Arts Focus: Full Dome Projections at Arlington Planetarium

This is a column written and sponsored by Arlington Arts / Arlington Cultural Affairs, a division of Arlington Economic Development.

“Space… The final frontier.”

It can certainly feel that way to arts presenters in the Washington metropolitan area, where space is such a precious commodity. That’s why it pays to think outside the box and cultivate partnerships with organizations that might not immediately seem a natural fit “…to boldly go where no man has gone before.”

Take, for example, the series of Full Dome Projections by visual artists at the David M. Brown Planetarium.

Co-presented by Arlington Arts with the Friends of Arlington’s Planetarium, the latest immersive screening is In The Midst of the Inferno by artist Jonathan Monaghan, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, April 20, 21 and 22 with multiple screenings occurring on the half-hour throughout the weekend (see Eventbrite for screening times).

Called “one of the best and most innovative projects in the region” in Washington City Paper’s “The Year In Galleries, 2017,” the Free series has drawn enthusiastic new audiences to this hidden gem, while providing a new venue option for regional artists.

Eliciting subconscious fears surrounding authority and wealth, Monaghan’s critical reflection on power in the digital age is a journey through surreal environments evoking science fiction and high-security luxury apartments: a world both absurd and dystopian, yet eerily familiar.

Note that an Artist Talk by Jonathan Monaghan will accompany the Opening Night screenings, at 6:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. only. The David M. Brown Planetarium is located at 1426 N. Quincy Street in Arlington. The event is free but space is limited and patrons are encouraged to RSVP in advance.