Friday, January 19, 2007

Whatever it means for Southeast Washington, for gentrification, for art, it's not often that Anacostia gets to welcome a new gallery. Tomorrow, that's exactly what will occur when Honfleur Gallery opens on Good Hope Road.

Honfleur inaugurates the space with an edgy show, "No Scratchers," featuring photographs of tattoos, and the paintings, mixed-media works and sculptures of D.C.-area tattoo artists -- about 60 pieces, all inspired by ink culture. And the title? "Scratcher" is a reference to the tattoo term for an amateur who isn't doing art-quality work. The artists here come from such shops as Pinz-N-Needlez (the sponsor of the show), Great Southern and Ink Junkeez.

But the show, curated by local artist Imani K. Brown (a tattoo artist herself), isn't necessarily a sign of things to come. The gallery calls "No Scratchers" its "soft launch," a little boost before it dives into its mission of showing ultra-community-based art. Another show, "The East of the River Group Exhibition," showcasing artists with deep connections to the District's Wards 7 and 8, follows on Feb. 24.

Expect artists to be on hand for tomorrow's reception, 7-10 p.m. Free. 1241 Good Hope Rd. SE. Tuesday-Friday noon-6 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Through Feb. 17. 202-889-5000.

-- Lavanya Ramanathan