I started warp_dmv in response to declining local arts coverage. Thankfully, there are still publications and writers in this area dedicated to showing up, critically engaging, and supporting the DC/DMV art scene. And there is room for more.
It is imperative that more stories are recorded and archived. As newspapers turn away from local coverage, get swallowed by regionals, or shut down completely, more history goes unrecorded. This is deeply concerning. The arts can reshape perspectives, challenge long-held beliefs, lead to innovative solutions, and increase empathetic engagement in… everything. Recorded, archived history is imperative. This is an attempt to aid in that recording.
This project originated through an article started during Humanities DC Community Journalism Program.
Who are you?
My name is Shelby. You can read more about me here.
Why warp?
Warp refers to the foundational threads that begin any weaving. The taunt vertical threads are the skeleton that the horizontal weft thread passes over and under.
Like the warp, arts and culture creators, workers, preservers, and lovers are the foundation that strengthens every community.
I’m interested in the warp as a tool and the warp as an already existing structure. The arts are a warp and exist in a warp.
Warp typically, and definitionally, has a negative connotation. Warp: “disapproving: to cause (a person's opinions, thoughts, etc.) to be changed in a way that is wrong or unnatural.”
I counter that many of the systems we are forced to navigate are wrong and unnatural - systems that prioritize profit over people, harm over care, disregard over effort. For example, the arts are foundational to lively, thriving communities. Creative expression is a human necessity and a human right. And yet, investment in arts education, local creatives, and their impact, is routinely undervalued.
Art and the communities it can foster, distort these unnatural systems, twist their intended effects, and change outcomes. Warp is a foundation for alternating paths.
Thanks for reading. I can’t wait to see what we make.
Are you an artist interested in being interviewed? Fill out this form.
In development:
Artist to Artist: A series where two artists have a conversation. The artists could be strangers or friends. The format would be a Q&A customized for the artists participating.
Studio Visit: A series where I ask a few tailored questions about your art practice and take photos of you in your creative space. If you do not have a dedicated studio space, we can work together to find a place that makes sense for photos.
The Art of: A series where unexpected careers or experiences are viewed as an art form.
Off-Topic: Local writers submit essays, coverage, and articles - they don’t necessarily have to address arts and culture. Maybe it’s good-to-know info or a fiction story.
It Happened Here: Snap a quick pic and send a paragraph or two about an arts and culture event, activity, or happening you attended/saw.
Have a question? Email me: byshelbyhubbard@gmail.com
Want to read more about the local arts scene?
The Washington Informer Bridge
Hamiltonian Artists Essays on Art