I'm usually not a huge fan of contemporary art, but this weekend I was feeling in a rut, and wanted to expand my horizons a little, so I went to Artomatic, the big annual art show, on opening day. It was fun! The exhibits were spread out over 200,000 square feet on 9 floors of the newly completed, but unoccupied office building Capitol Plaza I, at 2400 First Street NE. It's only a block from the New York Avenue Metro station, and the show runs through June 15th.

The immediate neighborhood is a work in progress, with vacant lots alternating with brand new buildings. Almost all the lots are spoken for, and when it's all built out, will be a mix of office space, residential units, and retail. From the upper floors of Capitol Plaza I, there were views in every direction. I took some photos, but unfortunately the rainy, grey weather we've been plagued with this spring has rendered them pretty lifeless.

The art itself was fascinating, an immensely diverse collection of sculpture, painting, photography, film, mixed-media, and everything in between. Yes, there was some less-than-stellar art mixed in with the good stuff, but overall I was impressed with the number of creative minds that came together at Artomatic. One artist put together a Gascase, which gave me a laugh, and my wife seemed to enjoy the show, despite being a little unenthusiastic at first.

So, if you haven't been to Artomatic before, or like me, view art or architecture produced since 1945 with a skeptical eye, give it a chance and check out the show. It's free, there are refreshments, great views, and plenty of clean restrooms, so go and see Artomatic before it closes on June 15th.