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Photos
02.18.2024

The day Fred Ryan, publisher & CEO of The Washington Post retired, they showed the edition showing the Portrait Gallery's giant portrait on the National Mall! It was his first edition back in 2014 !!

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2 cold colleagues walking to a meeting...me with Dr. Anthea Hartig, director of the National Museum of American History. Jan. 22, 2024

12.16.23

We got tix to see the White House decorations! December 16, 2023.

12.13.23

Friends hamming it up (double portrait) with Ava Du Vernay, Rhea Combs & Lonnie Bunch

12.13.23

Oprah and Gayle making me laugh on stage at the National Portrait Gallery.

Oprah Portrait Reveal_12.13.23

A morning to remember. Me with (l to r) Rhea Combs, Lonnie Bunch, Oprah Winfrey and the artists of her portrait, Shawn Michael Warren. December 13, 2023

Kim and Oprah 12.13.23

With one of my s/heroes, Oprah Winfrey at her portrait unveiling. December 13, 2023

12.12.23

With artist Shawn Michael Warren the night before we unveil his portrait of Oprah, December 12, 2023

NPG 11/17/23

Celebrating the portrait of Octavia Butler by Bisa Butler (3rd from left) on November 17, 2023.

NPG

Dorceta Taylor, Dolores Huerta, Julie Packard & Wawa Gatheru @ National Portrait Gallery panel about social justice in the environmental movement. Nov 14, 2023

NPG Noveber 14, 2023

My assistant Ana María with her s/hero Dolores Huerta @ the National Portrait Gallery talk about the future of environmentalism, Nov. 2023.

May 1, 2023

Powerful IDENTIFY performance of “Portrait of an Indigenous Womxn [Removed]” by Anna Tsouhlarakis, May 1, 2023

Nov 1, 2023

Portrait Gallery staff getting reacquainted "speed dating" as we return to the office!

Oct. 26, 2023

Seated at my table @ State dept. lunch honoring the Australians! Former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi & U.S. Interior Department Secretary Deb Haaland stopped by.

2023 Australian visit

You can tell girlfriend journalist Symone Sanders has done this before..selfie all askew with Ambassador to UNESCO Courtney O'Donnell

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My portrait by Devon Rodriguez!

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My picture of Devon Rodriguez whose drawing me. September 28, 2023

Sep. 24. 2023

I introduced Dana Bash and Anderson Cooper at a Smithsonian event about Anderson's new book "Astor: The Rise and Fall of an American Fortune," Sept 23, 2023.

Art News NYC 2023

At the ArtNews 100 Top Collectors event with Lisa Goodman, Josef Vascovitz & Tracey Ryans. NYC Sept. 29, 2023

Portraits Metro Banner 2023

Season 5 of PORTRAITS podcast is up! Banners at Smithsonian WMATA Metro Station September 2023

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VP Kamala Harris event celebrating artists whose work is installed in the VP Residence @ the Naval Observatory Sept. 19, 2023

David Skorton by Rose Frantzen

Portrait of the former Smithsonian Secretary Dr. David Skorton by Rose Frantzen. September 18, 2023

Podcasting about Fakes with Dr. Colette Loll

Podcasting about Fakes with Dr. Colette Loll for PORTRAITS Season 5. 2023

NPG Podcast Studio

Our new sound recording studio is up!!!

Kim's Birthday

My birthday with colleagues & cake!

NPG Spring 2023

At the National Portrait Gallery Spring 2023

1898 Opening

NPG Commissioner Nina Henderson & Curator Taína Caragol at the opening of "1898: U.S. Imperial Visions and Revisions" exhibition April 2023

Honoring Queen Liliuolalani

April 26, 2023. Welcoming a delegation from the Royal Societies of Hawai'i

NPG Commissioners in LA

April 2023. Visiting the Academy of Motion Picture Archives

In the Academy of Motion Pictures Archives!

Rows and rows of movies!

10 Years!

April 1, 2022 ~ The National Portrait Gallery Staff threw me a 10 year anniversary breakfast!

Travers Lincoln at NPG Ceremony 2023

February 10, 2023 ~ celebrating the loan of the WFK Travers portrait of Lincoln by the Hartley Dodge Foundation

Hirshhorn Directors

Jan. 19, 2023 ~ celebrating women artists at the Hirshhorn with Melissa Chiu (Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden), Stephanie Stebich (Smithsonian American Art Museum), Kaywin Feldman (National Gallery of Art) moderated by Sarah Thornton

Secretary Lonnie Bunch

December 2022 ~ Smithsonian Staff Holiday Party with my boss, Secretary Lonnie Bunch

Portrait Gallery Holiday Party

December 2022 Holiday Party ~ An AMAZING group of colleagues!

France Córdova Portrait Unveiling

Dec. 19, 2022 ~ Dr. France Córdova & NPG Colleagues Drs. Michael Hussey and Lacey Baradel at the National Science Foundation.

Scarf, Scarf, Scarf!

Nov. 24, 2022 ~ Swarthmore College "Big Chair"

Portrait Gallery Gala 2022

Nov. 12. 2022 ~VVIP's Doug Emhoff, Alicia Keys & Hillary Rodham Clinton

NWHM recption 2022

Dec. 8, 2022 ~ Reception with Dorothy Moss and Maya Lin for the Smithsonian National Women's Museum

Judith Martin & Me

Dec. 8, 2022 ~ Judith Martin came to visit.

Rhea Combs, Deborah Roberts & Me

Nov. 16, 2022 ~ Honoring Deborah Robert's with NPG colleague Rhea Combs

2022 Portrait of a Nation gala

Alicia Keys is one f the nicest people in the universe

Welcoming the Portrait of a Nation Honorees

Nov. 12, 2022 ~ welcoming the 2022 Portrait of a Nation Honorees

Pre-gala face

Nov. 12, 2022 ~ Pr-Gala Face

Lonnie & Me all dressed up

Nov. 12, 2022 ~ Lonnie & Me all dressed up

Día de los Muertos 2022

Nov. 2, 2022 ~Colleagues Kaia Black, Vanessa Jones and I at the National Portrait Gallery Day of the dead Family Day

Dia de los Muertos 2022 NPG

Selfie filter with Rebecca Kasemeyer!

Selfie with Julián Zugazagoitia

Oct. 31, 2022 ~ Selfie with Julián Zugazagoitia, museum director buddies

American Art Museum Directors Party!

American Art Museum Directors Party!

Celebrating the Opening of the Rubell Museum DC

Oct. 25, 2022 ~ Special Dinner Celebrating the Opening of the Rubell Museum DC hosted by Isabel de la Cruz Ernst & Ricardo Ernst

Kinship exhibition opening!

Oct. 27, 2022 ~ NPG curator Taína Caragol, & Artists Jessica Todd Harper & Jess Dugan

Smithsonian  Directors Party-ing!

Oct. 23, 2022 ~ Joshua Tewksbury (Tropical Research Center), Anthea Hartig (Nat. Museum of American History), Elliott Gruber (Nat. Postal Museum)

Sept 21 2022

September 21, 2022 ~ Atlantic writer & amazing journalist Anne Applebaum in front of Carl Sanburg

Sept 21, 2022

Sept 21, 2022 ~ with Jeffrey Goldberg, Editor-in-Chief of the Atlantic

Sept 20 2022

Sept. 20, 2022 ~ NPG colleagues surprise with cake!

Glenn Kaino selfie

Sept. 20, 2022 ~ Glenn Kaino selfie

Meridian Ball 2022

Oct 21, 2022 ~ Miss Buttercream Queen wore it better!

Two Portrait Gallery Directors

Oct. 22, 2022 ~ with former Portrait Gallery Director Marc Pachter.

Maya Lin & I

Oct. 19, 2022 ~ Get in focus people! At the opening of Maya Lin's One Life exhibition about her life.

Naval Observatory

Oct. 13, 2022 ~ Reception with Vice President Harris and Mr. Doug Emhoff

Howland Stone Store Museum

Sept. 17, 2022 ~ Ellen Blacklock brought Emily Howland to life in her amazing quilt.

HSSM

Sept 17, 2022 ~ The amazing volunteers who keep the Howland Stone Store Museum & Opendore in Sherwood NY operating.

NPG in Chicago

Sept. 15, 2022 ~ NPG field trip to Chicago to see the fantastic Nick Cave exhibition at the MCA with Rhea Combs and Rebecca Kasemeyer

Boston Selfie

Sept 10, 2022 selfie with Deborah Willis & Hank Willis Thomas at the American Academy of Arts & Sciences induction weekend

American Academy of Arts and Sciences

Sept. 10, 2022 ~ Induction weekend for the American Academy of Arts & Sciences with Patricia Phelps de Cisneros & Annie Philbin

POTUS #44

Sept. 7, 2022 ~ Celebrating the White House portraits of President Obama

FLOTUS

Sept. 7, 2022 Sharon Sprung did a wonderful portrait of Michelle Obama for the White House

White House Sept. 7. 2022

Sept 7, 2022 ~ Celebrating Robert McCurdy's wonderful portrait for the White House of President Barack Obama #44

MFA Boston

Sept,. 10, 2022 ~ A wonderful visit with Matthew Teitelbaum, director of MFA Boston to see the NPG Obama portraits on tour

NMAfA

Oct. 8, 2022 ~ Such a pleasure to meet photographer Iké Udé at the National Museum of African Art

NPG Leaders!

May 25, 2022 NPG supporters event at the home of John & Kristin Cecchi.

Kim Sajet & Sally Quinn at the NPG

A Washington Women's Power Breakfast in partnership with the Washington Post with guest Sally Quinn to discuss "Watergate: Portraits of Intrigue," May 25, 2022

Kim Sajet interviews José Andrés

Interviewing José Andrés on April 28, 2022 about "We Feed People" the amazing documentary directed by Ron Howard for National Geographic / Disney.

Interview with José
Kim Sajet & Donna Castellanos

Donna Castellanos sews her own business cards...that look like pumpkins! Outwin Opening 2022

Opening of The Outwin 2022

Celebrating The Outwin 2022 opening on April 29, 2022 with artists Joel Daniel Phillips & Quraysh Ali Lasana.

Outwin 2022  artists and curators

A night to remember with The 2022 Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition winner Allison Elizabeth Taylor, Past winner Hugo Crosthwaite and NPG curators Taína Caragol & Leslie Ureña.

Kim Sajet & Fred Hochberg

A fun moment standing in front of Lillian Vernon's portrait by Enid Cutler on April 7, 2022 with her son Fred Hochberg.

Kim Sajet & Reese Witherspoon

I had the pleasure of giving Reese Witherspoon a tour of the NPG in March!

Kim Sajet & Kaywin Feldman

Congratulations to friend and colleague Kaywin Feldman at the opening of Afro-Atlantic istories at the National Gallery of Art, USA. April 7, 2022

New Year's Eve 2022
100 Women in Power Lunch 12.11.22

So grateful to have amazing women leaders as inspiration & friends! Loved this lunch ion December 11, 2022 in New York hosted by Joanna Coles & Teresa Carleson.

With Tony on Thanksgiving 2021

Me & Tony trying to keep warm in Philadelphia.

Seeing Lisa Sasaki at the FUTURES opening at the Arts & Industry Building, Smithsonian.

Seeing Lisa Sasaki at the FUTURES opening at the Arts & Industry Building, Smithsonian, November 18, 2021

Tribute to Hung Liu with Dorothy Moss

Celebrating the life of Hung Liu on November 12, 2021 at the National Portrait Gallery with Dorothy Moss

Shoe games Hung Liu celebration style

Shoe games Hung Liu celebration style

Paying tribute to Hung Liu with Kate Capshaw and Keith Yamashita.

Paying tribute to Hung Liu with Kate Capshaw and Keith Yamashita. November 13, 2021

Partying with Calida Rawles

Art party in LA October 5, 2021 with Calida Rawles

Shoe game

Shoe game LACMA Art + Film Gala style

LACMA Art + Film Gala with Devon Rodriguez

LACMA Art + Film Gala with Devon Rodriguez

National Portrait Gallery table at LACMA Art + Film Gala

National Portrait Gallery table at LACMA Art + Film Gala on October 6, 2021

Art + Film Friends

Kenturah Davis, Janine Sherman Barrois, Ava DuVernay, Lyndon Barrois & Rhea Combas at a party hosted by the National Portrait Gallery at the Academy Museum, October 4, 2021.

Surreal times

Some days are simply surreal...

Washingtonian 2021

A bit of fun. At the reception for the October issue of Washingtonian Magazine's "Most Powerful Women" you can get your "cover shoot"!

Museum Gals October 12, 2021

NPG'ers (r to l: R. Combs, R. Bradburn, Me, U. Subrahmanian) had the treat of a private tour of the Dior exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum with my dear friend director, Anne Pasternak.

October 6, 2021 Gift of flight

An amazing gift from the Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company channeling Wonder Woman's invisible plane! On my bookshelf at work.

September, 30, 2021 New York

We laughed, we cried. Dinner in honor of Hung Liu at the Nancy Hoffman Gallery, NYC.

Howland Album

Such a thrill to see Emily Howland's album beautifully on display at the National Museum of African American History and Culture on display. I have spent A LOT of time with Emily! #dissertationtopic

September 18, 2021

Fields of mourning. Each white flag on the National Mall represents someone who has died from covid-19. Installation by Suzanne Firstenberg #InAmericaFlags #heartbreaking

Meeting George Takei

Holding faux butterflies with George Takei front of his picture by Grav Weldon at the NPG August 2021

Hung Liu catalogue

A gift from Hung Liu in June 2021 showing all her friends who wrote for her catalogue.

PORTRAITS podcast mug

New PORTRAITS podcast mug!

The empty shelves of the future by Guy Downes
4 covd books

Four books produced during covid-19 pandemic in 2020

Hung Liu catalogue

Early copy of Hung Liu: Portraits of Promised Lands National Portrait Gallery Smithsonian catalogue!!

Vaxxed with Henry

Who else got vaccinated for covid-19 with a giant elephant in the background?! 🐘🤳🏼

American Academy of Art & Sciences

Nominated to become a member of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences. April '21

A leaping family of college grads!

May 2020...2 Doctors and 4 college grads. 🎓🎓🎓🎓

Virtual graduation

Virtual graduation #DrSajet #Lifegoal

Emily and Carrie

"In Admiration: Emily Howland's Cartes de Visite Album" D.L.S. Dissertation finished April 11, 2021 ⏳✍🏼🌟

Art Table Leadership Award

Received the ArtTable Leadership Award, Feb. 2020. Conferred by Dr. Johnnetta Betsch Cole

Corona catalogue mailing!

Mailing catalogues while isolating at home during the COVID-19 pandemic

Washington Life Women of 2020

In amazing company with Washington Life Women of 2020 feature.

Grace Roselli photo Jan 2020

Portrait courtesy of Grace Roselli, Pandora's BoxX Project

Grace Roselli, Jan 2020

Grace Roselli, Pandora's BoxX Project

NPG Staff Holiday Party!

staff holiday party with Tibor Waldner, December 2019!

Indra & Hillary

Indra Nooyi & Hillary Clinton enjoying themselves NPG gala 2019

2019 National Portrait Gala

2019 National Portrait Gala honorees & Presenters

michelle-obama

When Michelle Obama walked into the room wearing that dress we were blown away! Wow!

Jeff Bezos

Artist Robert McCurdy with Me; Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos; and his son Preston Bezos in front of Jeff's new portrait @ NPG. (Photo courtesy of Paul Morigi/AP for National Portrait Gallery)

Indra Nooyi & Alberto Ibargüen

Indra Nooyi & Alberto Ibargüen, November 17, 2019.

With Lin-Manuel Miranda

Sharing a laugh with With Lin-Manuel Miranda

Kim & Tony

With my husband Tony Meadows!

Gala friends

2019 Gala friends Verdine White, Randi Levine, Me & Prabal Gurung.

Super fun Birmingham Museum of Art lecture flyer

On October 23 I had a preview of Hung Liu's show at Nancy Hoffman's Gallery. Hung is having an exhibition at the NPG in 2021!

Kim and Hung Liu

❤️ amazing artist Hung Liu at Nancy Hoffman's Gallery

New Smithsonian Directors & Secretary!

Anthea Hartig, Chase Robinson, Lonnie Bunch & Me! New Smithsonian colleagues.

Taína Caragol & Dorothy Moss

Taína Caragol & Dorothy Moss at the Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition Opening, October 25, 2019,

Press Preview 2019 Outwin  ⭐️

Press Preview 2019 Outwin ⭐️October 25, 2019.

Smithsonian Colleagues

Eduardo Diaz & Kate Haw, Secretary Bunch's Installation, Nov. 1, 2019.

Academic walk with Gwendolyn DuBois Shaw

Academic walk with Gwendolyn DuBois Shaw

Interviewed Cokie Roberts

Interviewed Cokie Roberts for the PORTRAITS Podcast

Meeting Brad Pitt

Meeting Brad Pitt at the Ad Astra film launch at the Washington Post

Luminaries in LA

With Janine Sherman Barrois, TV writer & producer; Frances Arnold, Nobel Prize Winner for Chemistry; and Lyndon Barrois, artist, film maker and NPG board member Commissioner. Lyndon is holding a chocolate Nobel Medal that Frances gave him!

Meeting Betye Saar

Meeting Betye Saar June 28, 2019

I became a podcast host!

On July 28, 2019 the first episode of PORTRAITS went live! Here I am recording the trailer with friends.

Nekisha Durrett performs in Jeffrey Gibson's IDENTIFY performance at NPG

Jeffrey Gibson's IDENTIFY performance "To Name Another," May 22, 2019

Eye to I: Self Portraits book!

Publication of some of the set-portraits in the NPG collection, accompanying the tour of Eye to I: Self-Portraits from 1900 to Today (Nov. 2, 2018 - August 18, 2019)

NPG Commission in Miami May 10, 2019

The NPG Commission meeting in the home of Commissioner Eduardo Rabassa with guest artists Tico Torres and & Alexis Rodriguez-Duarte

Artist discussion with Taína Caragol

Sedrick Huckabee & Ruth Leona Buentello are interviewed by NPG curator Taína Caragol in Miami May 11, 2019

Michael Vasquez in his studio

Michael Vasquez in his studio on 11, 2019

DTSBDC "Tracings" May 4, 2019

Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company performs "Tracings" May 4, 2019 in the National Portrait Galery Kogod Courtyard

Julie Packard & artist Hope Gangloff

Press preview of the unveiling of Julie Packard's portrait by Hope Gangloff, April 23, 2019.

6 year anniversary party!

April 1, 2019 the NPG staff threw me a 6 year anniversary party!

Christy Turlington & Dana Bash

Portrait Circle evening with Left to right: Joe Ujobai, Bobbie Smith, Christy Turlington, Randi Charno Levine, Dana Bash, & Kristin Rae Cecchi on April 8, 2019. (Picture by Tony Powell)

Votes for Women! Opening night.

Jane Abraham, David Skorton, Hillary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi, Doris Matsui, Kim Sajet. March 28, 2019Votes for Women! Opening night.

NPG Frieze LA Friends

Tour of Frieze LA with NPG friends Feb 14, 2019

Kate, Rhys, & Votes for Women book!

Votes for Women! catalogue early copies! Feb 12. 2019

Atlantic article online

Published article in The Atlantic

Titus Kaphar @ NXTHVN

Titus Kaphar @ NXTHVN Haven, CT 2.6.2019

Ken Gonzales-Day @ Artist Party

Partying with Ken Gonzales-Day, NPG Nov. 10. 2018

2 million visitors!

Reached 2 million visitors in 11 months (1. Oct, 2017 to 1. Sept. 2018). Almost a 100% increase since 2013.

Fabulous scholarship

Beyond the Face: New Perspectives on Portraiture, edited by Wendy Wick Reaves on the occasion of the National Portrait Gallery's 50th anniversary presents sixteen essays by leading scholars who explore the subtle means by which artists―& subjects―convey a sense of identity & reveal historical context.

Kumi Yamashita @ Silhouettes opening

Black Out: Silhouettes from Then to Now exhibition opening with Kumi Yamashita in front of her work. May 11, 2018.

Rock'n the Red @NPG

The Washington Capitals won the Stanley Cup (NHL)!! April 11, 2018 -- fans gathered on the Portrait Gallery's steps.

"Unseen" exhibition

Opening night March 22, 2018 of "Unseen: Our Past in a New Light: Ken Gonzales-Day and Titus Kaphar." l to r: Asma Naeem, me, Titus, Ken, and Taina Caragol.

Obama Portrait Unveiling

Unveiling the portraits of President Barak Obama by Kehinde Wiley and Michele Obama by Amy Sherald on February 14, 2018 at the National Portrait Gallery was an amazing day from start to finish!

America's Presidents reinstallation

"The Portrait Gallery is a constant paradox: Its focus on America and portraiture makes its mission inherently conservative, yet for years now it has been one of the Smithsonian’s most consistently provocative museums, with exhibitions that explore gender, sexuality, race and difference." --- Philip Kennicott (9/21/2017)

Digital Touchtables

America’s Presidents reopened at the National Portrait Gallery to the public on September 22, 2017, with new works and signage, an entirely new LED lighting system, and the reintroduction of Gilbert Stuart’s “Lansdowne” portrait of George Washington, which went through 18 months of conservation and analysis, visitors can once again explore and reflect on this unique and powerful collection. A special feature is three interactive touch tables that allows visitors to explore portraits of each pres

New Time-based-media studio

Created in 2016 - a new studio to store and instal TBMA.

Portraits Alive

A NPG Teen re-interprets part of Malcolm X's biography in the galleries. Part of the 20216 Portraits Alive! summer program.

ASL in the galleries

American Sign Language tours

Dolores Huerta

Dolores speaking 2015

National Tour of The Outwin

The Outwin 2016: Contemporary Portraiture Today national portrait competition exhibition toured to four venues around the US for the first time between 2016-2018.

Racial Masquerade Symposium

The symposium “Racial Masquerade in American Art and Culture,” Nov. 4 and 5, – organized by Dr. Gwendolyn DuBois Shaw, associate professor of the history of art at University of Pennsylvania and senior fellow at the National Portrait Gallery was amazing. The event brought together scholars and artists to examine instances of people performing as a race other than their own—known as racial masquerade—and how this continues to shape the way people are viewed in American society.

Wanda Raimundi-Ortiz @ IDENTIFY

The IDENTIFY program at the National Portrait Gallery commissions new work by performance artists around issues of American race and gender, and asks the question "How do we show the presence of absence?"

Maria Magdalena Campos-Pons

Maria Magdalena Campos Pons performs an IDENTIFY program May 4, 2016

James Luna @ IDENTIFY

James Luna performs an IDENTIFY program January 11, 2016

Aretha Franklin @ 2015 Gala

Aretha Franklin looks at her portrait, November 15, 2015.

Pilobolus Dance

The first America Now! performance May 22, 2015.

Explore!

In collaboration with Explore! Children's Museum of Washington, D.C. the National Portrait Gallery opened its first-ever space dedicated to children ages 18 months to 8 years old accompanied by an adult. The exhibition is located on the first floor of the museum and all texts are presented in English and Spanish.

Exterior Lighting Pilot

From September 5 - September 12, the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery piloted new exterior lighting & projections on the museum's F-Street entrance in conjunction with an exhibitions of 6 contemporary U.S. Latino artists—David Antonio Cruz, Carlee Fernandez, María Martínez-Cañas, Rachelle Mozman, Karen Miranda Rivadeneira, and Michael Vasquez.

6 Acre Portrait

A grand landscape portrait by artist Jorge Rodríguez-Gerada was placed temporarily on the National Mall from October 4 - 31, 2014. “Out of Many, One,” the English translation of E pluribus unum, stretched across 6 acres of land midway between the World War II & Lincoln memorials along the south side of the Reflecting Pool. The work was a composite portrait of young men & made of 8,000 tons of sand, 2,000 tons of topsoil and white chalk via satellite location.

Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Co.

In 2014 began a partnership with DTSBDC that in 2016 evolved to become the first time a Smithsonian museum has developed a formal Dance Company in Residence program. The DTSBDC develop new performances based on the National Portrait Gallery's exhibitions.

Museum Mugs

Many, many, museum mugs #museummemories #nocoffee ☕️#caffineofideas 💬

Dutch Utopia

My essay is all about the romanticism of Dutch culture in the middle of the Industrial Revolution.

Dutch Utopia In Dutch
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