Sixteen Candles

Jessica Dawson follows up on the 16 artists Mera Rubell selected for the 12 slots she was tasked to fill. I'm nodding my head to this comment: "A few on the list come as a surprise, given her comments during the tour." Rubell had it in mind to recognize some artists and to push others. Which just goes that much further to show: She wasn't here handing out power rings forged in the flames of the Venice Biennale. Rubell is merely one curator picking work for the Washington Project for the Arts auction and she's made her decisions based on a variety of factors. (Next up: Chiara Sartori.)

It is significant that Rubell is expanding her footprint in the District, buying art here, hosting BYT pool parties and so on. But this project wasn't an art audit of the city. Say that it were: It isn't as if she only found 7 artists when she was asked to pick 12. She liked enough of what she saw to pick 12 and add 4 more.