Arts in Foggy Bottom - Homeland/Hostland

May 3 - September 6, 2025

Artist Reception at the gallery Saturday, May 3 4-6pm

Watergate Gallery will be participating with Arts in Foggy Bottom by hosting an exhibition of artwork by sculptors who are participating in the biannual Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition which continues in the neighborhood through Oct 25.

Arts in Foggy Bottom will open its outdoor sculpture biennial on Saturday, May 3. The biennial event will launch with an opening reception at the Watergate Gallery following the initial tour on May 3rd from 4-6pm. The ninth exhibition by the award-winning arts program features original creations by artists installed throughout the yards and homes of the historic Foggy Bottom neighborhood located between 24th and 26th Streets NW and H and K Streets NW in Washington, DC. The initial tour begins at 2:00pm at the corner of New Hampshire Avenue and I Street NW.

CURATED BY FABIOLA R. DELGADO

ARTISTS PARTICIPATING:

Inga Adda, Miguel Braceli, Annie Broderick, Gerardo Camargo, Icebox Collective, Victor Ekpuk, Jordan Hamlett Sanders, Brandon Hill, Rose Jaffe, Njena Surae Jarvis, Jean Kim, Neha Misra, Xena Ni, Steve Wanna.

Self-Guided Tours: Use QR codes posted at each sculpture site

Guided Tours: Second Saturday of June, July, August. 11:00 AM Twilight Tour: Saturday, September 13. 7:00 PM. Live music by NSO member.

The exhibition at the gallery will remain on display through September 6.

The idea of "home" often carries connotations of safety and comfort, but this isn't always the case. Sometimes, they fall short of providing the refuge we seek, and in such instances, our hosts —whether they are people, places, or communities— take on the role of home. The relationship between home and host isn't always distinct; they can overlap, interchange, or even exist independently of each other. Over time, these connections evolve and deepen through mutual care and attention. It is the broader community, however, that plays a crucial role in nurturing these relationships and helping us thrive. Ultimately, the concept of home becomes less about a fixed place and more about the network of supportive relationships that develop within a caring community. This exhibition lies at the intersection of history, community, and artistic expression. Set within the rich legacy of the Foggy Bottom neighborhood, this show celebrates the profound impact of immigrant contributions, which have shaped the neighborhood’s narrative and character, standing as enduring examples of progress and solidarity among neighbors. Foggy Bottom has long been a beacon of immigrant resilience and creativity, and this exhibition aims to illuminate the diverse journeys and enduring legacies of immigrants through the works of diasporic artists, honoring their pivotal role in shaping the cultural landscape of the neighborhood and beyond. A new land brings both opportunities and challenges, serving as a space where connections are forged and a sense of belonging is built. This exhibition highlights land as more than a physical space—it’s a vessel of memories, experiences, and cultural significance. The featured artworks invite viewers to reflect on how both immigrants and natives shape, and are shaped by, their environment, merging the familiar with the foreign to create a shared, evolving sense of place. The earth on which we stand holds the echoes of our ancestors, imprints of past civilizations, and the traces of migration, displacement and settlement. It is a place of belonging and exile. It is a place of origin and return. The tentative title Homeland | Hostland highlights intricate connections between cultural identity, heritage, and territory. This title evokes the journey and transformation from native origins to new environments, inviting artists to interpret themes of migration, diaspora, family heritage, welcoming, belonging, and our natural connection to land, where we are both guests and hosts.