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National Museum of Women in the Arts

Upcoming Exhibitions

Close-up detail of an abstract painting with very thick and gestural brushstrokes of mostly orange paint.

Featured Upcoming Exhibition

All Upcoming Exhibitions

  • Through the 1960s and 1970s, Shirley Gorelick (b. 1924, Brooklyn; d. 2000, Washington, DC) created soulful portrayals of her circle of close friends. Nearly 40 paintings, drawings, and prints by the artist reveal her bold realist aesthetic. Her partnerships in the 1970s with New York’s pioneering women-run galleries also position her as an inspiring feminist role model for a new generation.
    Two depictions of the same woman are shown in a room with an orange-tiled floor. One stands with a hand on her hip, while the other sits on a striped chair draped in green fabric. Both cast shadows on the plain wall behind them.

    Shirley Gorelick, The Bensons II, 1979; Acrylic on canvas, 71 x 71 in.; National Museum of Women in the Arts; Gift of Jamie Gorelick and Steven Gorelick

  • Women to Watch 2027: A Book Arts Revolution is a dynamic exploration of contemporary artists’ books, works of art in book form. The exhibition encourages audiences to rethink the nature of book arts, featuring works that incorporate a wide variety of materials and formats. This is the latest edition of the museum’s hallmark exhibition series highlighting national and international artists at key stages in their careers. The series is developed through a unique collaboration between the museum and its global network of outreach committees.
    A person with curly brown hair, a white cable knit sweater, and a blue skirt reads a booklet on a black table, in front of an art work of grey and beige cloths installed on the wall.

    Attendees at the May 2024 NMWA Nights. Photo by Derek Baker for NMWA.

  • Jul 30 to Nov 28, 2027
    Gwen John: Strange Beauties is the artist’s first major retrospective in more than 40 years, revealing new perspectives into her work. In bringing together John’s celebrated oil paintings with rarely seen drawings and watercolors, this exhibition illuminates her working practices, artistic breadth, and enduring legacy.
    Against a loosely painted purple-pink background, a girl with light skin tone and long light-brown hair stands with her hands clasped, looking directly out at the viewer.

    Gwen John, La Petite Modèle, ca. 1915-20; Oil on canvas, 29 1/4 x 26 in.; National Museum of Women in the Arts, Gift of Wallace and Wilhelmina Holladay; Photo by Lee Stalsworth