22

FRIDAY

I’ll admit to being star-struck. Yeah, I know that celebrities are just people: Us Weekly tells me that they take out the trash and occasionally sneeze. But that didn’t stop me from keeping an eye peeled for Jennifer Aniston during a recent weekend in Chicago. Of course, folks more sophisticated than I am—say, arty society types—couldn’t care less about celebrities. Which is what makes the concept behind French media artist Matthieu Laurette’s “international look-alike conventions” so sharp. Laurette hires celebrity doubles to cruise the crowds at high-society art openings and films the results: Practiced nonchalance turns to puerile excitement as aristos discern the impostors and scramble to have their photos taken. Check out the view from E Street NW when Numark Gallery shows two of these “conventions”—Déja Vu: The Second International Look-Alike Convention at Castello di Rivoli and Déja Vu: The Seventh International Look-Alike Convention at Dia’s Fall Gala—on a 24/7 loop in its second installment of summer video exhibitions at 625 E St. NW. Free. (202) 628-3810.