No plans on Thanksgiving Day? Check out these photo exhibits.

One of the best things about DC is that the Smithsonian Institution and other major arts havens are open on Thanksgiving Day. If you don’t have obligations / observe Thanksgiving, which is entirely feasible since this city has a very international demographic, check out these photography exhibits around the National Mall.


HIGHLIGHT - National Gallery of Art
In the Darkroom: Photographic Processes before the Digital Age
Traditional film and darkroom processes are quickly being relegated to “alternative” photo courses in universities around the USA (but not at American University's photography program, where our faculty believe these skills are essential to understanding the basics of photography). “This exhibition chronicles the major technological developments in photographic processes from the origins of the medium until the advent of digital photography,” and was curated by my friend Sarah Kennel, Associate Curator, Department of Photographs.


American history buffs will find these three exhibits right up their alley:

National Portrait Gallery
Faces of the Frontier: Photographic Portraits from the American West, 1845-1924 “The American West was dramatically reconstituted during the 80 years between the Mexican War and the passage of the Indian Citizenship Act in 1924. This exhibition tells the story of these changes through 100 portrait photographs of the defining men and women of this period.”

National Museum of American History
Bittersweet Harvest: The Bracero Program 1942 – 1964 “Through photographs and audio excerpts from oral histories, this exhibition will examine the experiences of bracero workers and their families while providing insight into Mexican American history and historical context to today's debates on guest worker programs.”

The Scurlock Studio and Black Washington: Picturing the Promise
“Nearly a century's worth of photographs from the Scurlock studio form a vivid portrait of black Washington, D.C., in all its guises—its challenges and its victories, its dignity and its determination… features more than 100 images created by one of the premiere African American studios in the country and one of the longest-running black businesses in Washington.”

Love Asian art? Explore the convergence of photography and video in Yeongdoo Jung’s “Moving Perspectives" at the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery. “Through photography and video, Yeondoo Jung… invites viewers into the dreams and memories of others… Ultimately, these videos suggest that, when filtered through nostalgia and the passage of time, reality exists somewhere between truth and imagination.”

Nature lovers can get their fix at National Museum of Natural History’s Nature’s Best Photography Awards Exhibition 2009 “The annual Nature’s Best Photography Windland Smith Rice International Awards competition recognizes this passion and dedication to nature. This celebration of creative talent and discovery has become one of the most prestigious competitions of its kind, uncovering new photographers and new perspectives from around the globe.”

Of course, there are many more amazing museums and photography exhibits currently showing in the city, such as Edward Burtynsky’s “Oil” at the Corcoran, Man Ray at The Phillips Collection and Terri Weifenbach’s “Woods” at Civilian Arts Gallery. The shows highlighted here are specifically photography-related and open on Thanksgiving Day.