In 2015, “For the Record,” a new program for the Historical Society of Washington, D.C., launched a new way to crowd-source an exhibit. The program also included workshops and tours to enhance public engagement.
The Historical Society’s collections include artwork that documents the changing built environment of the nation’s capital. The collections often came from donations by collectors who commissioned the artwork. For example, “Washington Nevermore” by Lily Spandorf is a collection of paintings and drawings that provides a snapshot of the mid-century redevelopment in Washington, D.C., in the 1950s-80s. This collection was commissioned by the Kiplinger family, one of the most important patrons of the Historical Society.
In response to the organization’s need to re-engage with the local community while advancing the documentation of current development projects in the city, “For the Record” was created. The program resulted in three consecutive annual exhibits, providing new audiences and fundraising while partnering with other local groups.
For the Record: Artfully Historic DC
April 22, 2015 – June 19, 2015
In 2015, the Historical Society of Washington, D.C. (HSW) launched “For the Record: Artfully Historic D.C.,” a new program to capture and preserve scenes of the District’s built environment. Along with the DC Preservation League, the National Building Museum, and the Capitol Hill Art League as co-sponsors, the Historical Society produced a juried competition of paintings and photography.
Continuing its long tradition of collecting artworks that depict life in Washington, the Historical Society partnered with the DC Preservation League to develop its list of Most Endangered Places. The list included buildings at risk of being lost or destroyed as the city’s urban landscape continues to transform, and it will provide local artists with the subjects for art and photo submissions.
Over 100 artists submitted paintings and photographs to the exhibit “For the Record: Artfully Historic DC.” A panel of nine jurors selected the top 75 artworks displayed at the Historical Society’s headquarters in the Carnegie Library at Mt. Vernon Square. The top five winning entries were accessioned into the Historical Society’s permanent collection. All other works were auctioned to support the organization’s collections.
For the Record: Changing DC
April 15, 2016 – July 16, 2016
The Historical Society aims to continue the tradition of capturing Washington’s built environment through the arts. For the Record is an annual juried exhibit of artwork capturing Washington’s changing urban landscape. The Historical Society of Washington, D.C., challenges local artists to create 2D artwork depicting Washington’s changing built environment. For the Record provides exposure, recognition, and enduring prestige to local artists and raises funds to support the Historical Society.
For the Record: Picturing DC
November 9, 2017 – March 4, 2018
For the Record: Picturing D.C. is a juried exhibit of 44 original artworks by 25 local artists focused on neighborhoods in each of Washington, D.C.’s eight wards. These two-dimensional artworks, created between 1988 and 2017, offer the artists’ interpretations of Howard Town/Pleasant Plains, Burleith, Palisades, Shepherd Park, Ivy City, Buzzard Point, Kenilworth, or Congress Heights.
Since its founding in 1894, the Historical Society of Washington, D.C., has collected and preserved paintings, illustrations, and photographs depicting the city’s built environment. By encouraging continued artistic documentation of the modern city, For the Record continues this tradition for the benefit of generations to come. The exhibit is presented at the George Washington University Museum|The Textile Museum in Foggy Bottom.
