Manifest and Mundane: Scenes of Modern America 

The late author John Updike once wrote that his goal was to “give the mundane its beautiful due.” That spirit is alive and well in “Manifest and Mundane: Scenes of Modern America,” a new exhibit at the Wolfsonian on display Monday and running through August 2012. Those who believe art should have meaning will find much to treasure here, because the exhibit seeks to create a vision of American life through ordinary, day-to-day activities. Works such as Torvalt Arnt Hoyer’s Barn (1938) and Harry Sternberg’s Steelworker’s Family (1938) paint dueling images of life in the 20th Century, from rural tranquility to the harsh reality of workers in industrial settings. Through these pieces, one can behold the hard work of the people who built this country. — By Michael Hicks

Price: $5-$7