We know D.C. Get our free newsletter to stay in the know.
TO JULY 6
Passing through the Slovenian capital of Ljubljana this spring, a friend of mine and her companions decided to forgo a hostel and instead squatted with a bunch of artists, musicians, and sundry bohemians in a former barracks complex appropriated for use as an art gallery, nonprofit office, bar, dance hall, and commune. There, they met two cowboy-hat-clad cabinetmakers, a 15-year-old sculptor, and the head of the local Society for People with Atheist Feelingsin all, a motley group who lent them a feel for the scene in the former Yugoslavia. The experiences of Transformer gallery co-directors Jayme McLellan and Victoria Reis while traveling through Southeastern Europe seem to have been just as offbeat, and the resulting exhibition, “Super!,” vividly captures that same exuberant spirit. Presented in conjunction with the District of Columbia Arts Center (and split between the two venues), “Super!” features the work of artists from the regionincluding two Ljubljana natives. At the DCAC, Polonca Lovsÿin’s short videos (Solar Collection is pictured) present a visually and thematically colorful take on urban life: Collapsible Room features the artist getting dressed and ready for the day in the front seat of her hatchback home. Tomazÿ Tomazÿin’s pieces are less concerned with reality: Apprentice, a short film composed of clips from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, is overdubbed and interspliced with footage of the artist hanging upside down. “Super!” is on view from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday, and from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, to Sunday, July 6, at the District of Columbia Arts Center, 2438 18th St. NW, free, (202) 462-7833; and from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday (also by appointment), to Sunday, July 6, at Transformer, 1404 P St. NW, free, (202) 483-1102. (Mike DeBonis)