UPCOMING EVENTS

Siren Arts, "Divine Currents": JaxKnife Complex Artist Talk
Jul
23

Siren Arts, "Divine Currents": JaxKnife Complex Artist Talk

JaxKnife Complex (Jacob Stewart) has had a foot in the world of dance from the age of four. Jax’s journey to the nightclub and its dance floor began at the Debbie Manoly Academy of Dance and went on to merge with theater arts in undergrad. They have taught theater, dance, and stage craft for nearly a decade and moved into the world of nightlife permanently in 2015 with the opening of their home bar TRADE in Washington, DC.⁠ You can catch JaxKnife’s drag review "Imaginary Friends" every other month on the stage at TRADE or join them for a night of wild chaos at their dance party "Glitch". A huge thank you goes out to all of the members of the haus of bambi and everyone in the DC nightlife scene that had a hand in helping mold and create the person that JaxKnife Complex danced their way into being... the birthday clown your parents never hired.⁠

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Siren Arts, "Divine Currents": JaxKnife Complex Performance
Jul
24

Siren Arts, "Divine Currents": JaxKnife Complex Performance

JaxKnife Complex (Jacob Stewart) has had a foot in the world of dance from the age of four. Jax’s journey to the nightclub and its dance floor began at the Debbie Manoly Academy of Dance and went on to merge with theater arts in undergrad. They have taught theater, dance, and stage craft for nearly a decade and moved into the world of nightlife permanently in 2015 with the opening of their home bar TRADE in Washington, DC.⁠ You can catch JaxKnife’s drag review "Imaginary Friends" every other month on the stage at TRADE or join them for a night of wild chaos at their dance party "Glitch". A huge thank you goes out to all of the members of the haus of bambi and everyone in the DC nightlife scene that had a hand in helping mold and create the person that JaxKnife Complex danced their way into being... the birthday clown your parents never hired.⁠

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E22 Visionary Leaders Circle Exhibition Preview
Jul
25

E22 Visionary Leaders Circle Exhibition Preview

In the 22nd iteration of Transformer’s annual Exercises for Emerging Artists program, E22: Glass for Social Justice explores glass as a medium for symbolism, storytelling, and social commentary. Spanning ten sessions over four months at The Washington Glass School, E22: Glass for Social Justice brings together 4 DMV based artists - Arden Colley, C.S. Corbin, Tina Villadolid, and Nilou Kazemzadeh with lead mentorship by Tim Tate to create glass pieces presented in the culminating summer exhibition: A Litany for Survival.

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Siren Arts, "Divine Currents": Bambi Artist Talk
Jul
30

Siren Arts, "Divine Currents": Bambi Artist Talk

Bambi is an artist, dancer, damn good storyteller, and host at haus of bambi (hausofbambi.com). And the recipient of the Washington Award in dance, btw. Commissioned by Vogue, The Kennedy Center, The City of Alexandria and the Metal Hearts Cabaret in Boston, Bambi dances the line between the too much and the just enough. (duh) ⁠

Bambi is a founding member of The Kennedy Center’s Dance Council, was artist-in-residence at Dance Place in DC, and also is the runway movement director for NewYork couturier Bach Mai.⁠

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Siren Arts, "Divine Currents": Bambi Performance
Jul
31

Siren Arts, "Divine Currents": Bambi Performance

Bambi is an artist, dancer, damn good storyteller, and host at haus of bambi (hausofbambi.com). And the recipient of the Washington Award in dance, btw. Commissioned by Vogue, The Kennedy Center, The City of Alexandria and the Metal Hearts Cabaret in Boston, Bambi dances the line between the too much and the just enough. (duh) ⁠

⁠Bambi is a founding member of The Kennedy Center’s Dance Council, was artist-in-residence at Dance Place in DC, and also is the runway movement director for NewYork couturier Bach Mai.⁠

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Siren Arts, "Divine Currents": Bumper Artist Talk
Aug
6

Siren Arts, "Divine Currents": Bumper Artist Talk

Bumper is DC’s alien superstar hellcat! They are a producer, performer, carpenter and⁠ community builder. Whether center stage or behind the scenes, Bumper steps into any arena where beauty is being made. Four years deep in the District and fresh off producing one of World Pride DC’s standout events, they’re at the top of their game. You might’ve seen them tearing it up at Honcho, holding down a residency at The Kennedy Center, or caught their cowboy hat bouncing through Flower Factory as the creative director. What’s next? Creating Sanctuary. Stay tuned.⁠

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Siren Arts, "Divine Currents": Bumper Performance
Aug
7

Siren Arts, "Divine Currents": Bumper Performance

Bumper is DC’s alien superstar hellcat! They are a producer, performer, carpenter and⁠ community builder. Whether center stage or behind the scenes, Bumper steps into any arena where beauty is being made. Four years deep in the District and fresh off producing one of World Pride DC’s standout events, they’re at the top of their game. You might’ve seen them tearing it up at Honcho, holding down a residency at The Kennedy Center, or caught their cowboy hat bouncing through Flower Factory as the creative director. What’s next? Creating Sanctuary. Stay tuned.⁠

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Siren Arts, "Divine Currents": Miss Grace David Artist Talk
Aug
13

Siren Arts, "Divine Currents": Miss Grace David Artist Talk

Miss Grace David is a Black, queer, and non-binary femme performance and textile artist based in the DC area. By using character performance, textile production, world-making, and storytelling, their work connects human emotion and personal experience with visual abstraction. Their work and film has been commissioned by Dance Place in Washington, DC, Tariq O’Meally’s BlackLight Summit, and shown at The Kennedy Center. Grace is the inaugural awardee of the HAUS AWARD in 2021 from haus of bambi recognizing DMV-based LGBTQ+ artists for work exploring the complexity of queer identity. Most recently, Grace was announced as a Fellowship Artist with Dance Place for their 2025-2027 Season.⁠

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Siren Arts, "Divine Currents": Miss Grace David Performance
Aug
14

Siren Arts, "Divine Currents": Miss Grace David Performance

Miss Grace David is a Black, queer, and non-binary femme performance and textile artist based in the DC area. By using character performance, textile production, world-making, and storytelling, their work connects human emotion and personal experience with visual abstraction. Their work and film has been commissioned by Dance Place in Washington, DC, Tariq O’Meally’s BlackLight Summit, and shown at The Kennedy Center. Grace is the inaugural awardee of the HAUS AWARD in 2021 from haus of bambi recognizing DMV-based LGBTQ+ artists for work exploring the complexity of queer identity. Most recently, Grace was announced as a Fellowship Artist with Dance Place for their 2025-2027 Season.⁠

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Mini Litanies
Aug
19

Mini Litanies

Create your own glass tile! Hosted by the E22: Glass for Social Justice artist cohort. Materials will be provided by the Washington Glass School. Open to the public & free with RSVP! *The capacity is 10 attendees. If you have last minute changes and can no longer attend, please release your ticket so someone else has the opportunity to participate.

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Art for Social Justice Artists’ Salon
Sep
6

Art for Social Justice Artists’ Salon

Join us at Transformer for an art salon exploring how art can be used as a powerful tool for social justice. Led by the exhibiting artists of A Litany for Survival / E22: Glass for Social Justice, this conversation is designed for artists who strive to create meaningful change through their artwork but may not know where to begin. 

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Siren Arts, "Divine Currents": King Molasses Performance
Jul
17

Siren Arts, "Divine Currents": King Molasses Performance

King Molasses (they/them) is an award-winning drag king and performing artist based in Washington, DC. They consecutively reigned as DC’s Best Drag King from 2022 through 2025 and were voted Best Gender Non-Conforming Artist 2024-2025 by the DC Drag Awards. They have been featured on Bravo TV, The Washington Post, Good Morning America, and NPR. A DMV native, Molasses debuted in 2018 and has since become a fixture in the district’s performing arts scene. Their work has been commissioned in venues nationwide, including the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Smithsonian galleries, and Sasha Velour’s acclaimed NYC drag revue, NightGowns. Their drag is a call to mindfulness, black surrealism, and heritage-based movements that dare to create images of self-liberation.⁠ ⁠ King Molasses is 1 of 10 drag kings competing in the inaugural season of King of Drag, a new competition TV show highlighting some of the world’s best drag king performers!⁠

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Siren Arts, "Divine Currents": King Molasses Artist Talk
Jul
16

Siren Arts, "Divine Currents": King Molasses Artist Talk

King Molasses (they/them) is an award-winning drag king and performing artist based in Washington, DC. They consecutively reigned as DC’s Best Drag King from 2022 through 2025 and were voted Best Gender Non-Conforming Artist 2024-2025 by the DC Drag Awards. They have been featured on Bravo TV, The Washington Post, Good Morning America, and NPR. A DMV native, Molasses debuted in 2018 and has since become a fixture in the district’s performing arts scene. Their work has been commissioned in venues nationwide, including the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Smithsonian galleries, and Sasha Velour’s acclaimed NYC drag revue, NightGowns. Their drag is a call to mindfulness, black surrealism, and heritage-based movements that dare to create images of self-liberation.⁠ ⁠ King Molasses is 1 of 10 drag kings competing in the inaugural season of King of Drag, a new competition TV show highlighting some of the world’s best drag king performers!⁠

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"Jardin Interieur" Creative Layers: A Collage Adventure!
Jun
3

"Jardin Interieur" Creative Layers: A Collage Adventure!

Join exhibiting artist Marie B Gauthiez for a 2-hour workshop inspired by the layered narratives and intimate spaces explored in her solo show, Jardin Intérieur. Working from their personal memories of childhood rooms and gardens, participants will delve into the psychological and material process of mixed media collage to create their own visual story. Discover how to layer textures, images, and fragments to evoke a sense of place, time, and identity, much like the dreamlike scenes in Jardin Interior. All materials will be provided, just bring your curiosity and willingness to explore! Free & open to the public.

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Among All These Dreamers: a Communal Dream Circle
Apr
12

Among All These Dreamers: a Communal Dream Circle

This public gathering invites participants to join a Community Dream Circle ––a collective space for sharing, listening, and interpreting dreams as interconnected experiences. Rooted in ancestral traditions and storytelling practices, the circle will explore how dreams shape our identities, connect us to cultural memory, and inspire visions for the future. Bring a chair, blanket, or something to sit on!

Free & open to the public with RSVP form here.

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Among All These Dreamers: an Intimate Dream Circle
Apr
10

Among All These Dreamers: an Intimate Dream Circle

This special program invites participants to gather in a Dream Circle –a space for sharing, exploring, and interpreting dreams in a confidential and supportive environment. Rooted in ancestral traditions, this event invites participants to connect deeply with one another through storytelling and collective reflection. Exhibition curator Fabiola R. Delgado and facilitator Inés Sanchez will guide participants through prompts and open discussion, providing support as we explore how dreams influence our realities and how to channel them into purposeful action. As a gift, each participant will receive an exclusive dream care package to continue nurturing their journey. Proceeds from this experience will be split between Transformer and the Amica Center for Immigrant Rights.

Purchase a ticket here!

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"To Dream con los cuerpos" by Fabiola Delgado public opening and reception
Mar
22

"To Dream con los cuerpos" by Fabiola Delgado public opening and reception

Dreams can bridge the divide between what is known and what is imagined, connecting the tangible and intangible threads of our experiences. They’re shaped by ancestral memory, cultural imprints, yearnings, and subconscious dialogues, carrying whispers of the past and gesturing glimpses of the future.

When I lived in Venezuela, I dreamed every night—vivid, often premonitory dreams that felt like a second reality. They vanished when I moved to the U.S., revealing how shifts in environment and belonging can alter our inner worlds. This exhibition reflects on dreams as realities we imagine, pursue, inhabit, and, at times, lose.

Through the works of six Latinx artists engaging with themes of memory, transience, identity, and futurity, To dream con los cuerpos delves into dreams as both literal and metaphorical spaces, asking how they anchor us to our heritage, open portals to transformation, and illuminate the mutable, ephemeral nature of life itself.

To dream con los cuerpos invites viewers to reflect on the power of dreams to shape our perceptions, connect us to cultural inheritance, and imagine futures. It asks: What happens when we lose the ability to dream? And how can art help us reclaim these realms?

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HeartBreakers Ball: A Gothic Romance
Feb
14

HeartBreakers Ball: A Gothic Romance

Join Transformer for a counter-culture celebration of free creative expression inspired by all things Goth. Featuring dark & stormy drink specials, occult parlor games, and glamorously melancholic performances from the haus of bambi & Pussy Noir.

Channel your inner Byron, Brontë, Bauhaus & my bloody valentine. The Best Dressed Goth of the night will win an artwork of their choice from Transformer’s FlatFiles, which will be presented throughout the event.

Love may tear us apart, but art will bring us together. Come join us!

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Transcendence Curatorial Walkthrough
Nov
9

Transcendence Curatorial Walkthrough

  • American University's Katzen Arts Center (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Join Transcendence co-curators Victoria Reis and Jennifer Sakai for a special walk through of the exhibition at American University’s Katzen Arts Center on the opening day! Program is free & open to the public.

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Political Advertisement 1952-2024 Film Screening
Oct
19

Political Advertisement 1952-2024 Film Screening

In collaboration with artists & film makers Antoni Muntadas and Marshall Reese, Transformer will be co-presenting a screening of Political Advertisement 1952-2024 at Busboys & Poets (450 K St. NW, Washington DC).

For 40 years, Antoni Muntadas and Marshall Reese have been compiling a video history of presidential campaign spots that follows the evolution of political advertising from its beginnings in 1952 to the present. When the artists started this project in 1984, acquiring broadcast political ads required exhaustive research in archives and often involved personal contact with the candidate’s campaigns, not as easy as today’s internet click and download.

The feature length video is a personal vision of how politics and politicians are shaped and presented through the moving image. Political Advertisement is an engaging critique, without voiceover commentary, highlighting how campaign ads manipulate public perception and affect voter behavior.

“Tonally, the film is a perfect hybrid of its creators’ sensibilities. It’s funny and nostalgic, and has an innocent quality, while at the same time offering a bleak view of a specifically American form of propaganda, born in 1952, that has grown to shape our political process — not just the way we sell our politicians but the nature of the political discourse itself.” – John Seabrook, The New Yorker

The experience is an historical stream of consciousness showcasing the political and technological histories of presidential candidates and the broadcast moving image. The video illustrates how advertising strategies have changed from television’s early days into sophisticated media campaigns based on projections of fear, prejudice and emotional triggers. Political Advertisement stands as an important work of media art merging cultural critique with historical documentation prompting viewers to consider the role of media in politics and its effects on democracy.

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Zoom Panel on Queer Speculation with Jaimes Mayhew, Alexis Lothian, and Kalima Young
Jul
2

Zoom Panel on Queer Speculation with Jaimes Mayhew, Alexis Lothian, and Kalima Young

Join us for a conversation about queer speculation, queer histories and the possibilities of that speculation creates with Dr. Alexis Lothian, Associate Professor at University of Maryland and author of Old Futures: Speculative Fiction and Queer Possibility and Dr. Kalima Young, Assistant Professor at Towson University, author of Mediated Misogynoir: The Erasure of Black Women and Girls’ Pain the Public Imagination, and A Different Horizon Atlas collaborator. Join using this Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89608493780

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Artists Sustaining Artists 2024 Opening Reception
Jun
6

Artists Sustaining Artists 2024 Opening Reception

Transformer is proud to present the 2nd iteration of Artists Sustaining Artists, an initiative created with mid-career and established artists to provide honoraria support to their emerging artist peers. Join us for the opening reception hosted by TTR Sotheby’s International Realty.

4809 Bethesda Ave. Bethesda, MD

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