When I first walked into the Artomatic, I was greeted by a large shoebox of a movie still from Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend. The characters, donning barbie-sized silk fabric and tiny pearls, were marshmallow peeps. I obeyed the sign, “Do Not Eat,” and wandered into the exhibit, only to encounter a collection of equally eye-popping and unpredictable art.
Artomatic, now in its fifth iteration since it began in 1999, showcases an eclectic range of creative work and live performances from over 600 local artists. This year’s location, two floors of an office building currently undergoing renovation, is hardly “artsy.” Hundreds of fine art and sculptural works are packed into tiny, door-less offices on the sixth floor, leaving the viewer to wander through a maze of bright color that smells faintly of incense and oil paint.
But don’t let the sterile elevator ride fool you. Artomatic is teeming with uninhibited creativity, due in part to the fact that everyone involved is an artist, from the guy selling t-shirts to the woman handing out brochures. Each exhibiting artist is required to donate 15 hours to manning the event, and most are more than enthusiastic to discuss their work. Brian Reed, a student at James Madison University, is displaying his mixed media work for the second time at Artomatic. He described his work, “Divine Comedy,” in humorous and free-spirited detail, citing African masturbatory rituals and a fetish for furry shoes as part of the inspiration for his elaborate piece
“It’s a do-it-yourself job, and it’s more of an experience … it’s very organic,” Reed said
Artomatic is ideal for the starving artist—space costs a mere $75—but the event has a history of shelling out great success stories. Frank Warren, founder of the popular Post Secret series, emerged on the scene after his first display at Artomatic. Tim Tate, who now runs the Washington Glass School and whose work has been featured in over a dozen museums, owes his career to the freedom of exploration that the setting invites.
“You can’t take a chance in a gallery, but you can take a chance in Artomatic. You’ll see artists really stretching themselves,” Tate said.
This is precisely what sets Artomatic apart from the typical museum visit. The juryless, curator-free event gives artists the chance to push their creativity to the limit and interact directly with other artists. Though the lack of selection process may leave art snobs raising a few high brows, the result is an extremely personal and incredibly diverse array of work.
“Yes, you’re going to have junk … but there are some amazing people and amazing stories,” said Deborah Conti. “It’s very potluck, which is what also makes it very exciting.”
Conti’s beadwork, which includes chunky glass necklaces and a revamped wooden clock, is accompanied by poems by her husband, Paul Peiffer, which he wrote as he battled cancer. Along with personal stories of hope and survival, there are social and political messages reflecting local activism in D.C. Jim Magner’s “The Capitol Series” explores the notion of freedom through different views of the Capitol building in oil paint.
After braving the labyrinth of the sixth floor, take a breath in the open space two floors up. The eighth floor exhibition has a raw, abandoned warehouse feel, and contains the bulk of Artomatic’s sculptural installations and murals. The pieces are sectioned off in a street fair style, allowing the viewer to step inside the works and explore each artist’s self-constructed space. The works upstairs are perhaps more visually engaging and address a large number of themes. Notable exhibits include an environmentalist-inspired patch of grass and Andrea Collins’ free-loving “Peacekiss,” which invites viewers to smooch as stand-ins for warring countries.
For those not bold enough to brave the eclectic maze alone, a number of free tours are given by artists on specific themes such as glass or green recycled materials. If you show up in the evening, you can grab a beer at the lounge and catch a live show or poetry reading.
Artomatic is now showing at 2121 Crystal City Drive, Arlington, Va. through May 20. Admission is free. For schedule, check artomatic.org.
