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Adidas Originals store, "Bam Bam Dilla:
Traveling Riddims," Nov. 21:
The Art Whino gallery seems to devote as much energy to partying as it does to selling art. (Whino/wino, get it?) This was the first of two parties thrown by the gallery to celebrate the opening of "Bam Bam Dilla: Traveling Riddims," Ben Floeter's portraits of '70s reggae stars painted on old suitcases.
Rather than just hanging the art on the walls at the retro boutique in Georgetown, Art Whino hired Adidas-clad models to stand around the store's perimeter holding the painted luggage. That made it awkward to stare at the portraits of musicians such as U-Roy, Lee "Scratch" Perry and King Tubby for long without feeling that the art was staring back at you.
Gallery owner Shane Pomajambo described the party as a favor to its customers who don't want to schlep to Prince George's County. Last spring, Art Whino moved from its Alexandria digs to a new space in National Harbor.
Small glitch with the "Bam Bam Dilla" event: The DJ didn't show up until the last hour (some confusion about a bus from New York), and partiers were stuck with Adidas's shopper soundtrack -- not quite the Afrobeat and cumbia music that would have jibed with the art and livened up the gathering.
-- R.B.
