last October 8, 2008, the place to be and be seen in the District was at Flashpoint Gallery (916 G Street, NW in Washington, DC) for the most unusual opening reception that I have ever seen, for Andrew Wodzianski's House. The exhibition runs through November 7, 2009.

If you go and check it out, let me start with a warning: prepare yourself for an art exhibition like no art exhibition that you’ve ever been to, in fact, an art exhibition like no one has ever been to.

Not that novel ideas for art exhibitions are anything new for Andrew Wodzianski, one of the Greater DC area’s most innovative and forward-thinking artists, but this one takes the prize.

Wodzianski is almost always thinking of something new to add to his shows – they are rarely just a painting show, although this young artist can paint!

Years before Twitter, Wodzianski orchestrated a solo show at Georgetown’s Fraser Gallery where visitors could use Yellow Arrows (Twitter’s predecessor) to text immediate criticism and comments about his work to an online site.

It was such a new and innovative marriage of art and emerging digital communications technology, that most of it completely went over the heads of art critics and visitors alike: “text what to where?” The critics had no idea what immediate online criticism was all about, and they missed a seminal art event.

It did catch the attention of a University curator who gave Wodzianski a follow up exhibition of this novel pre-Twitter concept of immediate digital feedback. Score one for Andrew.

He also once showed up to an opening dressed as a ninja, and once as a woman. As Wodzianski is about six and a half feet tall and weighs about ten pounds soaking wet, he looked like a black praying mantis, rather than a threatening ninja warrior.

In this exhibit you will see thirteen artworks (not a coincidence), nine of which will be paintings. All nine paintings depict interior sets and props used in William Castle’s cult campy film 'House on Haunted Hill’, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.

The paintings are a triumph of technical and creative visual minimalism as still images from the film are manipulated and juxtaposed onto tinted canvas, and obfuscated by multiple layers of white glaze and velaturas [literally, there is only white titanium oil paint on a pastel ground].

Much like the 1959 film, the paintings themselves appear veiled and slightly threatening and unresolved.

But there’s a lot of other stuff going on around this exhibition besides these uneasy images. There is a real casket, a haunted house, Andrew’s first “official” art performance, selective mailings, miniature coffins, a scavenger hunt, free artwork, nurses, funeral directors, pall bearers, Twitter feeds, a Halloween after-party, and O yeah… be prepared to meet Vincent Price (star of the film).

And most of all, be prepared for an art experience like you’ve never experienced before.

Ofrenda at the Torpedo Factory
Ofrenda - Art for the Dead is an art exhibition of local artists' shrines, altars, paintings, music, dancing, and spoken word based on the Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) tradition.

Ofrenda remembers the dead and celebrates life (the two emphases of the holiday) with artist-made Dia de los Muertos altars and ofrendas (offerings) that venerate the beloved dead, and draw them to visit their loved ones, feast on their favorite food and drink, and listen to their favorite music.

This year marks the third annual Ofrenda Show and Art Outlet will partner with the Torpedo Factory Art Center for the show.

The event will begin Saturday, October 31 and run though November 3. On Saturday Oct 31, there is a parade starting at 7pm and a mask ball with multiple performances at 8pm during the reception.

Participating artists have created personal altars, icons, shrines, and offerings (ofrendas) all curated by Art Outlet over 1152 square feet of wall exhibition space (18 panels, courtesy of Artomatic) and space for sculpture/media on the first floor of the Torpedo Factory Art Center.

There will be a public altar outside the Torpedo Factory that will include candles and incense. The art and activities of traditional El Día de los Muertos celebrations look warmly and humorously on life, death, and the departed.

This is just the kind of event that will help to revitalize the Factory. Don’t miss it!

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