Tonight was the first 'culture night' that Lee suggested they add to their dating routine. Annika had agreed, but she was less enthusiastic than Lee. She preferred going to bars or dance clubs. In fact, that's where they had met five months ago.
The initial activity was the offbeat Artomatic exhibit. It was a Washington, DC open admission art event. Each year it was located in a different building in the Metro area that was empty and scheduled for renovation or demolition. The unusual location of the free show was part of the attraction and was as out there as much of the art. This year over 1000 'artists' were on display scattered throughout eleven floors of a building in the lively Crystal City area of Arlington, VA. The venue offered unique settings for the art. Former offices. Hallways. Empty conference rooms. Large open bays. Tiny closets. A cornucopia of spaces would be a descriptive understatement. Many painted over, decorated or transformed to reflect the artist work.
Running for five weeks, Artomatic attracted a diverse crowd. The attendees skewed young, artsy and professional, but with it's share of young families and mature attendees.
This Thursday bands of thunderstorms brought strong winds and intermittent heavy rains to prematurely darken the June skies and pelt the large glass windows. The storm and the weeknight combined to keep the crowd down to a trickle.
Lee had walked in the Underground from her nearby job with a government contractor. As she waited for Annika to arrive from the Metro, she sat in the lobby and responded to texts and emails.
Annika blew in like a fresh breeze. Thin and pale, she had a somewhat French look. Perhaps it was her narrow ingenue face framed by frizzy hair in a loose bunch with random strands escaping. A bright red, sleeveless sundress clung to her waifish frame and accented her figure. It was a simple design, but low cut and more than a bit flirty. It's short length swung freely from her narrow hips. Despite her lean build, she moved with an electric energy and projected a confident air.
Her overall appearance seemed casual and easy. In fact, she was one of those people who could make any look seem simple. Lee knew better. It took a lot of practice, expertise and effort to constantly look so casually elegant.
They exchanged a hug and a chaste kiss in greeting. "You look great, Anni." Lee offered as she touched Annika's uncovered forearm.
"Thanks. You too, girl." Annika returned the compliment.
Lee appreciated the comment, but knew she wasn't as attractive as Anni. In contrast to her taller friend, Lee was of average height and weight. The benefit was she did have shapely curves. Dark bangs covered her forehead, yet the rest of her hair was styled short for summer coolness and ease of maintenance.
Her outfit reflected that she'd come directly from work. A light-weight, waist-length blue jacket covered a sleeveless, white blouse. Her knee-length skirt was professional in contrast to Annika's playful mini. However, it's high waist and deep blue diagonal stripes with thin white accents tended to draw eyes to her chest when the jacket came off. The outfit was comfortably fitted without being overly clingy or suggestive. Lee wore a simple silver necklace and a watch. Annika a colorful necklace of natural beads and a series of disparate bracelets.
The girls approached the entrance table. After an ID check, each got a yellow wristband clearing them to buy drinks at the bars set up throughout the building.
Riding the elevator to the top, they exited at the 11th floor and started browsing in a large open area that stretched two-thirds of the building. The open-registration and low fee for the participants meant the artwork was a very eclectic mix. Some was crap, mundane or amateurish. Others were artistically impressive or undeniably creative. The wide range made the show fascinating. There were surprises around every corner. A significant percentage was bizarrely interesting or interestingly bizarre.
The pair wandered in and out of offices converted to temporary galleries. At some stations, they laughed at the quality or the subject matter. At others, they rolled their eyes or looked at each other with blank "is this really art" expressions. Then, they'd come upon some paintings or sculptures that were so stunningly beautiful that they wished they could afford them.
As they wandered, they kibitzed about work and bantered easily with compatible senses of humor. The show allowed them to learn more about each other's tastes. It was just the sort of shared experience Lee hoped for when she'd suggested these nights out.
On each floor, a volunteer was seated in the corridor near the elevators. Otherwise, they encountered only a handful of other attendees. It was like a private gallery showing.
While some spaces were dimmed to highlight the artwork, most were lit with standard overhead fluorescent lighting. This made the inside bright in contrast to the darkening skies outside. On the East side of the building, they paused at the floor to ceiling windows to enjoy the view of the DC monuments in the distance. Closer was the Potomac River and planes arriving and departing from National Airport. An occasional lighting bolt illuminated the towering thunder clouds.
The art covered a wide range of subjects: every kind of painting, many photographs of people and landscapes, trash art, jewelry, primitive sculptures, poetry and protest art, and fine furniture. However, it became apparent a significant percentage focused on nudity or sexual themes. Some male, but largely female. Some artsy. A number erotic. Some just fascinatingly smutty. Simple black and white photos of nudes. Photoshopped naked women superimposed on galaxies and nebulas. Barely clothed Princess Leias. Stone sculptures. Spread-eagle self-portraits by hefty artists. A few were accompanied by social commentary poems or paragraphs, but most stood on their raw merits.
Lee found the emphasis surprising. For Annika, some of the displays were particularly stimulating. Perhaps that was what diverted her attention. She was more a doer than a watcher anyway. She persuaded Lee to stop at one of the bars for a drink and listen to a band. They showed the yellow wrist bands that announced they were of age. Lee ordered a wine. Annika a lite beer.
They leaned on one of the tall tables with a view of the river. As they chatted, Annika patted Lee's shoulder or touched her hand.
Some looking at the couple might surmise they were work friends enjoying a night out. The more perceptive might pick up the telltale clues that they were young and in lust. The lingering touch. The sincere attention to what the other said. Longish gazes into each other's eyes.
While Lee described the challenges of a current project, Annika focused on her expressive face. The narrow eyebrows, shaped and dark, that emphatically displayed concern, interest or surprise. The smiling lips that twitched just before emitting a deep laugh. Annika had an impulse to kiss her, but refrained from interrupting the story.
After the drinks, Lee suggested they visit a couple more floors before going out for dinner. Although Annika had enough art for the evening, she agreed to please her friend.
Perhaps, it was the erotic art, or her attraction to Lee. It didn't take long for Anni's mind to wander. When it wandered, it often turned to sex. To occupy herself, she decided on some playful seduction.
Annika began by walking closer. Then, there were more touches while making comments about the artwork. The small of the back. The upper arm. Once, smoothing the hair above Lee's ear.
When Lee, still enthralled by the show, didn't consciously notice the increased attention, Annika decided to ratchet up the flirtation. Pulling at her bra strap, Annika said, "This is binding. I'm going to get more comfortable." Stepping into one of the rooms, Annika made a show of removing her bra. She reached inside the top of her dress and opened the front hook. Then she twisted her arms to remove it while keeping her dress in place. Lee tried to ignore her and concentrate on the art. Shaking her freed boobs and stretching her arms over her head in a seductive pose, Annika said, "That's much better. Do you want to take yours off?"
"I'm fine, thank you.". Lee replied.
"OK.". Holding the flimsy red lace bra out to Lee. "Could you put it in your handbag? My clutch is too small."
