The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden will devote an evening to individuality and self-expression. On Saturday June 15th, it will present its Surrealness Hirshhorn Ball. Inspired by surrealism, the artistic movement that championed radical expression through the irrational, the eclectic and the unexpected, the festivities will celebrate the empowering art of fashion. The night will be hosted by Jason Barnes whose drag queen alter ego, Pussy Noir, embodies this mentality.
The late-night event will blend art and fashion to transform the Hirshhorn’s iconic outdoor plaza into a red carpet-style haute soiree. Attendees are encouraged to dress the part. The night will be punctuated by interactive pop-up performances by some of the city’s most sensational drag personalities from House of Sonique . It will also feature a live painting by performance artist Liu Bolin. Guests can mingle with Washington artists and figures like Ana Latour and JoAnn Fabrixx and style themselves to the nines with on-site glam. Guests can strike a pose with professional open-air photo booth shoots. Plus they will be able to speak their truth with exclusive access to Ryan Alexiev, Jim Ricks and Hank Willis Thomas’ participatory “Truth Booth” installation. The evening will also include an open bar with specialty cocktails, dancing to beats spun by DJs Dvonne and Jacq Jill and a fashion-forward grand finale.
Barnes developed his Pussy Noir character from his background in music, theater, art and fashion. Barnes’ participation in Hirshhorn Ball will be a continuation of his relationship with the museum, following his 2017 performance as Pussy Noir as part of the Hirshhorn’s “Shadow/Casters” event in partnership with local arts organization Transformer.
All proceeds from the evening will contribute to the Hirshhorn’s public initiatives, including exhibitions, community partnerships, vital educational programming for teens and kids and digital collaborations that bring global contemporary art to the widest possible audiences. Since 2015, the Hirshhorn’s fundraising events have raised more than $5 million to support its mission to bring people, art and ideas together.
For more information, visit hirshhorn.si.edu/event/1st-annual-hirshhorn-ball. Tickets can be purchased here.
About the Hirshhorn
The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden is the national museum of modern and contemporary art and a leading voice for 21st-century art and culture. Part of the Smithsonian, the Hirshhorn is located prominently on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. With an array of paintings, sculptures, photographs, mixed-media installations, works on paper and new media works, the Hirshhorn’s collection encompasses one of the most important collections of postwar American and European art in the world. The Hirshhorn presents diverse exhibitions and offers an array of public programs on the art of our time––free to all, 364 days a year (closed Dec. 25). For more information, visit hirshhorn.si.edu.
