Washington Project for the Arts (WPA)

We are so thrilled to share that our “How can we gather now?” publication is available! The book documents our experimental symposium that took place from March 31 to April 2, 2023 around the topic of gathering. Codirected by Asad Raza and Prem Krishnamurthy, it brought together hundreds of artists, creatives and organizers from all over the world. This publication acts as a performance of the event, collecting a rich variety of modes including transcriptions from conversations, poetry, essays, film stills, recipes and artworks. Contributors Include:
@adriennemareebrown , @asaaddo , @ayzaco , @cynthi4connolly , @edhalter , @nimble_love_ivory , @hermetic_state , @reallyfarrah , @hope_q_ginsburg , @jonyu_brush , @mink_monk_rip , @lenkaclaytonstudio & @phillipandrewlewis , @mayahmonet_art , @eleven0six , @melanindouglass , @mindyseu , #mojdehrezaeipour, @wowsugi , @philippeparreno , @prem_krishnamurthy , #renéegreen, Richard D. Bartlett & Natalia Lombardo, @sarahmorris , #shirazabdullahigallab, @steffihessler , @t1ffany4scal3 , @cokes_tony , and many more. Designed by @yotamh 
Facilitated by @mindyseu 
Printed and bound by @dza.druck , Germany, on Holmen TRND 2.0 paper
Typeset in Align by Greg Gazdowicz (Commercial Type, 2023)
Distributed by Distributed Art Publishers, Inc. 🔗 Link in bio to order your copy ($25) Thanks to everyone who has been a part of this multi-year project! 💛 #wpadc #gathering

Join us for a live virtual walkthrough of “One Stroke at a Time” on May 30 with organizing artist Lorenzo Piero Holder III (@lorenzo_holder ) and Dr. Vincezo Holder-Perkins (@vicenziomd )! This exhibition brings together the collaborative work of Holder and Dr. Perkins, tracing a creative partnership that emerged through art therapy after Dr. Perkins experienced a stroke in 2018. Through drawing, painting, and installation, the exhibition reflects an evolving dialogue grounded in care, adaptation, and shared authorship. This Instagram Live event is part of our ongoing effort to expand accessibility and reach broader audiences. For those unable to visit the exhibition in person, the walkthrough offers a chance to experience the space, learn more about the artists’ process, and engage with the work remotely. We invite you to tune in and join the conversation on May 30 at 5 PM EST on WPA’s Instagram account (@wpadc ). See link in bio for more details. Images captured by Jordan Tovin (@jordan.tovin ) #wpa50thanniversary #onestrokeatatime #intergenerational

A reminder about the “Drawn Together:” Screening and Artist Talk with organizing artists of “One Stroke at a Time,” Lorenzo Piero Holder III (@lorenzo_holder ) and Dr. Vincenzo Holder-Perkins (@vicenziomd ) on March 21! Holder and Dr. Holder-Perkins will premiere a short experimental documentary, “Drawn Together—Protocols for a Shared Body,” which gives viewers an up-close look at their collaborative creative practice and offers a unique glimpse into their relationship as uncle and nephew, exploring how art functions as a practice of caregiving between them. A discussion with the artists and WPA Director Travis Chamberlain will follow the screening. The text in the images includes question prompts, as we invite guests to write questions ahead of the talk for both artists to answer during the discussion. You will be able to write your questions when you register for the event. Questions are optional. The event will be held at Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library from 6:30–8PM on March 21. This event is FREE with RSVP. Please see bio for more details. ACCESS NOTES: If you have questions about physical access, need handouts in alternate format, or require American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation, CART, or other reasonable accommodations to participate, please contact the DC Public Library Center for Accessibility by email at [email protected] or by phone at 202-727-2142 WPA is committed to providing access to everyone. If you require further accommodation during your visit, please email [email protected] as far in advance as possible. Accommodations will be provided to the best of our capacities. #onestrokeatatime #wpa50 #intergenerational #mlklibrary

We invite you to “Drawn Together:” Screening & Artist Talk with organizing artists of “One Stroke at a Time” Lorenzo Piero Holder III (@lorenzo_holder ) and Dr. Vincezo Holder-Perkins (@vicenziomd ) on May 21 from 6:30-8PM at MLK Library. Holder and Dr. Perkins will premiere a short experimental documentary called “Drawn Together–Protocols for a Shared Body” that gives viewers an up close look at their collaborative creative practice and a unique glimpse into their relationship as uncle and nephew—a psychiatrist and an artist—and the way art functions as a practice of caregiving between them. A discussion with the artists and WPA’s Director, Travis Chamberlain, will follow. The event will be held at Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library (901 G St NW, Washington, DC 20001) on May 21 from 6:30-8PM. This event is FREE with RSVP. Please see link in bio for more details. ACCESS NOTES: If you have questions about physical access, need handouts in alternate format, or require American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation, CART, or other reasonable accommodations to participate, please contact the DC Public Library Center for Accessibility by email at [email protected] or by phone at 202-727-2142. WPA is committed to providing access to everyone. If you require further accommodation during your visit, please email [email protected] as far in advance as possible. Accommodations will be provided to the best of our capacities. #onestrokeatatime #wpa50 #intergenerational #MLKLibrary

We are happy to be participating in the Dupont Circle ArtWalk happening today! We’re very excited to continue sharing “One Stroke at a Time” with the Dupont Circle art community. We will have extended gallery hours today from 12–8 PM. During Artwalk, organizing artists Lorenzo Piero Holder III (@lorenzo_holder ) and Dr. Vincezo Holder-Perkins (@vicenziomd ) will both be in attendance. In addition, Holder will also be doing a special performance called “Heart Under Water” (2026). Holder will submerge his face in a glass bowl of water to activate the mammalian dive reflex. The work stages a controlled encounter between breath and instinct, where immersion slows the heart and recalibrates the body’s response to stress. It foregrounds the body’s innate capacity to self-regulate through exposure and control. The performance will start at 6PM and will last for the duration of ArtWalk to 8PM. DuPont Circle BID ArtWalk takes place every first Friday of the month from 6–8PM. For more information, please visit @dupontcircledc . #onestrokeatatime #wpa50 #intergenerational #DCArtwalk

We are thrilled to share “One Stroke at a Time: Watercolor ArtBook” (Signed Limited Edition) by organizing artists Lorenzo Piero Holder III (@lorenzo_holder ) and Dr. Vicenzio Holder-Perkins (@vicenziomd )! “One Stroke at a Time: Watercolor ArtBook” is an interactive artist book that invites you to participate in the creation of new collaborative artworks by using watercolor to respond to a series of original line drawings produced by the artists. The book was developed as an extension of Dr. Perkins and Holder’s ongoing collaborative practice, which began rooted in art therapy following a stroke experienced by Dr. Perkins in 2018. During his recovery, Dr. Perkins began sketching as a way to rebuild movement and perception, while Holder responded through color, mark-making, and composition. This exchange evolved into a process of mutual care and creative experimentation, where making art together became both a method of healing and a shared language. The book gathers some of the earliest marks made during this process, foregrounding presence, vulnerability, and adaptation over technical mastery. Rather than emphasizing perfection or skill, it extends an open invitation to engage directly with what is in front of you—one gesture at a time. The publication is released as a limited edition of 25 presale copies, each numbered and signed by both artists. Please see link in bio for more details. #WPA50anniversary #intergenerational #watercolorbook #limitededition

Last Friday, during First Fridays: ArtWalk in Dupont Circle, organizing artists Lorenzo Piero Holder III (@lorenzo_holder ) and Dr. Vicenzio Holder-Perkins (@vicenziomd ) debuted a special projection on “Speculum Portuum,” 2026. The painting, created by Holder and Perkins, serves as a liminal portal into the architectures of life and generational resilience. The projection, fitted exactly to the square frame of the painting, transformed the artwork into a spatial vigil grounded in care, repetition, and sustained presence. It included footage documenting Holder III dismantling his grandmother’s estate–a dissolution of material legacy enacted as a profound gesture of stewardship for his uncle. The projection is now an ongoing addition to “One Stroke at a Time.” Dupont Circle BID First Fridays: ArtWalk takes place on the first Friday of each month from 6–8pm. This is WPA’s second time participating in ArtWalk, and it is a pleasure to be apart of Dupont Circle’s growing art scene! The first Friday of every month WPA will hold extended gallery hours from 12 to 8 pm during public exhibitions. Our regular gallery hours are: Wednesday–Friday, 12–6PM, and Saturday, 1–5PM. #wpa50thanniversary #intergenerational

Last week, we celebrated the opening of “One Stroke at a Time” with organizing artists Lorenzo Piero Holder III (@lorenzo_holder ) and Dr. Vicenzio Holder-Perkins (@vicenziomd ) at our new Project Space in Dupont Circle, marking the first public presentation of their collaborative work as nephew and uncle—an artist and a psychiatrist—who complete each other’s drawings and paintings both sequentially and simultaneously, challenging fixed roles between patient and practitioner while expanding how artist-organizer relationships can function within spaces of disability, kinship, and transformation. Thanks to all who came out! Images captured by @jordan.tovin One Stroke at a Time is open until June 20, 2026 at our Dupont Circle project space. Our gallery hours are: Wednesday–Friday, 12–6PM, and Saturday, 1–5PM, with extended hours the first Friday of each month, 12–8PM, in conjunction with Dupont Circle ArtWalk. #wpa50thanniversary #intergenerational

We are happy to be participating in the Dupont Circle ArtWalk happening today! This is our second time participating in the Artwalk, and we are very excited to share our new exhibition “One Stroke at a Time” with the art community of Dupont Circle. We will have extended gallery hours today from 12–8PM. During Artwalk, organizing artists Lorenzo Piero Holder III and Dr. Vincezo Holer-Perkins will premiere a new video, featuring footage from their ancestral home in Panama, projected onto the surface of their collaborative oil painting “Speculum Portuum.” The painting, which references an altar from the Iglesia de San Felipe church in Panama, serves as a liminal portal into the architectures of life and generational resilience. The projection, which documents Holder III dismantling his grandmother’s estate, transforms the painting into a spatial vigil grounded in care, repetition, and sustained presence. The dissolution of material legacy becomes a profound gesture of stewardship for his uncle Dr. Perkins, who experienced a stroke in 2018. The Iglesia de San Felipe in Panama is the sanctuary of the venerated Black Christ. Rooted in the frameworks of Afro-Caribbean spiritual traditions, “Speculum Portuum” physically merges digital archive with tactile collaboration. Through this deliberate layering of projected memory over a hand-wrought surface, “Speculum Portuum” manifests care not merely as a subject, but as a living, intergenerational practice. The projection is 10 minutes long and will last for the duration of ArtWalk starting at 6–8PM. DuPont ArtWalk takes place every first Friday of the month from 6–8PM. For more information, please visit @dupontcircledc or see the First Fridays link in our bio. #wpa50thanniversary #intergenerational #dupontcircle #artwalk

We invite you to the opening reception for “One Stroke at a Time” this Saturday, March 28, from 3–5 pm at our new Project Space in Dupont Circle (1350 Connecticut Ave NW). Organized by DC-based artists Lorenzo Holder III and Dr. Vicenzio Holder-Perkins, this exhibition marks the first public presentation of their collaborative work as nephew and uncle–an artist and a psychiatrist–building a shared language grounded in care. Their collaboration began through art therapy after Dr. Perkins’ stroke in 2018. As he sketched during recovery, Holder responded through color and composition, creating an evolving exchange rooted in experimentation and mutual support. “Green Eyes”, a featured painting, reflects this layered process of gesture and response. The accompanying video offers a glimpse into their practice, capturing how they create together in real time. Opening Reception: Saturday, March 28, 2026, 3–5pm Exhibition dates: March 28–June 20, 2026 Gallery hours: Wednesday–Friday, 12–6pm, and Saturday, 1–5pm Extended hours: First Friday of each month, 12–8pm, in conjunction with Dupont Circle Art Walk. #wpa50thanniversary #onestrokeatatime #intergenerational

We are pleased to announce the opening reception for “One Stroke at a Time”, taking place on March 28 from 3–5 PM at our Dupont Circle Project Space. The exhibition is organized by DC-based artists Lorenzo Piero Holder III (@lorenzo_holder ) and Dr. Vicenzio Holder-Perkins (@vicenziomd ). Bringing together nephew and uncle—an artist and a psychiatrist—this collaboration bridges differences in age, ability, and life experience. Their work develops a shared visual language grounded in mutual care, offering a thoughtful exploration of connection and creative exchange. This exhibition marks the first public presentation of their work as a collaborative duo. Exhibition Dates: March 28 – June 20, 2026 Gallery Hours: Wednesday–Friday, 12–6 PM; Saturday, 1–5 PM Extended Hours: First Friday of each month, 12–8 PM, in conjunction with the Dupont Circle Art Walk

Introducing the organizing artists behind “One Stroke at a Time”—nephew and uncle duo Lorenzo Holder III (@lorenzo_holder ) and Dr. Vicenzio Holder-Perkins (@vicenziomd ). “What began as a way to support my uncle’s recovery [following a stroke he experienced in 2018] became a way for us to understand each other differently,” says Holder. “The work is not about rehabilitation or perfection. It is about learning how to move forward together, one gesture at a time.” Together, Holder and Dr. Perkins explore how to create in sync across generations shaped by trauma, resilience, and queerness. Completing each other’s drawings and paintings—sometimes sequentially, sometimes simultaneously—they blur the line between patient and practitioner while reimagining artist-organizer relationships within disability, kinship, and transformation. Dr. Vicenzio Holder-Perkins, MD is a psychiatrist, educator, and emerging artist. He is a graduate of UCLA, Johns Hopkins, and George Washington University, and his work draws on decades in community mental health, HIV/AIDS advocacy, and multicultural psychiatry. Lorenzo Holder III is an interdisciplinary artist examining how power, migration, and inheritance are carried and negotiated through the body. He is currently pursuing his MFA at the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design at George Washington University. “One Stroke at a Time” Dupont Circle, 1350 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC Exhibition dates: March 28–June 20, 2026 Opening reception: Saturday, March 28, 3-5pm Gallery hours: Wed–Fri, 12–6pm, and Sat, 1-5pm Extended hours: First Friday of each month, 12-8pm, in conjunction with DuPont Circle ArtWalk #lineages #50yearsofwpa #onestrokeatatime