Design from a Distance – Home & Design Magazine

OUTDOOR OASIS
Glenstone has always practiced its own brand of social distancing. Since its inception, this private museum in Potomac has capped admissions so that patrons can experience its art, architecture and landscape unfettered by crowds. Though indoor galleries and cafés are still shuttered at press time, Glenstone reopened its grounds on June 4, welcoming a limited number of visitors to explore a 300-acre sanctuary of rolling meadows and forest dotted with outdoor installations by luminaries such as Jeff Koons, Richard Serra and Ellsworth Kelly. The property is open from Thursday through Sunday; advance reservations and masks are required. glenstone.org

PAPER TRAIL
Hillwood Estate recently reopened its 25-acre grounds to members. But if you prefer an armchair visit, Kate Markert’s A Garden For All Seasons: Marjorie Merriweather Post’s Hillwood documents how Post (above, left, with Lady Bird Johnson in 1966) and her design team created one of Washington’s most celebrated outdoor treasures, complete with formal parterres, luxuriant lawns and cutting beds. Photographs by DC’s own Erik Kvalsvik capture Hillwood’s pristine beauty. Rizzoli, New York, 2020; $50.

VIRTUAL VIEWING
When covid-19 forced its closure, the National Museum of Women in the Arts launched NMWA@Home, a virtual portal of podcasts, videos and online exhibitions. One of its most compelling shows, “Delita Martin: Calling Down the
Spirits,” features seven large-scale portraits that explore the lines between the earthly and the ethereal. Audio commentary by Texas-born Martin sheds light on the influences and techniques behind her immersive works, including “Soul Keeper,” right. nmwa.org

ARTISTS IN QUARANTINE
In response to the pandemic, the Hirshhorn launched “Artists in Quarantine” on April 23. This video-diary series will spotlight nearly 100 artists from around the globe, with new entries released twice weekly on Instagram, YouTube and the museum’s website. “The goal is to collect insights during a time when artists, like billions around the world, have had their daily lives and routines disrupted in extreme ways,” says artist and Hirshhorn board member Theaster Gates, who’s spearheading the project. hirshhorn.si.edu