2026WinterArtsPreview

Winter Arts Preview

Renwick Shows Artists’ Contributions to State Fairs

by Patricia Leslie

Gigantic boots large enough to accommodate an adult inside flank the entrance to the Smithsonian’s Renwick Gallery, introducing its fantastic exhibition, “State Fairs: Growing American Craft.”

The boots are “Big Tex’s Boots,” made of steel, Styrofoam, aqua resin, fiberglass, and acrylic paint. They were a size 70 in 1952, growing to size 96 in 2013. Handmade and painted in Texas, they feature the state flag, capital, flower (the bluebonnet), and bird (the northern mockingbird).

The gallery’s exhibition of artists’ contributions to state fairs is the first of any in the land. It starts in the mid-19th century and continues up to the present day, with more than 240 creations from 43 states and photographs from all 50 states.

How about a full-sized cow made of butter, or a dress made of butter cartons?

At the Iowa State Fair, Sarah Pratt and her twin daughters are famous for their life-size butter cow, a tradition started by John

K. Daniels at the fair in 1911— and one Pratt has extended to state fairs in Missouri and Illinois. At the Renwick, the cow is protected by a glass chiller case.

Mary Ann Titrud and Wilma Ryan made their butter-carton dress, which was actually worn by a dairy princess in 1965 at the Minnesota State Fair. It’s made of 475 cardboard squares cut from butter cartons. (Talk about uncomfortable!)

How about a quilt of buttons? Or a pyramid of 700 glass jars of preserved fruits and vegetables? They’re all here, folks—along with everything from a stunning embroidered tiger swallowtail butterfly so eye-popping you’d swear it was the real thing.

Complementing the exhibition is Justin Favela’s large “Capilla de Maiz” (“Maize Chapel”), made of polyester sheets, cement, steel, staples, and tape. It celebrates “corn,” often called “yellow gold,” and its importance to American identity.

Favela’s work fills 4,200 square feet under a 40-foot ceiling, with changing lighting intended to instill a calming effect.

Margarita Cabrera made a life-size clay replica of a John Deere tractor, designed “to draw attention to the immigrant workers American agriculture depends on,” according to the label. Susie Brandt, a professor at the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, guided 4-H clubs from several states in creating two quilts on view.

These are just a few of the striking inventions found at the museum, which extends across two floors.

Another quilt comes from Grace Snyder of Nebraska, who took to quilting in 1888 when she was six and bored by watching cattle. Her quilt—made of about 87,000 tiny triangles—won the Sweepstakes Award in 1944 at the Nebraska State Fair, earning her a grand total of $2.50.

Few can claim as many ribbons as Carol St. Clair Johnson, who won her first blue ribbon in 1981 and later combined more than 600 ribbons into a quilt that won Best in Category at the 2023 New Mexico State Fair.

On a serious note is a quilt made by female inmates in Kentucky—victims of domestic abuse—whose art renderings and words moved Governor Brereton Jones, when he saw their quilt at the 1965 state fair, to work toward commutations for them.

Researchers worked with artists, historians, librarians, conservators, dairy princesses, cowboys, vendors, and more for five years to bring the exhibition to fruition, and all their efforts show.

Related events for the show include a “handi-hour” (happy hour) on Feb. 11 at 5:30 p.m., with live music, cider, beer, snacks, materials to make crafts, and more. Admission is $25 for ages 21 and older. Registration begins Feb. 2, 2026.

A catalogue of the exhibition with 100 photographs is available at the shop for $39.95.

Renwick’s show takes the Grand Prize for best exhibition of state fairs anywhere. See it and be astonished by the creative genius and assembly of your fellow countrypeople.

The Renwick Gallery is at the corner of Pennsylvania Ave. and 17th St. NW, next door to Blair House. It is open every day from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., two blocks from the Farragut West Metro Station. “State Fairs” ends Sept. 7, 2026. Free admission.

Movie Review

by Lisa Sinrod

This film, rated PG-13, is set in the near future (2029) in crimeridden Los Angelos, where traditional courts have been replaced by an AI-driven judicial system called Mercy. This system uses sophisticated surveillance footage as well as algorithms and digital data in order to conduct trials via digital interfaces. Even the judge is an AI creation, supposedly rendering decisions solely through factual analysis and without the bias that humans bring to these determinations. Ultimately, the absence of the fallible human touch in this futuristic justice system ends up being the point. The AI data driven aspects seem advanced beyond where we will be in three short years, therefore I would have preferred the future time stamp to be in the 2030s, but when it comes to AI – who knows? Maybe that is the point also.

The film stars Chris Pratt (“Parks and Recreation”) as Detective Chris Raven, a cop charged with a serious crime which he claims to have no memory of committing. Unlike our current justice system where a defendant is innocent until proven guilty, in the Mercy trial system Raven must prove his innocence to the AI judge within in a set time limit. This near-future system renders lawyers and juries obsolete. Rebecca Ferguson, who had a recurring role in the “Mission: Impossible” franchise opposite Tom Cruise, plays the judge with icy finesse. Her gradual evolution from robotic precision to moments of nuanced sentience as the trial progresses is skillfully portrayed. Her real-life symmetrical appearance renders her as well-cast for this role.

The film is presented in real time, with the 90-minute trial countdown clock shown throughout. I found the high-tech elements to be fast paced and intriguing. I also liked the tension between AI neutrality and Raven’s emotional appeal to the AI judge. Some may view “Mercy” as a cautionary tale about the future of AI, however my take was that the film is more of an ode to the necessity of humanity playing a key role in all major decisions and outcomes. Nuance and caring seem to overtake the AI judge to the point where her system starts to seek overrides and also begins to malfunction, during the analysis of what really happened in the case in which Raven is accused.

I enjoyed Mercy despite the script being somewhat formulaic and the derivative nature of the plot. At times the movie feels choppy and inconsistent. This story has been told before in different ways, but I found the suspense and time clock tension for the outcome to be compelling enough to hold my attention. Pratt doesn’t seem fully comfortable in the role and his acting style is uneven, likely due to limitations in the script. The film would have been more meaningful and satisfying if it had a greater exploration of the themes which it topically raised, such as the philosophical conflict around AI justice.

“Mercy” struck me as ambivalent as to whether it was a more of a suspense crime story or a cautionary tale. The blend of the two is at times awkward, but I found myself entertained and did not regret seeing this movie. Check it out if you want to see whether you agree, or if these themes interest you. As for whether he did it or not, you’ll have to see the movie if you want to find out.

‘Sunshine Boys’ Shines at Vienna Theatre

by Patricia Leslie

For fans of “Grumpy Old Men” and “The Odd Couple,” please “enter” and “come in” to see “The Sunshine Boys,” another of Neil Simon’s comedies about, well, old men, performed at the Vienna Theatre Company by actors who thoroughly enjoy their roles.

It’s a good warmup and alternative to the harsh weather of the last few days, a night (or day) at the theatre, to delight in the wills and ways of a gruesome twosome who battle it out over a slight of 11 years ago and haven’t spoken since.

Sound familiar?

Anyone in your life you’ve cut off or are the subject of a silent treatment?

There’s hope for redemption. And these two grump masters can show you how.

They battle it out in vaudevillian fashion, which is what they used to do for 43 years together as “Lewis and Clark” (not to be confused with the

discoverers).

Wearing de rigueur pajamas most of the time (he’s an old man), Willie (Paul Smith) complains about everything in general until his nephew, Ben (Eddie Perez) rescues Willie from his dull life with Ben’s plan to resurrect the former comedy team for a CBS special.

Ben is a caring, devoted nephew who does cause wonder about what keeps him going back for more verbal onslaughts by his uncle who tells his nephew, “I’m happy; I just look miserable.”

After much coaxing, Willie agrees to meet his partner in comedy, Al Lewis (Steve Rosenthal) who comes to Willie’s apartment to “rehearse” for the show where - surprise! - there’s a calamity!

Meanwhile, a cute stereotypical nurse (Jocelyn Steiner), the dream of every dirty old man with all the exaggerated antics (and parts) to whit fancies, enters, soon followed by Carolyn Corsano Wong as the

no-nonsense nurse in charge who sternly puts Willie in his place (which is, the bed).

Willie doesn’t know he’s a “Sunshine Boy” who carries every scene with his incredible talent as a tottering, jerky curmudgeon.

For Willie’s room, Charles Boone has put together a marvelous set with props by Pat Jannell where Willie and Al move chairs about in a silent dance number they perform in helter-skelter movements, one of the funnier scenes and you just had to wonder how much rehearsal did it take?

At intermission, director Terri Ritchey fretted about the coming snowfall and possible show cancellations, but cloudy skies can’t hide peeking sunlight for long and shine on these boys and make them whole again.

Other cast members are Bobb Jordan (also, assistant stage manager), Kim Paul, Reece Smyth (also, assistant director) and John Totten.

Production team members include Eric Storck, producer; Cheryl Billingsley and Carol Wagner, costumes; Michelle Matthews, sound; David Ritchey, stage manager; Steven Wong, lighting and Sprite Briner, hair and makeup. Others on production: Claire Tse, Janet Kennelly, Diane Bierworth and Ari McSherry.

Two hours with one intermission. Vienna Theatre Company, 120 Cherry St. at the Vienna Community Center. Friday and Saturday nights at 8 p.m., Sunday matinees at 2 p.m., through Feb. 8, 2026. Tickets, $16 at the box office or online. For more information: vtcshows@yahoo.com. Some adult language.

JANUARY 29 - FEBRUARY 4, 2026

D.C. Galleries Full of Stars

by Patricia Leslie

The stars are shining brightly over and in Washington, D.C.

From opera star Maria Callas’s costumes to stars from Australia, Washington’s galleries have something for every taste, and they’re free to see!

Six costumes worn by Maria Callas (19231977), one of the greatest opera singers of the 20th century, are shown for the first time in the U.S. at the Luther W. Brady Art Gallery, formerly the Corcoran Gallery near the White House.

They are gowns Callas wore in La Scala operas in Milan, dresses which range from a short dull mustard color in “La Sonnambula” in 1955 when she acted as a peasant, to a blue satin silk brocade floor length she wore in “Ifigenia in Tauride” in 1957.

In the same year, she wore a heavy dark blue velvet gown with a long fur-trimmed cape in “Anna Bolena” in a “lavish production” and one of Callas’s “greatest triumphs,” says Wikipedia.

Her last costume on display at the Brady was for her role as Fiorilla in the 1955 production of “Il Turco In Italia.”

Meanwhile, other “stars” shining in D.C. for the first time are over at the East Building of the National Gallery of Art in “The Stars We Do Not See,” the largest presentation of Australian aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art ever presented in North America.

Almost 200 works by 130 artists from the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne, ranging from necklaces to huge canvases, photographs, video and neon which cover the late 1800s to present times are presented, many of the pieces traveling outside Australia for the first time.

Included is a video of Burarra women weaving traditional fish traps, bags, skirts and other items of natural materials

Myles Russell-Cook, Victoria’s former senior curator and current artistic director of the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, curated the exhibition, writing on the Gallery’s website that Australia’s aboriginal artists can be traced back 65,000 years.

Australia has two distinct groups of Indigenous peoples: Aboriginals, who have roots in the mainland and Tasmania, and Torres Strait Islanders whose origination can be found on the islands off the northeast coast of Australia and the bottom of Papua New Guinea.

Before the British arrived in 1788, there were more than 600 Indigenous nations, representing more than 250 language groups and over 500 dialects.

Viewers will find some of the works similar to others in the exhibition with complicated crosses and dots, the crosses which represent visible stars in the sky and what is visible in the known universe, while the dots are the unknowns with everything connected, the knowns and unknowns. (Former U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and his “knowns and unknowns” might have had an Australian

connection.)

The National Gallery of Art offers several related events for the Australian show.

At the East Building Information Desk, one hour public tours will start at 1 p.m. on Jan. 31, Feb. 7, Feb. 13, Feb. 27. Reservations are not required.

On Feb. 8 at 2 p.m., “Still We Rise,” films by Indigenous Australians will be screened in the East Building Auditorium. Register on the website.

On Feb. 12 beginning at 6 p.m., the National Gallery returns its celebrated “Gallery Nights” featuring music and festivities about the Australian exhibition. Sign up for lottery tickets on the website.

On Feb. 28 in the East Building concourse, Cameron McCarthy, an Australian artist and performer, will play the didgeridoo at 2 p.m. and, again, at 4 p.m. to demonstrate its sounds which mimic Australian animals.

The National Gallery has many related items for sale in its gift shop, ranging from mugs to socks to jewelry to tote bags, from $5 up to $100, including a catalogue for $60 (hardback, 320 pages).

From Washington, the Australian exhibition will travel to museums in Denver, Portland, Oregon and Salem,Mass.

Included in the Callas exhibition are sketches of the gowns and rare photographs of Callas. Corcoran Theatre and Dance students researched and wrote the label copies for the exhibition; La Scala loaned the costumes.

Callas died at 53 of a heart attack, possibly caused by an extreme weight loss of 80 pounds when she was only 30. Some attribute her voice’s decline in her 30s to her weight loss and drugs. She retired from the stage at age 41.

“Callas at La Scala” is presented by the Italian Cultural Institute and the Embassy of Greece, in collaboration with La Scala Opera House and George Washington University which owns the former Corcoran building.

Callas ends Mar. 21, 2026 at the Brady Gallery, 500 17th St. NW, open Wednesday - Saturday, 1 - 5 p.m. (closed Feb. 14, 2026), and Australia ends Mar. 1, 2026 at the National Gallery of Art, 4th St. and Constitution Ave. NW, open every day, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Timed entry for either exhibition is not required.

WHEN SHE SANG at La Scala Opera House, Maria Callas wore these gowns, now on view at the Luther W. Brady Gallery, formerly the Corcoran Gallery. (Photos by Patricia Leslie)

GROUPS OF 10 OR MORE, CALL 202-293-1548 A CELEBRATION OF BLACK EXCELLENCE IN MUSIC

WITH SPECIAL GUESTS 17TH STREET DANCE

FEBRUARY 21, 2026 THE HOWARD THEATRE 620 T STREET NW

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