National Museum of Women in the Arts

10/13/2026

Did you know that October is National Book Month? We’re celebrating by highlighting five book artists in our collection! 📚

Colette Fu (b. 1969) is renowned for her immense, sculptural pop-up books that that illuminate cultures by combining landscapes, fairy tales, and folklore to form three-dimensional fantasy worlds.

Based in Baltimore, Suzanne Coley connects with her community by employing locally sourced secondhand textiles, quilting techniques, and embroidery by African American women in her prints and books.

IBé Crawley (b. 1959) uses her work to tell stories that represent the people who are often missing from the larger cultural narrative.

DC-based artist Renée Stout (b.1958) has earned international recognition for her paintings, sculptures, and books that confront drug use and racial stereotyping.

Meret Oppenheim (1913 to 1985) used a range of mediums and styles to explore dualities. Her work references elements of Dada and Surrealism, but she is celebrated as an original thinker who followed her own vision.

10/08/2026

Today we’re celebrating artist Faith Ringgold, who was born on this day in 1930! ❤️

At a time when many American artists focused on form and style over social issues, Ringgold (1930 to 2024) distinguished herself by directly confronting racial injustice in her art. “Everything was political in the sixties,” she said, “except the visual arts.”

Recognition of that reality inspired Ringgold’s “American People” (1963 to 1967), a series of figurative paintings that shattered the notion of the American dream through depictions of racial inequality and violence. In 2013, NMWA presented 49 works by Ringgold in “American People, Black Light: Faith Ringgold’s Paintings of the 1960s,” which included works from the “American People” series. 🖼️

Photos by Laura Hoffman for NMWA

[Image descriptions: Three photos of artist Faith Ringgold at NMWA, where she stands speaking in front of several of her own paintings.]

10/02/2026

TGIF! Is a visit to the National Museum of Women in the Arts on your weekend to-do? 🖼️

Tag us in your photos for a chance to be featured on our social media channels!

Photos via Instagram:
1. Jinwenruima
2. Jadenxiara
3 & 4. Artistically_adaptive
4. Okon.b

[Image descriptions: Five images of visitors looking at and posing in front of artworks around the museum.]

10/01/2026

Check out what’s going on this month at NMWA! https://nmwa.org/whats-on/calendar/

🎨 Visit us during our Free Community Days on Sunday, October 4, and Wednesday, October 14.
🌺 Learn about Frida Kahlo’s impact and legacy at our next Fresh Talk on Monday, October 5.
🎞️ Attend a free film screening for “Artists in Residence” on Wednesday, October 7. Drinks and light bites included!
🖌️ Jump-start your weekend with NMWA’s Art Chats from the comfort of home on Fridays, October 9 & 23.
🖼 Explora la colección del museo durante el visita interactiva y participativa en español en Sábado, Octobre 10.
💬 Members can join us for an online behind-the-scenes look at “Routed West: Twentieth-Century African American Quilts in California” on Wednesday, October 14.
🧑‍🎨 Explore mixed media artists in a -themed tour on Saturday, October 17.
🪩 Party with us at NMWA Nights on Wednesday, October 21! This month’s event will focus on craftivism, the practice of using handmade crafts to inspire protest and social change.

And don’t miss out on our exhibitions on view:
- “Routed West: Twentieth-Century African American Quilts in California”
- “Marlo Pascual: Making Something Out of Something”
- “Beverly Pepper: Land Art and Monumental Sculptures”
- “Remix: The Collection”

09/30/2026

A few weeks ago, staff took a field trip to to talk about and explore accessibility efforts at both organizations! Where should we venture to next? 👀
 
[Video description: Short clips of a group of NMWA staff members exploring the United States Botanic Garden, highlighting accessibility features like signage, seating, tactile images, and audio guides.]

09/29/2026

"Many of the women of the Armory Show have been featured in and had their work acquired by Washington, D.C.’s National Museum of Women in the Arts."

The Women of the Legendary 1913 Armory Show:

It’s remarkable that not one or two, or a handful, but 50 women in 1913 were accepted by the all-male Association of American Painters and Sculptors, and showed side by side with the most pro…

09/28/2026

Join us at on Monday, October 5, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm, for a Fresh Talk with Shakespeare Theatre Company! Learn about Frida Kahlo’s impact and ongoing legacy across mediums in a conversation that covers art and theatre. 🎨

This conversation explores Kahlo's legacy through the lens of Shakespeare Theatre Company’s production of “Frida…A Self Portrait” (October 8 to November 8), examining why and how the artist remains culturally relevant and impactful across mediums. The talk will be followed by a cocktail hour reception, light bites, and drinks included. 🥂

🎟️ Purchase tickets: https://nmwa.org/whats-on/calendar/fresh-talk-frida-in-theater-and-art/

09/22/2026

Mood because it's the first day of fall. 🍂

Janaina Tschäpe (b. 1973) began her series “100 Little Deaths” in 1996 as an exploration of landscape, transmutation, and death. Each self-portrait depicts the artist sprawled face down in different environments around the world. Tschäpe felt that each place she visited captured pieces of her, which she embodies through her work. Her photos vacillate between comedy and tragedy, making the series both surreal and theatrical.

“Frick Park” presents the artist lying in fallen leaves on a wooded path. She has cleared away the fallen leaves next to her in the shape of her body. This outline doubles her presence and emphasizes her effect on the landscape. The leaves will never occupy that exact space again. Artwork credit: Janaina Tschäpe, “Frick Park,” from the series “100 Little Deaths,” 2000; © Janaina Tschäpe; Image courtesy of Janaina Tschäpe studio

Artwork credit: Janaina Tschäpe, “Frick Park,” from the series “100 Little Deaths,” 2000; © Janaina Tschäpe; Image courtesy of Janaina Tschäpe studio

[Image description: A person lying face down on a leaf-covered path.]

09/15/2026

In honor of , check out these five women artists you should know!
 
Through her black-and-white photographs, Graciela Iturbide (b. 1942) reveals the daily lives, customs, and rituals of Mexico’s underrepresented Indigenous cultures. She has also documented subjects in Cuba, Germany, India, Madagascar, Hungary, France, and the United States.
 
Remedios Varo (1908 to 1963) combined Surrealist influences with a distinctive style to evoke mystical and eerie adventures. She associated and exhibited with the Surrealists, exploring magic, alchemy, and analytical psychology. 
 
F***y Sanín (b. 1938), one of Colombia’s second-generation abstract artists, turned to geometric abstraction in 1969 and never looked back. She avoids any use of figurative representation, using only color and form in her work. 
 
Marisol (1930 to 2016) set herself apart from other Pop artists by humanizing her subjects with blocky, life-sized sculptural portraits. Combining wood, painting, and found objects, her sculptures of families and celebrities are celebrated for their wit and empathy. 
 
Mónica Castillo (b. 1961) uses painting, photography, drawing, and installations to explore femininity and identity through the human form. Her figures are often distorted or fragmented, creating a sense of tension which invites the viewer to ask questions and reflect.
 
[Video description: Several short clips of five different paintings, sculptures, and a photograph in a museum gallery.]