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Making time to ‘Wonder’ at The Renwick Gallery

April 29, 2016

The Renwick Gallery Wonder exhibit: Leo Villareal LED chandelier on A Girl Named PJ

A few months ago, around the time of my blogging hiatus, I chatting with a new acquaintance about how I’d been feeling uninspired and burned out lately. She happens to be a therapist, so I thought she might have some words of wisdom for me.

And she did. Her recommendation was that I dedicate at least one day each month to recharging my creative batteries. Some of her suggestions included spending time outdoors, attending a meditation retreat, and exploring DC’s many museums.

There was one catch, though. While I was trying to immerse myself in nature, art, or (obviously) zen, I couldn’t post to Instagram or Snapchat. I had to commit to being in the moment in whatever I was doing.

Wonder exhibit at The Renwick Gallery: Janet Echelman rainbow net on A Girl Named PJ

Hemlock tree by John Grade at the Renwick Gallery Wonder exhibit on A Girl Named PJ

The Renwick Gallery Wonder exhibit: John Grade Hemlock tree on A Girl Named PJ

That might be a problem, I thought, since the museum I was eager to visit first was quickly becoming Instagram famous here in DC.

Awe-inspiring images from the “Wonder” exhibition at the Renwick Gallery had been popping up in my feed since the museum reopened in November, and I was dying to explore the room-size art installations in person. There were hot pink walls decorated with dead insects, mountains made of stacked index cards, and floor-to-ceiling rainbows of embroidery thread that would make perfect backdrops for selfies and snaps.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to make it downtown in January or February, but I made a firm decision to visit the Renwick Gallery on my birthday in March. I was actually looking forward to spending that Tuesday morning alone in DC; I’d leisurely explore “Wonder” and grab a bite to eat before returning home on the Metro.

Then Jordan announced he was taking off from work to spend my birthday with me. Certainly, I wasn’t going to refuse his company!

The Renwick Gallery Wonder exhibit: Maya Lin marble Chesapeake Bay on A Girl Named PJ

Close up of marbles used by Maya Lin in her Wonder exhibit at The Renwick Gallery on A Girl Named PJ

Recycled tires sculpture by Chakaia Booker at The Renwick Gallery Wonder exhibit on A Girl Named PJ

So on March 22, we spent a little over an hour walking in and out of the Renwick’s nine galleries, our jaws dragging on the floor beneath us as we tried to take in the exhibit’s dramatic and oversized installations. The breadth of the artwork, well, it took our breath away — which is sort of the point of the exhibition, according to museum curator Nicholas Bell.

In a Washington Post article about “Wonder,” Bell says, “When things are this significant in scale and oomph, you can’t just breeze by them. You have to confront it and figure out what your relationship to it is.”

Jennifer Angus Wonder exhibit of dead bugs at The Renwick Gallery on A Girl Named PJ

Wallpaper pattern made from dead bugs at The Renwick Gallery Wonder exhibit on A Girl Named PJ

Mountains of index cards by Tara Donovan at The Renwick Gallery Wonder exhibit on A Girl Named PJ

If you’ve been thinking about confronting Wonder’s large-scale installations (and I strongly suggest you do), you’ll have to get yourself downtown quickly. The second-floor galleries — featuring wallpaper made from bugs, a labyrinth of recycled tires, a handwoven net illuminated with multicolored lights, a river of marbles, and a sculpture of a giant hemlock tree — close on May 8th. The remaining installations will be on view through July 10, 2016.

But if you can’t make it to DC, not to worry. You can always explore the #RenwickGallery hashtag on Instagram for a still-inspiring secondhand experience.

Gabriel Dawe Plexius A1: A rainbow of thread by Gabriel Dawe at The Renwick Gallery Wonder exhibit on A Girl Named PJ

Rainbow made of embroidery thread by Gabriel Dawe at The Renwick Gallery Wonder exhibit on A Girl Named PJ

Tree saplings at The Renwick Gallery Wonder exhibit on A Girl Named PJ

PS: And we did take some selfies, although not as many as I had anticipated. It turned out to be more exciting experiencing the exhibit than to trying to capture it for Instagram.

(All photos taken by me at the Smithsonian’s Renwick Gallery.)

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6COMMENTS | Culture

« What it’s like to raise boys (and how we’re celebrating One Big Happy Mother’s Day)
Goodbye, ice cream. I’m (sort of) going Paleo this month. »

Let’s Discuss

  1. Amy

    April 29, 2016 at 4:16 pm

    Absolutely gorgeous!

    Reply
    • PJ

      May 8, 2016 at 7:39 pm

      The exhibit was so inspiring!

      Reply
  2. Alexis

    May 2, 2016 at 12:44 pm

    Oh man! Just amazing! Wish I could make it.

    Reply
    • PJ

      May 8, 2016 at 7:40 pm

      I wish you could, too! All (smaller) museums should feature installations like these at some point. They were mesmerizing because of their scale.

      Reply
  3. sara | alice & lois

    May 3, 2016 at 12:18 am

    WOw! Beautiful pictures PJ!

    Reply
    • PJ

      May 8, 2016 at 7:40 pm

      Thanks! The exhibit was so much fun to photograph.

      Reply

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