Patrick McDonough: Portrait of a County by a Youngish Man

On View: June 19 - Extended

Jenkins Community Gallery

Through the project Portrait of a County by a Youngish Man, artist Patrick McDonough pays homage to the unsung workers of Arlington County, the individuals who repair our streets and sidewalks, maintain our parks, and beautify our public spaces.

The exhibition includes eight drawings, completed as the second phase of the project, which originally began in 2019 as a public art project outside Arlington Arts Center. During the first phase of the project, McDonough asked Arlington County Parks and Recreation to refrain from mowing a large area on the front lawn of AAC. After two months, he mowed down the lawn and used the harvested grass to make paper.

The drawings on view in this exhibition are portraits of Arlington County employees, drawn by McDonough on the paper made from this grass. The eight employees who participated in the project have all worked directly with Arlington Arts Center in recent years. They have repaired the roads and sidewalks outside AAC’s building, maintained the building itself, and partnered with AAC on public art and community-oriented events. Through Portrait of a County by a Youngish Man, McDonough honors their work and points to the often-overlooked labor that goes into building and sustaining a vibrant community like Arlington.

About the Artist
Hailing from the idiosyncratic landscape of Wisconsin, Patrick McDonough is best known for his populist, vernacularly-styled interventions into a variety of municipal, cultural, and public contexts. His previous projects include collaborations with the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, Van Alen Institute with DC Office of Planning, Arlington Public Art, the Ballston BID, and the DC Department of Parks and Recreation, among many other private and public entities. McDonough previously taught at the Corcoran College of Art & Design and American University, among other institutions, and is currently a public high school teacher near Washington DC.

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Artist Talks with Andrew Barco and Elliot Doughtie

Saturday / October 21 / 1pm-3pm

Join artists Andrew Barco and Elliot Doughtie for conversations about their solo exhibitions currently on view at MoCA Arlington.

Neon Nights: Gala & Silent Auction

Wednesday / September 27 / 7pm

Join us on Wednesday, September 27 for a special gala and silent auction to benefit the Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington. Tickets range from $250 to $500 and include a 3-course dinner, silent auction, and the joy you’ll feel knowing you’re supporting the museum! Can’t attend? Consider sponsoring an artist to attend in your place!

MoCA on the Move at Met Park

Sundays 10am-12pm

MoCA Arlington at Met Park
Fun for the whole family! No Experience Required offers playful art making activities for children (and their curious adults) every Sunday morning. There will be collaborative, community-built art works, and opportunities to “make and take” works, too.

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