WASHINGTON, DC.- CulturalDC, in partnership with DC Public Library, is proud to present MIGHTY MIGHTY: The Barbershop Project, an immersive installation by internationally acclaimed artist Devan Shimoyama, on view now through July 27, 2025 in CulturalDC’s Mobile Art Gallery, located outside the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library (901 G Street NW, Washington, DC). The exhibition is free and open to the public Wednesdays through Sundays, 12:00–5:00 PM.

Originally launched in 2019, The Barbershop Project reimagines the barbershop as a space of transformation, self-expression, and care. That first iteration was presented in Ward 7, an underserved area of Washington, DC, where it operated as a fully functioning barbershop and provided over 400 free haircuts to community members throughout its run. Now returning during World Pride 2025, this new iteration is more urgent than ever. As cultural spaces for Black and LGBTQ+ communities continue to be threatened or erased, Shimoyama’s work becomes a vibrant call to hold space literally and symbolically—for affirmation, visibility, and healing.

“Barbershops have always been places of community, vulnerability, and trust especially for Black men,” says Shimoyama. “I wanted to honor that while expanding the narrative to include queer experiences and bodies. With MIGHTY MIGHTY, I want viewers to sit, reflect, and be seen in all their complexity.”

The installation features Shimoyama’s signature use of glitter, rhinestones, silk flowers, and bold materials that challenge and celebrate traditional masculinity. At its core is a fully operational barbershop, where licensed barbers provide free haircuts throughout the exhibition in partnership with the DC LGBTQ+ Community Center and Us Helping Us—a local nonprofit committed to improving the health and well-being of Black LGBTQ+ communities through holistic health services, HIV prevention and care, mental health support, and community-based programming.



This year’s barber team includes:

• Brixton Milner, the lead barber for the 2019 iteration, returning with his signature creative precision

• Lesley “Lady Clipper” Bryant, a trailblazing entrepreneur and Washington Business Journal’s 2022 Business of Pride honoree

• Eric Jackson, founder of Jackson Studio, a DMV-based grooming brand known for luxury, self-care, and personal style

• Akil Wilson, founder of Wilson’s Barbershop, a community institution restoring the historic role of the barbershop in Black culture and storytelling

As part of the exhibition programming, Wilson will host An Intimate Barbershop Talk on Black Men’s Mental Health on Sunday, June 22, from 12:00–1:30 PM at Wilson’s on 18th (2010 18th Street NW, Washington, DC). The conversation will explore how the barbershop continues to serve as a trusted space for care, connection, and mental wellness.

“MIGHTY MIGHTY speaks directly to the power of place and representation,” says Kristi Maiselman, Executive Director and Curator of CulturalDC. “It’s a barbershop, yes—but also a monument to connection, resilience, and joy. We’re honored to bring it back during such a meaningful cultural moment for Washington, DC.”