FY 2026 Juried Exhibition Grant Exhibition
Exhibition Dates: June 11 to August 7, 2026
Eye Street Gallery, 200 I St. SE, Washington DC 20003
In a time when our nation—and the social fabric of the District—is experiencing deep division, artists are turning to collage as a democratic strategy to give platform to stories of rupture, repair, and reassembly. Rip! Tear! Collage as Critique calls on 23 DC-based artists who use collage as a conceptual approach to reconciling the fractured, fast-paced, and often contradictory stories and symbols of American history and modern life. The collected works stray from conventional approaches to paper collage, employing methods such as assemblage, quilting, bricolage, video, and photomontage that knowingly upset the boundaries of the genre.
Exhibited artists: Alanna Fields, Amber Janay Cooper, Amber Robles-Gordon, Andrew Kastner, Anne Bouie, Aziza Claudia Gibson-Hunter, Connor Czora, Darlene R. Taylor, Guayarmina Fernandez, Helen Zughaib, Jarvis Grant, Joana Stillwell, Joanathan Bessaci, Leniqueca Welcome, Lex Marie, Marc Choi, Mark Kelner, Matthew Mann, Michael Janis, Paula Mans, Rebecca Perez, Tim Tate, and Zsudayka Nzinga.
Rip! Tear! Jurors:
Helina Metaferia
Zoe Charlton
Teri Henderson
Curated by Michelle May-Curry, Ph.D., Curator, DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities
The gallery is free and open to the public Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5:30 pm.
Join us for an opening reception at our Eye Street Gallery on Thursday, June 11 from 6 to 8 pm.
RSVP to upcoming events for Rip! Tear! :
Layers: Multidimensional Sound as Collage with King Britt
Where: DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities Community Room (200 I (EYE) St. SE 20003)
When: Saturday, July 18, 2026 from 5:00-6:30pm
What: DJ culture and sampling have reshaped the ways we listen to music. The recontextualization of familiar sounds, songs, and sonic identities has produced layered forms of existence and historical memory, building bridges across generations and creating new modes of connection.
Join the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities for a lecture and live DJ demonstration with renowned DJ, professor, producer, and curator King Britt on the history of DJ’ing as a form of sonic collage. Known for his groundbreaking course at UC San Diego, Blacktronika, Britt is one of the leading authorities on Afrofuturism in music, and honors innovators of color who have shaped electronic music’s landscape, spanning genres like Chicago House, Detroit Techno, and Drum & Bass. From mixing to sampling to breaking to blending, this lecture will explore how turntablism is a collage practice with a rich history. Stick around after to enjoy the gallery and view the exhibition with a live DJ.
Closing Reception and Collage Workshop with Exhibited Artists
Where: DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities Community Room (200 I St. SE 20003)
When: Thursday, August 6, from 6:00-8:00pm
What: Join the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities on August 6 from 6–8 p.m. for a closing reception and community collage workshop for Rip! Tear!: Collage as Critique. Exhibiting artists Helen Zughaib, Rebecca Perez, and Zsudayka Nzinga will guide handson activities inspired by their distinctive practices, including paper and fabric collage. All are welcome to create, celebrate, and close the exhibition in community.