Artisphere Gets Political, Sort Of

Congressman Jim Moran, U.S. Representative of Virginia's 8th District, visited Rosslyn's Artisphere last night in order to announce this year's winner of The Congressional Art Competition for his District. The artwork of over sixty local high schoolers went on display this week in 's WIP Gallery, but only one talented winner will have his work displayed in the U.S. House of Representatives for one year.

That young artist's name is Joseph Binns from Falls Church High School. His colored pencil work titled "Grain" was awarded grand prize by Mr. Moran. The drawing depicts a young boy sitting contemplatively in a wooden chair. The wooden chair is carved in the shape of a boy, and the boy-chair seems to be embracing the young student--an odd subject, with elusive symbolism, but well executed.

Another work of particular aesthetic achievement was a digitally-manipulated photograph by Ian Zuidema. He took a picture of a female peer posing with a fierce grimmace, added various textures, and played with color tones, giving the photo a strange and exotic feel. Zuidema was awarded third prize, for which he got, in his words, "a gift certificate to some art store I've never heard of."

The smallest picture in the gallery was also one of the most attractive. A minature pen and ink drawing by Margaret Cashion of TC Williams. She drescribed her piece as being "the one with the huge frame and tiny drawing." Although her placard read "Untitled," a closer examination of her piece revealed "The Cave" etched across the bottom, an apt name for a drawing offering the perspective of a sea cave, peering out across the ocean.

The Congressional Art Competition first began in 1982, and since then, over 650,000 high school art students have participated throughout the country. Even D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, who is not allowed to cast a vote on the House floor, is permitted to host her own local art competition.

The artwork, which is not required to adhere to any specific theme, is nonetheless subject to strict guidelines. Each piece must adhere to the rules and policies of the House Office Building Commission, which prohibits: "exhibits depicting subjects of contemporary political controversy or a sensationalistic or gruesome nature." So a realistic depiction of a battlescene from any one of the numerous wars that have defined American history is apparently off limits.

Artwork could only be 2-D, no statues or performance art, and was limited with size restraints to modest proportions. The gallery, however, is filled with a variety of mediums and subject matter: photography, acrylic, pen and ink, watercolor, pastel. As many former high school art students may recall, portraits and still-lifes are the order of the day, and so its no surprise that is primarily what entered the competition. But don't take Patch's word, come to Artisphere and check out Arlington's youthful artistic talent: the artwork will be on display until Saturday, April 23.