Fondo Del Sol

I would love to give this musuem a higher rating. But it is a small space, which by itself is absolutely no issue, but they cram so much art into that space for many of the rooms, while at the same time, other rooms seem under utilized. It is a weird balance between the rooms. (Some feel cramped, others feel empty.) Plus I came with my gf and her friend who are from S. America. He found out they spoke Spanish and gave them a tour in Spanish, which was nice of him. But I was left in the dark as I don’t really speak Spanish. He took the two around, me just wandering around. He continued the tour, even after finding out I was not Latino like my gf and her friend. I felt it was a little rude since we were all English speaking (he apparently orn and raised in the states). None the less, I enjoyed the art here but recall paying maybe 4 or 5 bucks so it is more of a one time visit. I am sure the guy working there (owner?) is a nice guy, just be more… aware, or something. 2.25 stars BUT the place has lots of potential and upside… Could easily be a 3.75 to 4 star place.

I went to Fondo Del Sol during the museum walk weekend of 2013. My first impression, based on the accordion player on the stoops. «so cute. havana, south american feel to it. i’m so excited to see latin american arts on displayed…» After walking through the narrow doorway, i realize this building was more of a storage shed than a museum! It was so heart breaking. there are many works of arts just piled on top of each other, the names and dedicated were printed out on paper and tapped to the walls (no frames, no lamination. nothing!). The first thing that came to mind was they totally need a massive overhaul and a curator that cares/​skillful. Each room was small, dark, and had tube TVs showing videos that looked like they were taped in the 1980s. The art work reflected changes in Latin America and carribean and showcased their wide demographics but I just could not get over the clutter, dingy, and dirtiness of the «museum». I really hope they find the money to just give the place a new paint job and organize their exhibits, b/​c if I was Latina, i would hate to have it represented in such a half hazard way as it is done at Fondo Del Sol.

I got to check out Fondo Del Sol on a First Friday event in Dupont Circle. It was definitely the least visited out of all the galleries I checked out, but that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. It was uncrowded, and they even had a musician in the front room which was nice. The art here reflects the Americas and the changing demographics of all of the Americas. It definitely is a little less luxe than surrounding galleries (for instance, it has a bit of a musty smell inside and people guilting you into giving a donation) but it also feels like a «come as you are» sort of place. Looking out of the windows into the tree-​filled streets of DC is very serene. Not necessarily a location I would seek out any day of the week, but for First Fridays (or other big gallery opening house days) definitely worth checking out.