Last night CAG hosted an opening reception for its inaugural art show GeorgetownArts 2009 at the old Smith and Hawken space. To help mark the occasion, the founder of Govinda Gallery, Chris Murray, shared his story of art and Georgetown to the assembled crowd.
Murray came to Georgetown from Manhattan to attend Georgetown University. After seeing the university through the tumultuous late 60’s, Murray graduated in 1969. As he told the crowd, Govinda Gallery was born when he was driving back from his job teaching at Georgetown Day School. He passed the building on 34th and Prospect and saw that it was for rent. Out of curiosity he called up the landlord and found out that the rent was cheap. Although he lacked any idea or business plan for the space, he jumped at the chance to run a small shop. Govinda Gallery is still at that same spot 34 years later.
The idea to run a gallery grew slowly. At first he had a couple of artist friends and held a show for them. In telling this story, Murray waxed nostalgic for all the great galleries that existed in Georgetown in the early 70s. He mentioned Harry Lunn (who “discovered” Ansel Adams), Barbara Frederick, Jose Nunez, and Lee Silverstein (who, according to Murray, didn’t suffer fools gladly). It’s evident that even from the beginning Murray relished the village and all its comings and goings. Continue reading
The Georgetown Metropolitan 
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