Artomatic
Encyclopedia
Artomatic is a five-week, multimedia art
s event held in the Washington, D.C.
area. It has been held in 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2007, 2008 and 2009. The most recent Artomatic was held May 29 through July 5, 2009, on nine floors at 55 M Street, SE, Washington, D.C., adjacent to the Navy Yard – Ballpark Metro station.
An independently organized and licensed Artomatic event was organized in Frederick, Maryland for 2011. From Sept. 28th – Nov. 6th, 2011, the former FCPS Central Office building at 115 E. Church Street, Frederick, Maryland is hosting Artomatic@Frederick.
Artomatic provides a mechanism for emerging and established artists to have the chance to work with and learn from one another. The diversity of artwork and performances attract a broad range of people, providing a forum to build institutional connections; linking public and private schools, universities, community development organizations, human service organizations, corporations, foundations, and cultural organizations.
Artomatic has a website Artomatic.org which is updated for each event. Additional networking occurs during and between events on a dedicated section of the artdc.org
forum.
in Northwest Washington. The location, in an old laundromat, accounts for the name.
The second Art-O-Matic was held from September 29 to October 28, 2000. This time, it was held in the Tenleytown neighborhood of Northwest Washington, in a then-vacant building that had at various times been a Sears
and a Hechinger
(the building now houses a Container Store
and a Best Buy
). Artist Barbara Januszkiewicz
recalls the art happenings that occurred in the Washington area with Art-o-Matic.
October 31 to November 30, 2002 saw the third Art-O-Matic, in a former EPA
building at 401 M Street, Southwest Washington, adjacent to Waterside Mall (the mall was later demolished). At this Art-O-Matic, for the first time, the Figure Models Guild of the Washington, DC area sponsored open life drawing
events. There would be live, often nude, models
posing, and artists drawing. The art-going public – duly warned by signs as to the presence of live nude models – were welcome to come in and try their hand at drawing, or just observe.
The fourth Artomatic, as it was now spelled and has been spelled since, was held from November 12 through December 5, 2004 at the old Capital Children's Museum
in Northeast Washington, a little north of Union Station
. The complex has since been demolished.
There was a short hiatus after the fourth Artomatic. When Artomatic did not happen in 2006, two years after the fourth, a group of art galleries in Bethesda, Maryland
put on a coordinated show of artists who might have taken part in Artomatic. The galleries mounted the art for their monthly Bethesda Art Walk (held on the second Friday of each month) of January 12, 2007. Whereas every other Artomatic has been open basically to any artist who has art to hang or mount and the $60 fee, this is the only time an Artomatic event was in any way curated.
Soon after this small Artomatic event, the fifth Artomatic was held from April 13 to May 20, 2007. This was the first time Artomatic was held outside the District of Columbia. It occupied two floors of a vacated office building in Crystal City in Arlington, Virginia
. The space had previously been occupied by the Patent and Trademark Office
.
Artomatic returned to the District of Columbia with the sixth, held from May 9 through June 15, 2008. This time, they occupied 10 floors of Capitol Plaza I, a new – not yet completed – office building in the NoMa (North of Massachusetts Avenue) neighborhood of Northeast Washington, a block from the New York Ave. - Florida Ave. - Gallaudet U Metro
Station (soon to be renamed NoMa – Gallaudet University).
In February 2009, Artomatic collaborated with the Pink Line Project for "Luck of the Draw: An Art and Music Experience". This event attracted over 1,500 people and was held at the Capitol Riverfront Neighborhood.
The seventh Artomatic was also the tenth anniversary event. It ran from May 29 to July 5, 2009 in Southeast Washington. Again, it occupied a brand new building, 55 M St. SE, in a development near the new Washington Nationals
ballpark located right over an entrance of the Navy Yard – Ballpark Metro Station. Over 76,000 visitors attended.
Art
Art is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect....
s event held in the Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
area. It has been held in 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2007, 2008 and 2009. The most recent Artomatic was held May 29 through July 5, 2009, on nine floors at 55 M Street, SE, Washington, D.C., adjacent to the Navy Yard – Ballpark Metro station.
An independently organized and licensed Artomatic event was organized in Frederick, Maryland for 2011. From Sept. 28th – Nov. 6th, 2011, the former FCPS Central Office building at 115 E. Church Street, Frederick, Maryland is hosting Artomatic@Frederick.
Structure
A steering committee comprising local artists, arts administrators, and community activists develops outreach procedures and participation guidelines to ensure the broadest possible artistic representation from the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Each participant pays a nominal fee and commits to volunteering for 15 hours. Most participants, however, give much more of their time; volunteers execute every task, from hauling trash and building exhibit structures to maintaining the website. As a result, the show draws artists and visitors of different races, cultural backgrounds, ages and experience levels.Artomatic provides a mechanism for emerging and established artists to have the chance to work with and learn from one another. The diversity of artwork and performances attract a broad range of people, providing a forum to build institutional connections; linking public and private schools, universities, community development organizations, human service organizations, corporations, foundations, and cultural organizations.
Artomatic has a website Artomatic.org which is updated for each event. Additional networking occurs during and between events on a dedicated section of the artdc.org
Artdc.org
is an artist collective in the Washington, DC area with over 2000 artists of all mediums. Artdc.org has helped organize various artist-run initiative projects including group shows in transitional spaces....
forum.
History
The first Art-O-Matic, as it was spelled then, ran from May 21 to June 19, 1999. It started as a fairly spontaneous event in the Manhattan Laundry buildings on Florida AvenueFlorida Avenue (Washington, D.C.)
Florida Avenue is a major street in Washington, D.C. It was originally named Boundary Street, because it formed the northern boundary of Pierre L'Enfant's original plan for the Federal City...
in Northwest Washington. The location, in an old laundromat, accounts for the name.
The second Art-O-Matic was held from September 29 to October 28, 2000. This time, it was held in the Tenleytown neighborhood of Northwest Washington, in a then-vacant building that had at various times been a Sears
Sears, Roebuck and Company Department Store (Washington, D.C.)
Sears, Roebuck and Company Department Store, also known as The Cityline Building, is an historic retail building, located at 4500 Wisconsin Avenue, Northwest, Washington, D.C., in the Tenleytown neighborhood.-History:...
and a Hechinger
Hechinger
Hechinger, mistakenly called Hechinger's by many customers was a chain of home improvement retail stores headquartered in Landover, Maryland outside Washington, D.C., and an online retailer owned by Home Decor Products.John Hechinger, Sr...
(the building now houses a Container Store
The Container Store
The Container Store is a specialty retail chain that sells storage solutions for home and office.On July 1, 1978, The Container Store opened its doors in a small, retail space in Dallas...
and a Best Buy
Best Buy
Best Buy Co., Inc. is an American specialty retailer of consumer electronics in the United States, accounting for 19% of the market. It also operates in Mexico, Canada & China. The company's subsidiaries include Geek Squad, CinemaNow, Magnolia Audio Video, Pacific Sales, and, in Canada operates...
). Artist Barbara Januszkiewicz
Barbara Januszkiewicz
Barbara Morrison Januszkiewicz is an American painter, multi-media artist and filmmaker. She specializes in watercolor painting in a hybrid style – 'realism handled in a impressionist manner'. Her artwork has appeared predominantly in the Washington, D.C., area, including the Phillips Collection,...
recalls the art happenings that occurred in the Washington area with Art-o-Matic.
October 31 to November 30, 2002 saw the third Art-O-Matic, in a former EPA
United States Environmental Protection Agency
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress...
building at 401 M Street, Southwest Washington, adjacent to Waterside Mall (the mall was later demolished). At this Art-O-Matic, for the first time, the Figure Models Guild of the Washington, DC area sponsored open life drawing
Figure drawing
In art, a figure drawing is a study of the human form in its various shapes and body postures - sitting, standing or even sleeping. It is a study or stylized depiction of the human form, with the line and form of the human figure as the primary objective, rather than the subject person. It is a...
events. There would be live, often nude, models
Model (art)
Art models are models who pose for photographers, painters, sculptors, and other artists as part of their work of art. Art models who pose in the nude for life drawing are usually called life models...
posing, and artists drawing. The art-going public – duly warned by signs as to the presence of live nude models – were welcome to come in and try their hand at drawing, or just observe.
The fourth Artomatic, as it was now spelled and has been spelled since, was held from November 12 through December 5, 2004 at the old Capital Children's Museum
National Children's Museum
The National Children's Museum is a 150,000-sq.-foot interactive museum for children that is planned to open in 2013 in Prince George's County, Maryland, as part of National Harbor...
in Northeast Washington, a little north of Union Station
Union Station (Washington, D.C.)
Washington Union Station is a train station and leisure destination visited by 32 million people each year in the center of Washington, D.C. The train station is served by Amtrak, MARC and Virginia Railway Express commuter rail services as well as by Washington Metro subway trains and local buses...
. The complex has since been demolished.
There was a short hiatus after the fourth Artomatic. When Artomatic did not happen in 2006, two years after the fourth, a group of art galleries in Bethesda, Maryland
Bethesda, Maryland
Bethesda is a census designated place in southern Montgomery County, Maryland, United States, just northwest of Washington, D.C. It takes its name from a local church, the Bethesda Meeting House , which in turn took its name from Jerusalem's Pool of Bethesda...
put on a coordinated show of artists who might have taken part in Artomatic. The galleries mounted the art for their monthly Bethesda Art Walk (held on the second Friday of each month) of January 12, 2007. Whereas every other Artomatic has been open basically to any artist who has art to hang or mount and the $60 fee, this is the only time an Artomatic event was in any way curated.
Soon after this small Artomatic event, the fifth Artomatic was held from April 13 to May 20, 2007. This was the first time Artomatic was held outside the District of Columbia. It occupied two floors of a vacated office building in Crystal City in Arlington, Virginia
Arlington County, Virginia
Arlington County is a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The land that became Arlington was originally donated by Virginia to the United States government to form part of the new federal capital district. On February 27, 1801, the United States Congress organized the area as a subdivision of...
. The space had previously been occupied by the Patent and Trademark Office
United States Patent and Trademark Office
The United States Patent and Trademark Office is an agency in the United States Department of Commerce that issues patents to inventors and businesses for their inventions, and trademark registration for product and intellectual property identification.The USPTO is based in Alexandria, Virginia,...
.
Artomatic returned to the District of Columbia with the sixth, held from May 9 through June 15, 2008. This time, they occupied 10 floors of Capitol Plaza I, a new – not yet completed – office building in the NoMa (North of Massachusetts Avenue) neighborhood of Northeast Washington, a block from the New York Ave. - Florida Ave. - Gallaudet U Metro
Washington Metro
The Washington Metro, commonly called Metro, and unofficially Metrorail, is the rapid transit system in Washington, D.C., United States, and its surrounding suburbs. It is administered by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority , which also operates Metrobus service under the Metro name...
Station (soon to be renamed NoMa – Gallaudet University).
In February 2009, Artomatic collaborated with the Pink Line Project for "Luck of the Draw: An Art and Music Experience". This event attracted over 1,500 people and was held at the Capitol Riverfront Neighborhood.
The seventh Artomatic was also the tenth anniversary event. It ran from May 29 to July 5, 2009 in Southeast Washington. Again, it occupied a brand new building, 55 M St. SE, in a development near the new Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
ballpark located right over an entrance of the Navy Yard – Ballpark Metro Station. Over 76,000 visitors attended.
Notable artists
- Frank Warren's PostSecretPostSecretPostSecret is an ongoing community mail art project, created by Frank Warren, in which people mail their secrets anonymously on a homemade postcard...
project began at Artomatic 2004.
- A mysterious poet named BRASH has left poems for the exhibiting artists and many choose to display the poems with their artwork. Speculation of the identity of the mystery poet has been linked to a notable Washington DC media artist Barbara JanuszkiewiczBarbara JanuszkiewiczBarbara Morrison Januszkiewicz is an American painter, multi-media artist and filmmaker. She specializes in watercolor painting in a hybrid style – 'realism handled in a impressionist manner'. Her artwork has appeared predominantly in the Washington, D.C., area, including the Phillips Collection,...
.
- In the 2007 Artomatic, Tim Tate’s artwork “The Rapture” disappeared under dramatic circumstances, and later a ransom demand (for Monopoly money) was sent to The Washington PostThe Washington PostThe Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
. The demands were met and parts of the artwork were returned by the thief, named "The Collector," along with his manifesto about society failing to value its art.
External links
- Artomatic home page
- Artomatic Discussion on ArtDC.orgArtdc.orgis an artist collective in the Washington, DC area with over 2000 artists of all mediums. Artdc.org has helped organize various artist-run initiative projects including group shows in transitional spaces....
- Artomatic@Frederick - Frederick, MD
- Artomatic419 - Ohio
- Fraser Gallery Artomatic Top 10 Show *"Artomatic Thinks Small in Bethesda", Washington Post, January 11, 2007; Page C13.
- "'Artomatic (2007)': Treasures Hiding in Plain Sight", Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post, May 4, 2007; Page WE53
- "'Art in focus: Artomatic @ Frederick (2011)'", Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post, October 20, 2011