Event Calendar

Events are free unless otherwise noted.

• September
• October
• November
• December

*All events are subject to change or cancelation.

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September

Opening Reception

September 7, 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Fall 2024 Exhibition Cycle

This season’s opening is big, big, big! Arrive early (5:00 p.m.) for a GALLERY TALK with West Coast artist Pegan Brooke. Stay and be our guest at the opening of the Fall ’24 Exhibition Cycle with 8 brand new shows including the American premiere of Ralph Steadman: And Another Thing. Many of the season’s artists and curators will be in attendance – join us!

Gallery Talk — PEGAN BROOKE: FLUX II, Light on Water

September 7, 5:00-6:00 p.m.
Exhibit: PEGAN BROOKE: FLUX II, Light on Water

Join Pegan Brooke for an artist talk on her paintings, which invite reflection on personal feelings and our connection to the world. Inspired by her Pacific Coast studio and international video/poems, Brooke’s work, featured in major museums, uses light on water as a metaphor for life's ever-changing flux.
Reserve Your Spot: 09/07

Gallery Talk — A Steadman on Steadman

Sold Out — Standing Room Only (September 8, 2:00-3:00 p.m.)
Exhibit: Ralph Steadman: And Another Thing

Learn more about UK artist Ralph Steadman’s legendary body of work in this lecture and Q&A with Sadie Williams, Managing Director at Ralph Steadman Art Collection, Ltd. As Sadie is also Ralph’s daughter, we’re sure to get some special insights! Sadie will discuss common themes and creative methods as she shares anecdotal stories and memories. Known for his Gonzo journalism team-up with Hunter S. Thomson, explore how Ralph Steadman challenges perceptions and offers insights for both devoted fans and newcomers alike.
 

Gallery Talk — Mark Kelner: New American Landscapes

September 21, 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Exhibit: Mark Kelner: New American Landscapes

Engage with artist Mark Kelner and AU Museum director Jack Rasmussen as they explore Kelner’s innovative approach to redefining landscape art. This talk delves into how painterly recreations of suburban strip mall signs transform mundane signage into powerful symbols of national identity. Kelner’s work reflects on how these everyday markers embody our changing culture and personal histories.
Reserve Your Spot 09/21

Family Event — Family Weekend Art Making

September 27, 1:00-4:00 p.m.

Come celebrate Family Weekend with us! Participants are welcome to try their hand at drawing on aluminum, simulating the art of engraving. Limit one project per participant, while supplies last. This project is suited for ages 4+. Younger children may succeed with the guidance of their adult.
Reserve Your Spot 09/27

Gallery Talk — Jeff Gates:
Faces of the Republican Party

September 28, 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Exhibit: Jeff Gates: Faces of the Republican Party

Join Jeff Gates for an artist talk exploring his digitally created portraits that critique American leaders prioritizing personal power over public welfare. Faces of the Republican Party, Gates' nine-year project, captures political chaos and growing distrust in government, challenging both partisan divides and legislative neglect. Discover his powerful visual commentary on contemporary political issues.
Reserve Your Spot 09/28

Community Event — Tenleytown Art All Night

September 28, 7:00 -10:00 p.m.

Visit us after hours to explore eight new shows in our Fall '24 Exhibition Cycle! 

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October

Virtual Gallery Talk — Conservationist and Documentary Film Maker Ceri Levy and artist Ralph Steadman on the Gonzovation Trilogy

October 5, 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Exhibit: Ralph Steadman: And Another Thing

Greetings from Rutland, England! Join us for a virtual gallery talk with artist Ralph Steadman and conservationist and documentary filmmaker Ceri Levy as they discuss their 12-year collaboration, the creation of the Gonzovation Trilogy, Steadman's 'dirty water' technique, and what it means to be a true “Gonzovationist.”
Reserve Your Spot 10/05

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November

Gallery Talk — Mira Hecht: in the center thereof rose a fountain

November 2, 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Exhibit: Mira Hecht: in the center thereof rose a fountain

Experience the work of artist Mira Hecht, whose luminous oil paintings, with their translucent layers and calm order, emphasize life's fragility and interconnectedness. The artist and AU Museum director Jack Rasmussen will explore how her serene, yet dynamic works invite reflection on what we hold dear.
Reserve Your Spot 11/02

Gallery Talk — A Sight to Behold

November 9, 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Exhibit: A Sight to Behold: The Corcoran Legacy Collection of Nineteenth and Early Twentieth-Century American Landscape Paintings at the American University Museum

The AU Museum received over 9,000 artworks from the Corcoran Gallery of Art after it closed in 2014. Join us for a lecture and walking tour of the exhibition A Sight to Behold which draws from this collection (as well as pieces from the National Gallery of Art) and focuses on Nineteenth and Early Twentieth-Century American landscape paintings. Explore how themes of Romanticism, westward expansion, and conservation reflected and shaped the American psyche with Dr. Carolyn Kinder Carr, former Deputy Director and Chief Curator of the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery.
Reserve Your Spot 11/09

Kids @ Katzen — Passport to Art!

November 16, 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.

Visit us on November 16th between 11am and 1pm for a family-friendly trip around the museum, exploring our Fall exhibitions with a special passport activity! Pick up a museum “passport” at the front desk and visit several of our exhibitions, completing activities and collecting stickers along the way. Complete all the activities and take home a souvenir prize featuring works from our Corcoran Legacy Collection! 

No registration necessary. Suitable for children ages 6+, younger children may succeed with the assistance of an adult. 

 

Gallery Talk — Joseph Holston: Call and Response

November 16, 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Exhibit: Joseph Holston: Call and Response

Meet artist Joseph Holston and explore the convergence of jazz and visual art in Call and Response. This Maryland painter and printmaker captures the Black American experience with a bold, abstract style. His dynamic pieces, featured in major collections, celebrate Black life, history, and culture with vibrant energy.
Reserve Your Spot 11/16

Gallery Talk — Endless Transformations: The Alchemy of Connie Imboden

November 23, 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Exhibit: Endless Transformations: The Alchemy of Connie Imboden

Delve into the psychologically rich photography of Connie Imboden with the artist and her curator, Kristen Hileman. Through mirrors and underwater shoots, Imboden crafts layered visions of the human body, blending surrealism with intimacy. Discover the mythological, historical, and Jungian influences behind the 50+ images in her exhibition and engage with the artist in a concluding Q&A.
Reserve Your Spot 11/23

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December

Gallery Talk — Behind the Scenes of Ralph Steadman: And Another Thing

December 6, 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Exhibit: Ralph Steadman: And Another Thing

Join Andrea Lee Harris, Ralph Steadman Exhibition Coordinator and Kevin Runyon, AU Museum Preparator, as they discuss the curation, design, and installation of Ralph Steadman: And Another Thing. This ambitious exhibition spans over 60 years of this legendary artist’s career. Sadie Williams (Managing Director at Ralph Steadman Art Collection and Ralph Steadman’s daughter) and Andrea Harris had to choose from over 15,000 artworks in the Ralph Steadman Archive to provide a cohesive, informative, and thrilling overview of Ralph Steadman’s life and work. Find out what pieces made the final cut and why!
Reserve Your Spot 12/06