If you throw a flower in another language into the air, who will catch it? Let’s make a bouquet together in many languages! Please join us for a Big Tent Community Event, a chance to convene and bring together ideas, literary translators and multilingual writers from around the world alongside writers from the DMV for a festival of translation.
Location: Gillespie Gallery, 1st Floor Art and Design Building, 4515 Patriot Circle, Fairfax
Bus stop: Mason shuttle stop is nearby. Please use google maps to find us.
Parking: Shenandoah Parking Deck (Validation will be provided for readers. Please save your receipt)
Program: attend part or all of the afternoon!
11:45 am Arrivals
12:00 pm: Panel 1: featuring Cheuse Visiting Writer from Poland Grzegorz Kwiatkowski and Randi Ward
01:15 pm: Lunch will be served
01:30 pm: Panel 2: featuring Rohan Chhetri, Ena Selimović, Roman Kostovski and Vivek Narayanan
03:00 pm: Panel 3: featuring Cheuse Writer-in-Residence from Spain Marta Sanz and Katie King in conversation with Katherine E. Young
04:30 pm: Keynote Conversation: Featuring Peter Cole, visiting from Yale; and Judy Leserman
05:30-6:30 pm: Networking reception
BEFORE THE AMERICAS
August 25th - November 15th, 2025
Curated by Cheryl Edwards
Before the Americas is an art historical survey featuring 45 works by Afro-Latino, Caribbean, and African American artists, many of whom have lived and worked in Greater Washington. These artists confront racial and colonial constructs and have often been invisible within common art historical narratives. Their works span painting, printmaking, sculpture, book art, performance, and video art. The exhibit traces the significance of these artists through four themes: Genetic Memory, Migration, Invisibility, and Interconnectivity. A public symposium of artists, collectors, and scholars will occur during the exhibition, and additional public programs will engage students and the public. A printed catalogue will be published and will be available online.
Learn more here: https://www.masonexhibitions.org/exhibitions/before-the-americas