BrightestYoungThings – DC – Lumen8 Preview @ Lightbox in Anacostia

Words by Rachel Eisley

Photos by Jeff Martin, Ben Droz, Rachel Eisley, and Joy Asico

The Lumen8 art festival is opening this Saturday in Anacostia, and on Tuesday, DC bloggers and photographers were invited to tour one of the more colossal venues: the former DCPD Evidence Control Division building, now recreated as a multimedia installation and performance venue called the Lightbox, brought to Lumen8 by the Pinkline Project. Among other art and performances, on Saturday the Lightbox will feature a fab pop-up shop by Pleatherette.com, a soundscape/video projection from Bluebrain taking place in a gritty elevator shaft and a pop-up restaurant by Busboys and Poets.

Absolutely make sure your journey to the top floor of the Lightbox for Home Mender — a fantastic interactive sculptural interior and roof buildout by whimsical Oakland artist Monica Canilao. Canilao worked with a team of artist-builder-DIY adventurers from around the country to amass a collection of architectural debris in New Orleans with which they created the engagingly complex installation, commissioned by the DC-wide 5×5 project. Canilao and friends are part of a larger artist community united through street artist Swoon’s Swimming Cities projects,a series of collectively made sculptural “junk boats” created from found materials, sailed in several voyages stateside and abroad in 2006-9. Home Mender lends the haunting industrial caverns of the Lightbox an intimate and eclectic environment where the visitor is invited in to stay a spell, only to be transported to a surreal world of both ethereal and rough juxtapositions.

Other Lumen8 festival-wide participants and venues include: Honfluer Gallery, The Gallery at Vivid Solutions, Blank Space SE, The HIVE, and The ARCH Artist in Residency Program. Many of the exhibitions will be on display until mid-June, but don’t miss the opening this Saturday, April 14th from noon until midnight, which will have performances galore in addition to all the art! All venues are free and open to the public, and people of all ages are welcomed and encouraged to celebrate the vibrant spirit of DC’s emerging creative arts community! Check out http://www.lumen8anacostia.com for more information including an interactive map and further details on contributing artists, organizations and sponsors.