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McLean Project for the Arts will open its long-awaited downtown expansion Thursday, April 30, with an inaugural exhibition celebrating the colorful work of late abstract painter Yasmine C. Iskander.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for 11 a.m. at the new MPA Berlage Arts and Education Center, located at 6910 Fleetwood Road.
Iskander, who died April 22, 2024, at age 26, became a dedicated MPA supporter after her work was selected for the nonprofit’s annual MPAartfest in 2017. Her paintings later appeared in galleries throughout the Washington region and across the country, including at the Kennedy Center.
The exhibition, “Life Through the Power of Color,” features Iskander’s bright colors and geometric forms. Her approach was influenced in part by her deafness, as well as her experiences undergoing numerous heart and brain surgeries.
“My art expresses my feelings about the happy moments in my life, but also about the difficult times I have had, especially my many heart and brain surgeries,” Iskander once said. “When I paint, I feel strong, excited, exuberant and emotions flow as colors! I feel it in my heart. The colors and shapes that guide my work pop into my head.”
An opening reception for the exhibition is scheduled for May 14 from 7 to 9 p.m.
The show will fill one of three galleries inside the 6,100-square-foot Berlage center. The facility also includes a ceramics studio, meeting and teaching rooms, and space for a cafe and bistro.
Cafe Monet, operated by Knead Hospitality and Design, will not be ready for the ribbon-cutting. It is scheduled to open Wednesday, May 6, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner along with a full bar.
MPA has primarily operated from the McLean Community Center at 1234 Ingleside Avenue, where it maintains offices and two galleries. The organization spent years looking for another location where it could offer more programming and attract new audiences.
After considering an arts center at Clemyjontri Park, MPA pursued a commercial condominium on the ground floor of The Signet. The space had been intended for a restaurant or another retailer, but a buyer never materialized.
MPA purchased the condominium in September 2024 with help from donors, including board member Bruce L. Berlage, for whom the center is named. Fairfax County also contributed $500,000 from its Economic Opportunity Reserve fund. The purchase and construction represented a combined investment of $6.5 million.
Beyond its 900-square-foot main gallery, the center includes a black box-style installation space designed for digital and media exhibits, film screenings and concerts. MPA also hopes to offer outdoor programs near Elm Street Park.