In Peak Bloom

With the cherry blossom trees in DC reaching peak bloom in this coming week, I decided to visit some of the themed pop-ups around the city.

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The ARTECHOUSE is a chain of interactive media-based galleries spread across the United States following its original DC installation in 2017. The museum showcases rotating exhibits intended to display the works of innovators of media art while, if one is interested, also acting as a cocktail bar. Beginning on March 20th, the ARTECHOUSE has been used for the exhibit "In Peak Bloom", a gallery centered on displaying both the beauty and cultural significance of the cherry blossom. Composed of four small rooms, each area of the exhibit houses works by different female artists.

In order not to spoil any future trips to ARTECHOUSE, I'll keep my descriptions fairly brief. Walking down the stairway presented at the entrance, the room opens up to the main exhibit floor. Covered in floor to wall screens, the room depicts whirls of cherry blossoms that move depending on your actions. To the immediate right is a dark space characterized by a bare tree, with the life of the image changing as you connect to another person. Following that are a few beautiful cherry-blossom themed areas perfect for photos. To the left of the main floor is a hall of screens where shadow puppetry is a must and a small area where touching live plants sets of a chorus of sounds. The final part of the exhibit utilizes your phone as well as yourself, with an app aiding you in telling a moving tale of sacrifice as you direct it at certain markers.

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Following my trip to the ARTECHOUSE, I continued on to the everchanging pop-up bar. Known for its extravagant Christmas and Chanukah displays, the bar currently is dedicated to serving cherry-blossom themed food and drink under the name of the Cherry Blossom PUB. Bedecked in faux cherry blossoms and ramen recreations, the space consisted of two bars, a photo booth, and an area to purchase food. While I could not speak on the quality of each and every drink, alcoholic or otherwise, the presentation was unique to say the least. While this is by no means a comprehensive overview of the lesser-known cherry blossom events around DC, both are worth a try before the end of the season. Tickets to ARTECHOUSE stand at $12 per student. The Cherry Blossom PUB is 21+ unless you are accompanied by a guardian.