MIHO KANAYA USES beads and intricate weaving to create kimonos, accessories, folding screens and pictures. Kanaya's mesmerizing designs combine the traditional (maple leaves, animals, images of Buddha) with geometric shapes. One nine-foot-wide screen uses millions of beads to create its bucolic scene.
» Japan Information and Culture Center, 1155 21st St. NW; through Nov. 20, 202-238-6949. (Farragut North)
Photo Courtesy of Japan Information and Culture Center
HANS VAN MEEGEREN didn't grow rich off his own name. The master forger became wealthy because of Johannes Vermeer, the great 17th century Dutch painter.
Van Meegeren painted before and during World War II, ingeniously mixing science — the key ingredient in his paintings was plastic — skill, determination, psychological insight, cunning and vast reservoirs of bile to cheat his way to the top. After he was finally caught, he painted one final "Vermeer" in prison to demonstrate his style. Somewhat ironically, he was eventually was seen as a hero throughout Holland for swindling a galaxy of art snobs and the likes of Nazi swine Hermann Goering, even though van Meegeren had no problem befriending the Germans for his own benefit.
This is a great tale, and lauded author Edward Dolnick's new book, "The Forger's Spell," makes it even better. Subtitled "A True Story of Vermeer, Nazis, and the Greatest Art Hoax of the Twentieth Century," the work is an accessible, engrossing and erudite examination of art, commerce and history.
A recent e-mail from Dolnick discussed a particularly compelling aspect of Van Meegeren's career.
"Han van Meegeren was different from every forger I'd ever heard of," Dolnick wrote. "He made forgeries that didn't look at all like the real thing. ... Vermeer's men and women overflow with life. The people in Van Meegeren's fakes look like zombies, and they have raccoon eyes.
"The second surprise was that the people he fooled were experts, not novices," Dolnick continued. "The more people knew about art, the harder they fell for Van Meegeren's fakes. ... When one modern-day expert looked back at Van Meegeren's career, he called it 'literally incredible' that Van Meegeren got away with it. My goal was to explain that mystery. The trail led to forgers talking shop, magicians spilling their secrets and spymasters explaining the art of the double agent. We see what is in front of our eyes, sometimes. But we also see what we hope to see, or what we expect to see. It's the job of con men and swindlers to manipulate those expectations."
Dolnick will discuss the extraordinary career of Hans van Meegeren at the Corcoran on Sept. 24. Express asked him about Van Meegeren's talents, why scientific tests were never done on his paintings and what advice he could offer an aspiring forger.
Continue Reading "Artful Dodger: Edward Dolnick on 'The Forger's Spell'" »
HERE'S ONE WAY to avoid anxiety over the possibility of missing "Stress: Portrait of a Killer" (Wed., 8 p.m. on WETA): Watch it with the producers and Stanford neurobiologist Robert Sapolsky tonight at National Geographic Live! (7:30 p.m., 1600 M St. NW, Nglive.org). The special uses Sapolsky's work with baboons to show how the lowest-ranking individuals in society face the most stress — and its bevy of accompanying health woes.
» EXPRESS: Why study stress?
» SAPOLSKY: I think there are a lot of scientists interested in one disease, like Alzheimer's or colon cancer. I like that stress doesn't really cause diseases, but it leads to many.
» EXPRESS:What are all of the horrible things stress can do?
» SAPOLSKY: It affects depression, memory, sleep, mood. Most people value their sex lives. Immune suppression is much more vulnerable. Strokes aren't so much fun, either. It can raise your blood pressure, and there's gastrointestinal stuff.
» EXPRESS: What is stress exactly?
» SAPOLSKY: If you're a regular, boring animal, it's a response to an acute physical crisis — not wanting to be eaten. It's not until you get to smart species like us that you get the exact same changes in the body for psychological reasons.
Continue Reading "Stressing the Point: Robert Sapolsky Explains Your Anxiety" »
ARKANSAS GOVERNOR Mike Huckabee never really had a chance in the presidential primaries. But maybe that was just a warm-up.
Tonight, he'll compete in the Funniest Celebrity In Washington Contest at The Improv. His folksy humor was always a strong point in his stump speeches, so this might remembered as the night he abandoned politics for a more secure career: stand-up comedy.
I mean, really, which carries more glory: being the funniest celebrity in Washington or shaking hands and kissing babies on the campaign trail? I think we all know where Mike Huckabee would rather be.
» The Improv, 1140 Connecticut Ave. NW; 7 p.m., $200; 202-296-7008. (Farragut North)
Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images
MIKE BIRBIGLIA WAS deemed officially hilarious during his sophomore year at Georgetown University when he earned the title of "Funniest Man on Campus."
From there, he's developed an acclaimed standup routine and made three Comedy Central specials, the latest of which, "What I Should Have Said Was Nothing," he'll perform this weekend.
If you're looking for a preview, head to YouTube and check out Birbiglia's "Cracker" routine — the laughs will come easy.
» D.C. Improv, 1140 Connecticut Ave. NW; Thu.-Sun., Aug. 21-24, various times, $20; 202-296-7008. (Farragut North)
Photo courtesy of Comedy Central
IN AN IMPRESSIVE collaboration, Sonic Youth founder Thurston Moore and music writer and editor Byron Coley have released an image-heavy book delving deep into New York's No Wave scene. "No Wave: Post Punk. Underground. New York" has 150 photographs and a vast number of interviews with those who experienced the movement first-hand.
Both Thurston and Coley will appear at the Corcoran tonight to discuss the movement and their documentation of it, and sign copies of the book. Moore shared some of his memories of New York's No Wave scene with Express contributor Aaron Leitko. Click here to read more.
» Corcoran Gallery of Art, 500 17th St. NW; Tue., July 29, 7 p.m., $18-$22; 202-639-1700. (Farragut North)
» Politics & Prose, 5015 Connecticut Ave. NW; 4 p.m., free; 202-364-1919. (Van Ness)
HE'S BEEN IN the comedy game for a while, but that doesn't make Kevin Pollack any less good at that Christopher Walken impression he's known for. What isn't as widely known is that he has a few other tricks up his sleeve (you can watch him showing them to you on Letterman).
The other thing he does very well is play the main guy's comically relieving best friend (think "A Few Good Men" and "The Wedding Planner"). Bottom line: he's pretty funny. Check him out tonight at the Improv.
» DC Improv, 1140 Connecticut Ave. NW; Thu.-Sun., July 17-20, various times, $20-$22; 202-296-7008. (Farragut North)
Photo by The Washington Post
ANYONE WHO HAS ever seen "Friday" (or "Next Friday," for that matter) knows and loves John Witherspoon. He's the endearingly cranky Mr. Jones — click here for his "Best of Friday" moments.
He's not only funny when giving Ice Cube a hard time, though. The man has a gift for stand-up comedy. We've got a little of that for you too — click on this.
Now, stop laughing at your desk and head down to the Improv to see the man himself live all weekend. As the "Friday" tag line appropriately states: "A lot can go down between Thursday and Sunday."
» The Improv, 1140 Connecticut Ave. NW; Thu.-Sun., various times, $22-$25; 202-296-7008. (Farragut North)
Photo courtesy of Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images
IT'S ALWAYS important to unwind before the holidays, and that's why cavemen invented alcohol. After your long day in a suit doing whatever it is you do, head to Mackey's Public House to register for a massive pre-4th of July bar crawl encompassing 12 bars in midtown from 5 p.m.-midnight. And yes, it's called the "Liberty Bar Tour," so feel free to scream "FREEEEDOM!" at random intervals. Bring two cans of food for charity and your cover will be $10. Otherwise, it's $13.
» Mackey’s Public House 1823 L St. NW; Thu., 5 p.m., $10-$13; 202-331-7667. (Farragut North)
Photo by Mark Finkenstaedt for the Washington Post
THE CORCORAN IS currently displaying an emotionally raw exhibit by eight photographers around the world.
"Access to Life" tells the stories of 30 people living with AIDS in nine different countries. The subjects were photographed before they started antiretroviral treatment, and then again four months after they started.
The staggering (in a good way!) effect of the drugs is evident in the photographs. Come see for yourself — the exhibit moves onto its next stop on July 20.
» Corcoran Gallery of Art, 500 17th St. NW; open Mon., Wed., Fri., Sun., various times, $10-$12; 202-639-1801. (Farragut North)
Photo courtesy of the Corcoran Gallery of Art
Addison Road