DC Tree Exhibition at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, 901 G Street, NW, Washington DC, April 1 – May 29, 2025

Programs at the MLK Library, 901 G Street, NW include:
April 1, 5-7:30 pm: Opening Reception and Margery Goldberg’s Curator’s talk. Location: exhibition on main floor
April 29, 11 am-5 pm: DC Urban Forestry with Casey Trees. Location: exhibition on main floor
May 13, 6-7:30 pm: Impact of Trees on Artistic Expression, 6-7:30pm. Location: Conference Room 401 A

Featuring Artists: Anne Bouie, Lisa Conway, Luc Fiedler, Margery Goldberg, Ronni Jolles, Ibou N’Diaye, Larry Ringgold, Foon Sham, Ellen Sinel, Jed Smalley, Lynda Smith-Bugge, Bradley Stevens, Jennifer Wagner, and Robert Weston. view exhibit

Zenith Community Arts Foundation’s (ZCAF) traveling exhibition is on the move! The “Wonders of DC Trees” is about to reach a third milestone in its circuit of notable DC venues. It has drawn visitors to Zenith Gallery, a hub of the local art community, and to the Embassy Row Hotel at Dupont Circle, a strategically located magnet for DC tourists. Starting April 1, 2025, it will attract many more visitors at the DC’s flagship and award-winning Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, 901 G Street, NW, Washington DC. This last venue launches the exhibition into the public domain through branch libraries.  

ZCAF was particularly honored to be juried into the MLK Library’s exhibition programming. The DC Public Library celebrates art and exhibits as a source of learning, discovery, growth, and connection. Exhibits at MLK Library are key to expanding DC residents’ knowledge of the District and are a portal to engagement in the District’s present and future.

“The Wonders of DC Trees” showcases an eight-panel traveling exhibition (funded by Events DC) and is accompanied by original artworks using tree themes to celebrate DC’s leafy canopy. Included in this exhibition are sculptures, paintings, and mixed media. Accompanying artworks not only take trees as a starting point, but also exploits arboreal remains like bark, twigs, driftwood, lumber, or tree pulp as the medium. Subjects vary widely. A path through the woods evokes the stark enchantment of Rock Creek Park. Contrasting veneers suggest the shape of trees. A heron haunts the swampy sphere of cattail and deadfall. Steps lead upward to nature’s cathedral door. In addition, there is figurative work carved in wood and a painting of an elm in front of the iconic Smithsonian Castle.

The traveling exhibition of collapsible panels was developed in partnership with Casey Trees, who provided the content and graphics for the panels. These panels bring awareness of the many role’s trees play in building a greener and more climate-resilient city for future generations. Attention is given to street beautification and park greenspace, and the selection of different species to best complement the architectural scale and character of distinctive settings. Flood and erosion control, as well as wildlife support, also figure in the mix of arboreal impacts. The panel on recycling features ZCAF’s own experience converting downed local trees into dried lumber for the Pre-Apprenticeship Carpentry Training program.

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