The Spirit of the United States in Washington D.C.’s Art Scene

When you google “quotes about Washington, D.C.,” varying accounts of the capital of the United States will present themselves to you. John F. Kennedy ’40 said that D.C. is “a city of Southern efficiency and Northern charm.” With regard to art, Dan Brown said that “Washington, D.C., has everything that Rome, Paris, and London have in the way of great architecture — great power bases. Washington has obelisks and pyramids and underground tunnels and great art and a whole shadow world that we really don’t see.”

That being said, the city is definitely worth a visit, whether for a protest or for pleasure. It can be accessed by purchasing the classic New England Amtrak ticket, taking a flight from Boston Logan, or by driving almost seven hours south down the coast — a trip that feels longer than it should be.

In preparation for exploring the nation’s capital, I recommend a diverse array of film offerings. While set across a variety of places in addition to our capital, the 1994 film “Forrest Gump” is the perfect, all-American classic to precede a day or week in the District of Columbia. “Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian” is a great nostalgic pick for us Zoomers, and an upcoming trip to the National Mall is perhaps the best excuse you’ll ever have to watch it again — so I recommend that you take good advantage of it.

2004’s “National Treasure” is another patriotic pick, and — believe it or not — a good amount of the 2015 film “Pixels” is set in Washington, D.C. as well. Faithful viewers will recall that Kevin James plays the President in this Adam Sandler sci-fi thriller, and the whole ordeal is utterly ridiculous and delightful. If you are traveling with your parents and want to brush up on your history, you might also watch the 2012 film “Lincoln” — although it definitely isn’t as fun as “Pixels.”

If you, like me, somehow never went on a trip to our nation’s capital in eighth grade, you’ll be chomping at the bit to explore the exhibitions that the National Mall — nicknamed “America’s Backyard” — has to offer. The Smithsonian Museum complexes that flank the national park’s grassy catwalk are extensive and free, and one could spend days hopping around to each of them — any travel blogger who has visited D.C. has undoubtedly made this claim. The National Mall also happens to be the beating heart of D.C.’s art scene.

It is during a trip to the Mall where tourists are most likely to stumble into the splendor of American diversity that our capital encapsulates. Among hundreds of museum exhibits detailing and celebrating colonial American history, the National Museum of African American History and Culture offers an artistic exploration of the important contributions of African Americans to our nation and interrogates our country’s history of racism.

The National Gallery of Art boasts perhaps a wide-ranging collection of pieces, with current exhibitions ranging from modern Haitian art to French Impressionism. That being said, the National Gallery also showcases extensive all-American work, including 300 American naive paintings and a collection of American folk art.

While I am not typically a sculpture or architecture fanatic, the Mall is full of grand memorial gestures in addition to museums. The Washington Monument is obviously bombastic in its presentation, and examining the Lincoln Memorial in the context of a piece of art is worthy of your time. The United States is a relatively new country compared with the rest of the world, and the extent to which the city goes to make it seem ancient — or, on the other hand, the ways in which it is artistically modern in identity (such as the Vietnam Veterans Memorial) — are fascinating.

However, the Smithsonian American Art Museum and its National Portrait Gallery — a bit off the beaten path — was by far my favorite museum visit during my time in D.C. and is home to some of my all-time favorite museum exhibitions.

Nam June Paik’s “Electronic Superhighway: Continental U.S., Alaska, Hawaii” is not only a treat, but also representative of the best of American art our capital has to offer. Paik has constructed a TV map of America, with each screen showcasing a visual representation of the artist’s perception of each state. You could spend hours looking at this behemoth of contemporary art and contemplating all the ways in which it represents American identity and multiplicity. Tucked away in a corner on the third floor of the museum, this piece is worth the expedition.

As the seat of our nation’s government, political pieces are obviously at the core of D.C.’s art scene. When I walked into the room of presidential portraits, the first thing I saw was “Barack Obama” by Kehinde Wiley. In the oil painting, Obama emerges from a robust bouquet of neon green foliage and flowers. He sits on a classic brown chair that is almost colonial in detail, with his arms crossed and looking directly at the museum-goer. He is casually slouched forward with a stern but calm expression. I had never seen such an unconventional portrayal of a president with such bright colors. My eyes strained to take in all the greenery.

I walked around the partition in the middle of the room, on which Wiley’s work was hung, only to find President-elect Donald Trump on the other side. In “Donald Trump, the Washington Post” by Matt McClain, Trump surfaces from an ink-black background. The only color in the photo print comes from his stark red tie and Florida-tan complexion. He bears very nearly the same expression Obama dawns in Wiley’s portrait, but the effect couldn’t be more different.

Even in recounting this memory, I get chills recalling the sheer power of art that I felt in this room at the National Portrait Gallery, as if the genius loci of Washington, D.C. was standing next to me like a ghost. To this day, I wish I knew who was in charge of making this staging decision so I could write them a letter.

As the results of the election loom over, I now wonder what kind of portrait will greet me and what American sort of spirit I may find myself sitting with during my next visit to Washington, D.C.

Kate E. Ravenscroft is a Harvard College junior concentrating in English, and a Staff Writer for the Crimson Arts Board. She is the creator of the “Genius Loci” column, where she writes about embracing the spirit of places both near and far through art. She can be reached at kate.ravenscroft@thecrimson.com.