Art Whino facts for kids

Art Whino is an art gallery located at the National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland. It started in 2007. The main goal of Art Whino is to show off artists who create a style of art called Lowbrow. This style is also known as Pop Surrealism or Newbrow.

The gallery features amazing art from all over the U.S. and other countries. You can also find books and cool toys related to Newbrow art. Art Whino is very active in the Washington, D.C. art scene. It also takes part in big national art events like Art Basel in Miami and New York Comic Con.

Art Whino's Story

The Art Whino Gallery was started by Shane Pomajambo in 2007. It first opened in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia. About six months later, it moved to its current spot in Maryland.

On October 19, 2007, Art Whino held its first art show. It featured works by artist Derrick Wolbaum. Shane Pomajambo, the owner, chose the name "Whino" because he loves graffiti-inspired, pop surrealist, and "lowbrow" art. Since it began, Art Whino has grown a lot. It now works with over 1200 artists.

Exciting Art Exhibitions

Art Whino hosts art shows in its gallery about 8 to 10 times each year. Famous artists like Blaine Fontana and Aaron Jasinski have shown their work there.

To share Newbrow art with more people, Art Whino joins many events. These include "Art in a Box," where judges pick the best art. They also participate in Marcātus, a creative art market. Other events include the D.C. (e)merge Art Fair and Miami Art Basel. In 2012, Art Whino started "Art without Borders." This project helps raise money for groups that provide help around the world.

G40 Art Summit

In March 2010, Art Whino held its first big event called the G40 summit. It lasted a whole month in Crystal City, Virginia. The goal was to bring together top Newbrow artists. They explored, discussed, and helped the art movement grow.

The summit featured art from around the world. It also had music, live painting, and talks. It took place in an empty office building. About 500 artists showed 2,000 artworks across four floors!

Art Whino held the second G40 summit in May 2011. This time, it was in a large building near the U Street area of Washington, D.C.. This summit looked at more art styles. These included custom toys, skateboard art, stencil art, and 3D installation art. Twenty artists also created huge 16-foot murals.

In May 2012, the third G40 summit focused on "Art of the Mural." This event traveled to Richmond, Virginia. It was the first big event for Richmond's new art district. Art Whino invited 12 top mural artists from around the world. They painted 20 large walls across Richmond. There were also art shows in pop-up galleries.

Richmond Mural Project

The Richmond Mural Project began in 2012. It was started with help from R. Anthony Harris and the City of Richmond. This project brings mural artists from all over the world to Richmond every year. The goal is to make Richmond a famous place for international murals. It also helps improve parts of the city that need repair.

The project hopes to complete 100 murals in Richmond within five years. Artists from many countries have joined. These include 2501 from Italy, Aryz from Spain, and Roa from Belgium.

Shane Pomajambo works with building owners to choose artists. He learns about the building and its history. Then, he matches artists who can show those feelings through their art. The project has become very popular. One mural, "Moonshine" by Etam Cru, was even ranked among the best street art in the world in 2013!

Blind Whino

The Blind Whino church fully renovated

Blind Whino is a non-profit organization. It is located in a building that used to be an old church. This church, called Friendship Baptist Church, is in southwest Washington D.C.

Art Whino bought the building in October 2012. They wanted to create an art space for the community. It is a huge 15,000 square foot building. Famous artists HENSE from Atlanta and MEGGS from Australia designed the colorful outside and inside.

The church building was empty for over twenty years. In 2012, it was transformed from peeling white paint to a bright, multi-colored building. Ian Callendar, who co-founded Blind Whino with Shane Pomajambo, said the space can host anything. This includes theater, music, and jazz. A non-profit group called Dreaming Out Loud is also helping to fix up the land outside Blind Whino for community use.

Books About Art Whino

• Newbrow: 50 Contemporary Artists, published in August 2012.
• Whino Magazine, a magazine released every three months. It covers all aspects of Lowbrow and Newbrow art worldwide.