Arts in Foggy Bottom

Lovers of public art can now add Arts in Foggy Bottom, an outdoor sculpture exhibit taking place this summer, to their list. Arts in Foggy Bottom has occurred biennially since 2008, until the 2020 exhibition was postponed due to the coronavirus lockdown. After weathering that storm, it returns this year with HUMAN/NATURE. The show is “artists, residents, and visitors in conversation about life,” according to curator Kayleigh Bryant-Greenwell. She tells City Paper she was compelled by the rolling back of environmental regulations and a slew of natural disasters worsened by climate change to take action. Some of the artworks share that urgent tone, while others celebrate the positive connection humans have with our environment. The entire collection is incredibly diverse, from a memorial bench and solar powered lights to metalworks and a wall of sticks. Bryant-Greenwell deliberately wanted to include works that are “unconventional” among outdoor sculpture, including 2D and text-based art. To visit all 13 artworks, visitors can follow the map on Arts in Foggy Bottom’s website, which is crucial to avoid missing the more understated pieces. Each piece includes QR codes that connect visitors to a guided tour displaying the artists’ bios and statements. The sculptures are located in front of various row houses in historic Foggy Bottom, so visiting them requires a lovely walk through the charming area between the George Washington University, the Watergate complex, and Georgetown. The exhibition runs to September 26 between 24th and 26th streets NW and H and K streets NW. Information is available at artsinfoggybottom.com. Free. —Sarah Orozco