Meet Your Neighbors update: Finding art in the anesthesia experience

We first met local artist Pete Seligman in 2019, picking up trash along Rock Creek. Some of what he found would wind up in his collages and wooden constructions.

Pete Seligman at the May 9th, 2025 opening reception for Waking Up from Anesthesia. (photos courtesy of the artist)

Seligman, who lives on Veazey Terrace, recently reached out about his latest works and solo art exhibition at the Torpedo Factory in Old Town Alexandria. The Art League Gallery wrote of the show running through Sunday, June 8th:

“Pete Seligman’s solo exhibit, Waking Up from Anesthesia, explores the liminal space where dreams, reality, and transformation converge. Inspired by his experience recovering from two rounds of spinal surgery—one involving seven hours under anesthesia, followed by a 36-hour journey to regain full consciousness. Behind closed eyes, morphed shapes and creatures appeared, creating a realm both beautiful and disconcerting. Through painting and collage, this experience is expanded into a broader reflection on awakening—from the anesthesia of modern life to the reawakening of consciousness.”

A detail of the artwork for which the exhibition is named.

The Torpedo Factory Art Center is located at 105 N. Union Street, and the gallery is Studio 21. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day except Sundays, when it opens at noon. Seligman’s exhibition can also be viewed online.

Are you an artist who lives or creates in the neighborhood? We’d love to hear about about your shows and your works in progress. Write us at [email protected].