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This Saturday, June 28 Transformer opens E5: Rangefinder – The 5th installment of our Exercises for Emerging Artists Program:

E5: RANGEFINDER July 2 – August 2, 2008

ARTIST TALK: June 28, 2008, 4pm

OPENING RECEPTION: June 28, 2008, 5-7pm

Please join us this Saturday, June 28 beginning at 4pm for an artist talk followed by an opening reception to celebrate the launch of this new exhibition.

Featuring new works by Kristina Bilonick, Michael Matason, Jillian Pichocki, and Bryan Whitson, this year’s Exercises program highlights experimental uses of photography. E5: Rangefinder presents works created through a variety of photographic processes including screen printing, light painting, multiple exposure Polaroid’s, and photographic renderings, which these artists developed over a several month process of peer critique and mentorship organized by Transformer and guest curator Lisa McCarty.

Launched in March 2004, The Exercises for Emerging Artists was created to support artists at critical points or crossroads in their professional growth and development. Consisting of a series of gatherings at Transformer, the program is designed to stimulate and encourage participating artists as they create new work. In addition to several peer critique sessions, the artists receive mentorship and feedback from area gallerists, more established artists, professors, and curators. This year's mentors included visual artist Jason Zimmerman, photographer Frank Day, Transformer's Executive & Artistic Director Victoria Reis, curator, art critic, and the Corcoran College of Art + Design’s Administrative Chair of Photography Andy Grundberg, independent curator and gallerist Andrea Pollan of Curator’s Office, and E5: Rangefinder guest curator Lisa McCarty.

Seeking to build this year's Exercises to include discipline specific leadership that would further benefit the participating artists' overall experience, Victoria Reis approached Lisa McCarty to guest curate the E5 program. Lisa McCarty, a visual artist, photographer, and independent curator states: "I am interested in the use of images as source material or a departure point within an artists' practice; images as ideas to build upon and fuse into a larger concept. Artists who work in this way also seem to be incorporating photographic processes into new techniques, or developing their own hybrid systems of image creation. For this program I sought to give a forum to these artists who approach the medium of photography as a means, but not always the end."

Beginning in April through to June 2008, the artists participated in facilitated bi-weekly meetings discussing the challenges they face as artists, the inspiration that helps propel them forward, as well as their artistic intentions and goals. E5: Rangefinder opens up the program, presenting the results of these artists' Exercises experience to the public for interaction and feedback.

EXHIBITION HOURS for E5: Rangefinder beginning Saturday, June 28 through August 2: Wednesday - Saturday, 1-7pm & by appointment.

Images (left to right): Bryan Whitson, Kristina Bilonik, Michael Matason, Jillian Pichocki

Download the full press release in PDF format:
E5: Rangefinder Press Release PDF

E5: Rangefinder press:

Transformer is pleased to be partnering with the Arlington Arts Center in the presentation of Flat Mates, June 10 – July 19, 2008.

Featuring selections from Transformer’s FlatFile program, the Flat Mates exhibition presented in the Community Gallery at the Arlington Arts Center includes work by fifteen current FlatFile artists:

April Behnke
Miles Bumbray
Natalie Cheung
Cynthia Connolly
Pat Graham
Nathan Manuel
Lisa McCarty
Piero Passacantando
Jay Stuckey
Senior Tangcito
Champ Taylor
Michael Terzano
Lisa Marie Thalhammer
Christine Buckton Tillman
Rachel Waldron

Launched in Spring 2007, Transformer's FlatFile program highlights an eclectic collection of unframed works in a variety of two-dimensional mediums, including photography, painting, drawing and printmaking, all approximately 16" x 20" in size and smaller. Developed to further grow audience and collectors for emerging artists outside Transformer’s exhibition series, FlatFile is open to both artists that have exhibited with Transformer in the past, and those who are new to the organization. FlatFile currently includes work by over twenty-five emerging artists based regionally, nationally and internationally.

Flat Mates at the Arlington Art Center reflects a diverse mix of selections from the FlatFile. All works are available for purchase with 70% of proceeds going directly to the participating artists. Additional works from Transformer’s FlatFile are available for viewing and purchase by contacting Transformer at: info@transformergallery.org or by calling 202-483-1102.

See the Arlington Arts Center exhibition page for more details.

Images left to right by: Senior Tangcito, Champ Taylor, and April Behnke

Transformer’s Executive & Artistic Director Victoria Reis and Board President James Alefantis participated in a dynamic convening of The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts’ Warhol Initiative June 19-22, 2008 in New Orleans, LA.

Transformer joined over 175 executive directors, curators, and board members from more than 59 of our peer alternative, non-profit arts organizations and publications this past weekend in New Orleans for the 3rd convening of the Warhol Foundation’s Warhol Initiative grantees. The Warhol Initiative is a unique national grant program providing substantial three-year capacity-building support for selected visual arts organizations.

This weekend marked the 10th anniversary of this exceptional and visionary grant program that supports a broad range of contemporary visual art spaces, and more recently arts publications, throughout the country – some celebrating their 40th, 30th, and 25th years of operations, and some as new as two years old. Transformer joined Stage II of the Initiative in March 2005, geared at supporting relatively young organizations that operate on modest budgets, and are regarded by the foundation as "the next generation of artist spaces."

Victoria Reis was part of the convening planning committee, which included executive directors from Aurora Picture Show, Creative Time, MACLA, Project Row Houses, Southern Exposure, Smack Mellon, and White Columns. This group met several times beginning in September 2007 to plan the agenda for the New Orleans convening, which was developed based on feedback from their Warhol Initiative peers and with support from Foundation staff and LarsonAllen consultants.

Emphasizing the importance of peer-led sessions that would allow Warhol Initiative participants to share their own experiences and expertise with each other, the convening provided an incredibly stimulating environment for free idea exchange, critical inquiry, and honest self-reflection. Addressing issues such as community engagement, evolving models for curatorial practice, collaborations, marketplace, creative technologies, real estate and the various size and shapes of organizational spaces, as well as a number of other issues identified by the field, Transformer’s Executive Director and Board President participated in a number of thought-provoking and energizing conversations with their peers.

"This convening of arts organizations and arts leaders - all presenting high-quality artistic ideas, all singled out for well-earned support from the Andy Warhol Foundation - highlighted the strengths, abilities, and challenges of this vital community. We all relished the rare opportunity of brainstorming with working members of this field to further our common goals of supporting artists and alternative expression. It was personally inspiring to witness Executive Director Victoria Reis' and Transformer's important leadership and respect from its peers of strong and opinionated alternative arts spaces. I was very proud,” states Alefantis.

“Having grown up professionally in this field and working with many of these dynamic arts leaders since my early twenties as staff at the National Association of Artists’ Organizations, it was an incredible honor to be able to ‘sit at the table’ as the Director of Transformer and participate in conversations with people who are taking risks on a daily basis in deciding on how they shape their organizations, what artists they present, and how they work within their communities to make change. It was truly an inspiring convening, and I look forward to implementing much of what I learned at Transformer as our organization continues to grow,” says Reis.

All Here & Now Artwork Returned to Artists

Following several weeks of negotiating with Four Points, LLC and the District of Columbia Regulatory Administration, Transformer is very pleased to share that all work within the 1840 14th Street, NW space featured in Transformer’s Here & Now exhibition has been removed and is in the process of being returned to the artists. Our continued thanks to all of the artists featured in this portion of the exhibition for their incredible patience and support throughout.

Special thanks to Chief Fire Inspector Ken Wilson for accommodating our removal of the artwork, and to all of the artists and volunteers who assisted in de-installing this exhibition.

Become a Visionary Friend of Transformer!

Transformer has updated the Visionary Friends of Transformer individual giving program with new benefits to thank our 2008 individual donors for their support. It's a perfect time to send in your contribution, take a tax deduction, and participate in an exciting series of contemporary art events.

Become a Visionary Friend of Transformer and support the leading artists of tomorrow - today! Please visit the new Visionary Friends of Transformer page for details.

Show your love and give to Transformer today!

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