“We Possess the Ability to Imagine Boundlessly”: An Interview with Tariqa Waters

Rachel Eggers on Mar 4 2025

“We Possess the Ability to Imagine Boundlessly”: An Interview with Tariqa Waters

In October 2023, SAM announced that Seattle-based artist Tariqa Waters as the winner of the 2023 Betty Bowen Award, an annual juried award that comes with an unrestricted cash award of $15,000 and a solo exhibition at SAM. Now, that show is soon to debut. Venus is Missing (May 7, 2025–January 5, 2026) is an exuberant entry in her innovative and multidisciplinary practice that pushes the aesthetics of commercial advertising into surreal, otherworldly territory. We emailed with Waters to learn about what’s on her mind.

Rachel Eggers: Well, I hope this doesn’t spoil the surprise for any of our member readers, but you’re landing a spaceship in the gallery of your show…tell us about the story and experience of Venus is Missing.

Tariqa Waters: Yes, a pink rocket ship with my blown glass adornments! I’m pretty stoked about how it’s coming together! One of my favorite films from childhood, and one that continues to resonate with me as an adult, is Back to the Future. I have always admired the friendship between Doc Brown and Marty McFly. This buddy-comedy/action film navigates various eras in human history, correcting multigenerational events through the time-traveling DeLorean while maintaining the integrity of existence. In today’s world, where humanity stands at a pivotal juncture, the rocket ship serves as a metaphor for my perspective on life on this planet.

In my work, I employ everyday consumer products as narrative devices, revealing deeper meanings behind these objects. The context often simplifies complex memories tied to notable products that I struggled to fully comprehend at the time. We frequently find ourselves constrained by the limitations imposed by others. Trapped. While we enter different spaces burdened by various influences, we often neglect to look upward. We forget the extraordinary nature of this journey; even if we cannot physically escape, we possess the ability to imagine boundlessly and harness that joy to reach new heights. The immersive environment I create aims to embody this very sentiment.

RE: Incredible. I can’t wait to jet off. Also, you have a book coming out from Minor Matters at the same time as this exhibition. That’s so exciting! Tell us about WHO RAISED YOU? A Martyr Sauce Guide To Etiquette. Is this your first publication?

TW: Yep, my first book! Although I’ve been an artist for over 20 years, 10 of my most notable years have been in Seattle. It’s the first time in my career that I decided to approach my work on my terms, to chart my own path. What started as a small gallery named Martyr Sauce, showcasing the work of myself and others, ballooned into two galleries, a pop art museum called MS PAM (Martyr Sauce Pop Art Museum), and a television show, Thank You, MS PAM. I have partnered with numerous organizations and institutions, all while maintaining my artistic endeavors as an interdisciplinary installation artist. Oh yeah, and I’m a mother of two creatives and the wife of a world-renowned musician.

My story is one of a kind, with a mixed bag of experiences. I’ve had a lot of people come up to me over the years and ask for advice or some kind of guidance on mentorship or just unpacking—“So this happened, and I don’t know what to do with it.” I thought it would be funny to lampoon those 1960s etiquette books by creating a monograph of all my work since being in Seattle—installation works and exhibitions—with the framework of it being A Martyr Sauce Guide to Etiquette.

RE: Must. Read. In addition to being a joyful and impactful artist on the Seattle scene since arriving here in 2012, as you mentioned, you have also always been at the forefront of the conversation about making space for artists in Seattle, with your gallery Martyr Sauce and other projects. What’s your take on the current state of the scene for local artists?

TW: I’ve had to detach myself from the scene in Seattle. I think it’s important to do that from time to time to avoid getting so immersed in what others are doing that you neglect your own needs as an artist. I do check in on occasion and have been very encouraged by what I’ve seen from young and up-and-coming artists! From what I can tell, the art scene seems active and vibrant.

RE: What did it mean to you personally to win this award?

TW: My first job ever was in 1993 when my uncle, an established artist and educator at Pratt, invited me to Seattle from Maryland to take part in a summer program focused on public arts for teenagers. During this program, I contributed to painting murals on the bus shelters throughout Seattle. This experience marks the beginning of my long journey in the art world. Receiving this award is a testament to the countless hours, sleepless nights, and unwavering commitment I have dedicated to my art. I am the first Black woman to win the Betty Bowen Award, a significant milestone in my artistic journey. This achievement represents a full-circle moment in many respects.

– Rachel Eggers, Associate Director of Public Relations

This article first appeared in the February through May 2025 edition of SAM Magazine. Become a SAM member today to receive our magazine delivered directly to your mailbox and other exclusive member perks!

Future to the Back ’85, 2024, Tariqa Waters, Masonite, wood, plastic, glass, and blown glass ball barrettes, overall: 96 x 48 x 36 in., Ball Barrettes: 10” diameter each, Photo courtesy the artist, © Tariqa Waters

Celebrate Black History Month with Four Artworks by Contemporary Black Artists On View at SAM

Rachel Eggers on Feb 20 2025

Celebrate Black History Month with Four Artworks by Contemporary Black Artists On View at SAM

Happy Black History Month! Founded by Dr. Carter G. Woodson in February 1926, this month is a time to learn and share about Black history, life, and culture in the US. Nearly 100 years later, this work remains urgent, especially in the face of ongoing efforts to dismantle the vision of a pluralistic society and target Black people specifically.

This year, the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) has chosen “African Americans and Labor” as the central theme. We’re spotlighting four artworks by contemporary Black artists that you can see on view now in SAM’s galleries. And we’ll be thinking about how their art connects with the idea of labor, whether through the physical acts of their creative process or the deeper themes expressed in their work.

The Odyssey: 1862 / 1837 (2024)
Bethany Collins

“Collins’s eraser lends particular poignancy to Odysseus’s feelings of statelessness, grief and unrecognition – whether we are watching a new presidency take shape or seeing a flame flicker on the horizon.” – Claudia Ross, Frieze Magazine. 

Bethany Collins is the recipient of the 2023 Gwendolyn Knight and Jacob Lawrence Prize, awarded biennially by SAM since 2009 to an early to mid-career Black artist—defined loosely as an artist in the first decade of their career. At Sea is the solo show in honor of her win, debuting 15 works that have never been on view.

In her conceptual work, the Chicago-based artist uses strategies of erasure and redaction to point out the limits and possibilities of language. Her own intense labor is a key part of her practice. Using a Pink Pearl eraser and her own spit, she obstructs select words from familiar texts, revealing deeper meanings in the process. In The Odyssey: 1862 / 1837, she takes on Book 13 of the ancient Greek epic, obstructing every line but one from the two translations. From the 1837, it’s the timely line:

‘Then he bewail’d / His native isle, with pensive steps and slow / Pacing the border of the billowy flood, Forlorn.”

Two Way Connection (2021)
Woody De Othello

Woody De Othello’s deep blue ceramic sculpture Two Way Connection requires a full 360-degree turn around the work to see all the shapes that emerge. Different body parts—lips, ears, and fingers—meld together. On top, there’s a clearly defined green telephone receiver, a handle, and a spout.

Othello created this work during the COVID-19 pandemic when human connection was mostly limited to the virtual realm. Othello brings the body and the senses back into those distanced conversations and, in this piece, the two faces become one, connected through the phone.

The sculpture is also influenced by face vessels, a distinctive art form created by enslaved Black potters in Edgefield, South Carolina during the 1800s. These potters created stoneware for food and water at a mass scale under slavery, but also with artistry, creativity, and their own representations of Black people. Edgefield face vessels capture theatrical expressions with intricately sculpted features protruding from the surface and the spout emerging from the top of the head, which is echoed in Othello’s work.

Opposing Parallels – Blues Up and Down for G. Ammons and S. Stitt (2015)
Thaddeus Mosley

At 98 years old, Thaddeus Mosley works in his studio every day making his large-scale wood sculptures. Often, the sound of jazz rings throughout the space while he works, mingling with the sounds of his tools as he carves and buzzes and sands the wood into the shapes and textures he wants. Mosley is a passionate fan of classic jazz, and his studio is stocked with vinyl records of this essential Black art form. 

Opposing Parallels – Blues Up and Down for G. Ammons and S. Stitt (2015) is one of 17 of the artist’s works on view in Following Space: Thaddeus Mosley & Alexander Calder. The sculpture is installed so that visitors can walk around the entire work and look through it. The title recognizes two virtuoso jazz saxophonists, Gene Ammons and Sonny Stitt, who frequently played and recorded together starting in the 1950s. Just as Ammons and Stitt engaged in a dynamic call-and-response style of improvisation, Mosley’s process embraces spontaneity and rhythmic flow—translating the spirit of jazz into three-dimensional form.

All she wants to do is dance (Fran) (2009)
Mickalene Thomas

Mickalene Thomas celebrates the complexity and individuality of Black women by bringing them into the art world and refuting stereotypes. She cites inspiration from Blaxploitation films of the 1970s that capitalized on exaggerated portrayals of the Black community and particularly the promiscuousness of Black women.

Thomas doesn’t shy away from sexuality or sensuality and portrays her subjects in control of their bodies and their environment. The women Thomas depicts are not restrained or holding back but overflowing with confidence and personal style—bold patterns, glitter and glam, accessorized to the max, and staring back at the viewer.

In some of her pieces, Thomas recruits models from her everyday life—Fran, depicted here, was her hairdresser.  In this collage, Fran is striking a pose with her hand on her hip, pursing her lips, and looking directly into the camera, showing off her chunky metal jewelry and reptilian boots. Fran isn’t overly sexualized or idealized as someone’s image of a party girl; she’s just herself and “all she wants to do is dance.”

Celebrate Black History Month in Seattle with these suggested events. 

Through Feb 28
Coloring Outside the Lines

The Northwest African American Museum invites you to celebrate Black art, culture, and communities all month long. Plan a visit to the Central District to enjoy a wide range of free and ticketed programming, including art exhibitions, lectures, and workshops galore. Ticketed events include an interactive painting workshop with AshaAung Helmstetter (Feb 22).

Through Feb 28
Call to Conscience

Every Tuesday through Sunday in February, Columbia City Theater transforms into the Call to Conscience Black History Month Museum. Experience powerful exhibitions, displays, and installations that honor the legacy of the Black communities in the Pacific Northwest. Learn about the untold stories of local groups, including Seattle Black Panther Party. Make sure to secure your time slot and tickets online.

Sat Feb 22
Black Art Takeover

As part of Coloring Outside the Lines, the Northwest African American Museum hosts the Black Art Takeover. This free community event highlights local Black artists working across many mediums, from photography to ceramics. Explore the pop-up market to meet artists and purchase artwork. Other offerings include artist panels, film screenings with Scope Screening, family-friendly art activities, and guided museum tours. 

Sat Feb 22
Black History Month Soirée 2025

Dance the night away to live music and performances at Bainbridge Island Museum of Art. When you need a water break, wander through Seattle’s Black Love Market, full of goods from Black-owned businesses and vendors. All ages are welcome, so bring the whole family!

Sat Feb 22
SAM Body + Mind: Poetry Evening featuring Bay Davis

Join us at the Olympic Sculpture Park for a poetry show focused on self-discovery and healing curated by Inside. The headlining poet, Bay Davis, draws from her experience as an Afro-Indigenous Black trans woman and utilizes her work to weave the tools of her own survival as offerings to challenge, heal, and question the systems and climate we exist in today.

Sun Feb 23
Black Ice: An American Sitcom Improvised

Get ready to laugh at this unique comedy show. Unexpected Productions Improv presents a 1970s sitcom-style performance, inspired by TV shows centered on the Black experience, such as All in the Family and The Jeffersons. Audience participation is expected!

Wed Feb 26
Victor Luckerson: A Scheme to Forget, a Demand to Remember

Head to Town Hall Seattle to hear an insightful public lecture from writer Victor Luckerson. The journalist and author will discuss the heartbreaking story of Greenwood and black Tulsans, which is the subject of his book, Built from the Fire. Presented by the University of Washington Office of Public Lectures, the event will be held in the Wyncote NW Forum. If you can’t make it in person, a livestream is also available.

Thu Mar 6
Living Voices: Fly for Freedom

Head to Museum of History and Industry for a multimedia program that spotlights Black women who worked in the aeronautics industry during World War II. Through live theater and archival film, these sidelined stories will take center stage in the Joshua Green Foundation Theater.

– Rachel Eggers, Associate Director of Public Relations and Nicole Block, Collections Associate

Photo credits: The Odyssey: 1862 / 1837, 2024, Bethany Collins, graphite on Somerset paper in 2 parts, overall 46 1/2 x 69 x 1 3/4 in., Courtesy Alexander Gray Associates, New York; PATRON Gallery, Chicago, © 2024 Bethany Collins, Keith Nkeze, Natali Wiseman, Keith Nkeze.

Jaune Quick-to-See Smith: Her Existence Was a Miracle

Rachel Eggers on Feb 5 2025

Jaune Quick-to-See Smith: Her Existence Was a Miracle

Artist, activist, curator, and educator Jaune Quick-to-See Smith (Confederated Salish and Kootenai Nation) has died at the age of 85. Born in 1940 at Saint Ignatius Mission on the Flathead Reservation in Montana, as a child she drew animals in the dirt. She grew to pursue her art and education relentlessly, becoming one of the most innovative and significant artists of her generation over an illustrious six-decade career. She leaves behind a long legacy of positioning Native American art and ideas at the center of critical dialogues around land, social justice, history, and culture and nurturing the next generation of Indigenous artists.

SAM had the honor of hosting Smith’s largest-ever retrospective, Jaune Quick-to-See Smith: Memory Map (February 29–May 12, 2024). The Seattle Art Museum was the only West Coast stop and the last venue of the tour for this monumental exhibition organized by the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York and curated by Laura Phipps. Theresa Papanikolas, SAM’s Ann M. Barwick Curator of American Art, shared her experience of working with Smith to bring together the SAM iteration of Memory Map.

Laura Phipps, Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, Theresa Papanikolas, and Neal Ambrose-Smith.

“It was such an honor and a pleasure to get to know Jaune when I curated SAM’s stop on her major career retrospective. As a specialist in American art, I always appreciated how she recast American art and history from her perspective as an Indigenous artist, but having the chance to know her and become immersed in her work at every level was truly transformative. Spending time with her paintings and sculptures and hearing her talk about their many layers opened my eyes to new ways of thinking about everything from climate change to landscape painting to transnational geopolitics. Then seeing our visitors do the same was truly rewarding. I will never forget how she, along with artist Neal Ambrose-Smith and Whitney Museum of Art curator Laura Phipps, brought the house down when they presented their work on the exhibition to our members. It is a memory I will always cherish, second only to having the great fortune to be a part of Jaune’s universe, at least for a little while.”

When Smith was in Seattle to share Memory Map, she and her son and fellow artist Neal Ambrose-Smith shared reflections with us for a video series you can enjoy on SAM’s YouTube channel. 

We’re giving Barbara Brotherton, SAM’s former Curator of Native American Art (2001–2022), the final words on Smith’s work and legacy.

“As Jaune’s family and friends send her into the arms of her ancestors, it is good to remember her courage and kindness. Jaune broke every glass ceiling there was, not by stepping on others but by bringing them along. Knowing there is strength in numbers, she brought Native artists together by organizing exhibitions and events when there were few venues for Native fine art. She persuasively convinced curators and gallerists to invest in promoting Native artists. She was a visionary, presaging a time when the art establishment would stand up and take notice of the important work being enacted all over Native America. Like the legendary Chief Seattle that she paid homage to in work over decades, Jaune was a diplomat, a community convenor, and a strident voice for honoring ancestral land and promoting social justice and sustainability. Her storied landscapes in paint, print, collage, and sculpture expose the stain of racism, genocide, and degradation of the land using the conventions of canoe, map, and trickster figures from Native oral histories. Using her enormous talent and vision, she showed us that Native artists have important things to say. We should be listening.”

– Rachel Eggers, SAM’s Associate Director of Public Relations

Photos: Alborz Kamalizad, Chloe Collyer.

“From Rooted to Airy”: Middle Fork Makes Way For FriendsWithYou Commission

Rachel Eggers on Feb 4 2025

“From Rooted to Airy”: Middle Fork Makes Way For FriendsWithYou Commission

After eight years on view and countless imaginations inspired, this week John Grade’s Middle Fork is being deinstalled from the Seattle Art Museum’s Brotman Forum. And that means something new will soon be taking residence in the soaring entrance lobby of the museum, which is a community space free to the public to enjoy without a ticket. Margo Vansynghel of The Seattle Times broke the news today that it will be a new commission from FriendsWithYou, the internationally celebrated LA-based duo of Samuel (Sam) Borkson and Arturo (Tury) Sandoval III. Little Cloud Sky (2025) will debut on June 27 and be on view for at least two years.

The new work is curated by José Carlos Diaz, SAM’s Susan Brotman Deputy Director for Art, who told Vansynghel that “the beauty of [FriendsWithYou’s] work is that it creates really uplifting atmospheres.” Little Cloud Sky (2025) is composed of 40 sculptures of the artists’ signature “Little Cloud” character, each custom made of plastic, four feet wide, and suspended from the ceiling of the Brotman Forum. The work is designed to spread positivity and inspire a sense of connection, encouraging museum visitors to reflect on the beauty of togetherness and the power of joy and nature. While versions of this interior skyscape have been displayed in cities around the world, including Las Vegas, Miami, Tokyo, and London, this is a brand-new iteration and the artists’ first long-term museum installation.

“Sam and Tury create Pop-inspired projects across the globe where visual joy takes center stage,” says Diaz. “We cannot wait to see our lofty entrance come to life with FriendsWithYou’s uplifting work that reminds us of the magic in public spaces and the boundless power of collective happiness. As visitors are captivated by the smiling clouds floating above their heads, we hope they will feel the sense of optimism in the atmosphere.”

A cloud figure with a smile and eyes

The “Little Cloud” character serves as a symbol of peace and connectivity and can be found throughout the artists’ work. In August 2024, London’s Covent Garden featured Little Cloud World, an installation with 40 inflatable “Little Cloud” characters. In January 2024, Tokyo’s Yoyogi Park hosted an iteration of Little Cloud Sky, accompanied by a large-scale parade, “The Happy Dancing Rainbow Alliance,” featuring FriendsWithYou’s iconic characters.

FriendsWithYou’s work has been exhibited around the world. Their latest work, The BAND, an interactive performance-based installation featuring five large-scale autonomous robots, is currently on view at the Cleveland Public Library. In Miami Beach, the artists have a permanent public artwork 50-foot-tall sculpture titled Starchild, commissioned by The City of Miami Beach. FriendsWithYou has had recent projects in Covent Gardens in London, MOCA LA, the Telfair Museum in Savannah, the Dallas Contemporary as well as several gallery shows in Japan and Hong Kong.

– Rachel Eggers, SAM’s Associate Director of Public Relations

Photos: Arturo Sandoval III and Samuel Borkson in front of Little Cloud World in Covent Garden, 2024, Courtesy of FriendsWithYou. Rendering of “Little Cloud,” 2024, Courtesy of FriendsWithYou.

The Seat of Knowledge with Joyce J. Scott

Rachel Eggers on Dec 31 2024

Earlier this year, the SAM team had the honor to film in the galleries with artist Joyce J. Scott inside her large-scale installation The Seat of Knowledge (2024), created for her major retrospective that is now on view at SAM. Walk a Mile in My Dreams features over 140 works from the 1970s to the present—including sculpture, bead work, jewelry, textiles, artwear garments, performance compilations, mixed-media installations, and a new large-scale commission. It’s a summative career retrospective that reveals the full breadth of Scott’s utterly unique artistic vision to challenge unequal social roles, confront traumatic histories, and agitate for freedom.

She settled into the magnificent seat, which is a place that brings together lineages, ancestries, birthrights, histories, memories, mentors, friends: the collective experience of Joyce J. Scott. From her perch she spoke as a fluid winding river, making some hilarious diversions now and then, sharing all that she has learned and unlearned and learned again in her travels around the world and back again, dropping gems as quickly as we could capture them with our cameras. Experience her vision of beauty, humor, and fearlessness in life and in art.

– Rachel Eggers, SAM’s Associate Director of Public Relations

An Interview with “Meot” Guest Curator HJ Han

Rachel Eggers on Oct 23 2024

An Interview with “Meot” Guest Curator HJ Han

Frank Bayley (1939–2022) was a generous art patron who dedicated himself to uplifting the innovative practices of seven internationally-renowned contemporary Korean artists. With Meot: Korean Art from the Frank Bayley Collection now on view at the Seattle Asian Art Museum, we spoke with Hyongjeong “HJ” Kim Han, Joseph de Heer Curator of Arts of Asia at the Denver Art Museum and the exhibition’s curator, about her own relationship to Bayley and his appreciation for the past, present, and future of Korean art.

What was your relationship with Frank Bayley like? What can you tell us about him as a collector?

I used to call him Frank a-jeo-ssi, which translates to “Uncle Frank” in Korean. His inquisitiveness about Korean culture made him a generous and patient supporter of Korean artists and curators, including myself. Frank made his first trip to Korea about half a century ago; it was then that he began collecting Korean art, primarily Korean ceramics.

How does Frank Bayley exemplify the term meot?

Meot (pronunciation: mʌ̹t or mŏt) is a Korean word in Hangul (the Korean alphabet) that originated from the word ‘mat,’ meaning taste. The word encompasses multiple meanings, including charming, stylish, elegant, creative, and intellectual. Frank certainly possessed these characteristics, and I would add one more: humor. Frank loved to laugh and he truly loved art. In his own, personal way, he embodied meot.

A woman stands in front of a wall with text

What are you excited for Seattle audiences to encounter in the exhibition?

I’m looking forward to exhibiting some of the artworks that were in Frank’s living room, including Bohnchang KOO’s FM 01 BW, a photograph of a long-necked white bottle that was gifted to Frank by the artist, as well as a series of ceramics by YOON Kwang-cho that originally sat atop Frank’s wooden cabinets. I’m confident Seattle audiences will appreciate the powerful white slip surface decorations of these works. As a curator, it’s always interesting to see artworks go from the intimacy of a domestic space to the galleries of a public institution; it’s exactly what Frank wanted with this gift to SAM.

Meot features both contemporary and historical artworks. What is the benefit of setting these works in dialogue?

A key component of Frank’s interest in collecting Korean art was the continuity of its artistic traditions and how contemporary artists innovate within these histories. Artworks from the past provide enormous inspiration for today’s artists, and the contemporary works featured in Meot are excellent models for this phenomena. I believe art museums are the perfect platform to demonstrate the continuous dialogue between the past and present, while simultaneously providing direction for the future of art.

– Rachel Eggers, SAM’s Associate Director of Public Relations

Photos: Installation view of Meot: Korean Art from the Frank Bayley Collection, 2024, photo: Chloe Collyer

Meet the 2024 Betty Bowen Award Winner: Samantha Yun Wall

Rachel Eggers on Oct 13 2024

Meet the 2024 Betty Bowen Award Winner: Samantha Yun Wall

The Seattle Art Museum and the Betty Bowen Committee are proud to announce Portland artist Samantha Yun Wall as the winner of the 2024 Betty Bowen Award! The juried award comes with an unrestricted cash award of $20,000—increased this year by the committee from $15,000—and a solo exhibition at SAM. This year’s committee was Gary Glant (Chair), Mike Hess, Mark Levine, Catharina Manchanda, Llewelyn Pritchard, Greg Robinson, Norie Sato, Anthony White, Merrill Wright, and Rob Rhee.

Samantha Yun Wall (b. 1977, Seoul) creates drawings that reflect her experience navigating her transcultural identity as a Black Korean immigrant. She primarily works with ink delicately layered on Dura-lar, drawing inspiration from female archetypes described in global mythologies, folktales, and creation narratives. In her highly detailed, monochromatic images, she reveals how these figures are made alternately invisible or hyper-visible in their roles as social outcasts or even menaces. By deconstructing and reframing these vilified figures, Wall challenges patriarchal norms and stigmatization. Details for her solo show at the SAM will be announced at a later date.

Wild Seeds No.2, 2024, Samantha Wall, ink and conté crayon on clay-coated board, 37 x 37 in.

Wall’s work has been exhibited throughout Washington and Oregon, including Boren Banner Series: Samantha Wall (April 10–October 06, 2024) a solo show at the Frye Art Museum in Seattle, and Black Artists of Oregon (September 9, 2023–March 31, 2024), a group show at the Portland Art Museum. She has been awarded multiple prizes and grants, including the Ford Family Foundation Grant, the Bonnie Bronson Fellowship, and the Arlene Schnitzer Prize. Wall is a previous finalist for the Betty Bowen Award, winning the Kayla Skinner Special Recognition Award in 2023.

“I am ecstatic to have been selected as this year’s recipient. The committee’s recognition, trust, and support are invaluable encouragement to continue the hard work artists know intimately,” says Wall. “Our contributions are not always validated, yet we wake up every day inspired to create meaningful work. I am grateful for the resources and platform provided by this award, because they allow me to take bolder risks and create from my wildest imaginings.”

– Samantha Yun Wall

This year, the cash awards were increased by the Betty Bowen Committee:

  • The winner’s prize increased from $15,000 to $20,000.
  • Special Recognition Awards increased from $2,500 to $4,000.
  • Special Commendation Awards increased from $1,250 to $2,500.

“The Pacific Northwest has an outstanding community of artists, and it is essential and a great privilege to celebrate and support their work and efforts,” says Gary Glant. “On behalf of the Betty Bowen Committee, we were delighted to raise the dollar amount of all the awards granted for this important annual recognition of local talent, which is now in its 47th year and going strong.”

Art by Sally Scopa
Mountain Couple 1, 2024, Sally Scopa, acrylic on canvas, 18 x 24 in.
Untitled (Bus Tray), 2021, Sol Hashemi, archival pigment print with potential to receive updates, 30 x 40 in.
Toppled Over on the Futon from One Week in January: New Paintings for an Old Diary, 2023, Carson Ellis, gouache on watercolor paper, 10 x 11 in.
Omitted Matter (Recto), 2024, Tannaz Farsi, handmade rug, steel, wood, conspicuity tape, strap, 40 x 38 x 20 in.
Dreaming of Paradise 1, 2024, Nahom Ghirmay, acrylic on canvas, 48 x 48 in.

Sally Scopa won the Kayla Skinner Special Recognition Award and Sol Hashemi won the Gary Glant Special Recognition Award. Finalists Carson Ellis, Tannaz Farsi, and Nahom Ghirmay will each receive Special Commendation Awards. The six finalists were chosen from a pool of 410 applicants from Washington, Oregon, and Idaho to compete for the $35,500 in awards.

Founded in 1977 to continue the legacy of local arts advocate and supporter Betty Bowen, the annual award honors a Northwest artist for their original, exceptional, and compelling work. Betty Bowen (1918–1977) was a Washington native and enthusiastic supporter of Northwest artists. Her friends established the annual Betty Bowen Award as a celebration of her life and to honor and continue her efforts to provide financial support to the artists of the region. Since 1977, SAM has hosted the yearly grant application process by which the selection committee chooses one artist from the Northwest to receive an unrestricted cash award, eligible to visual artists living and working in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho.

Recent past winners include Elizabeth Malaska (2022), Anthony White (2021), Dawn Cerny (2020), Lynne Siefert (2019), and Natalie Ball (2018). The 2023 winner is Seattle artist Tariqa Waters. Her solo exhibition, Venus is Missing, will be on view at the Seattle Art Museum May 7, 2025–January 5, 2026.

– Rachel Eggers, SAM’s Associate Director of Public Relations

Photo of Samantha Wall by Stephen Slappe.

Make Like a Tree: It’s Time to Say Goodbye to John Grade’s Middle Fork

Rachel Eggers on Oct 12 2024

Make Like a Tree: It’s Time to Say Goodbye to John Grade’s Middle Fork

Since February 10, 2017, a dynamic, 105-foot sculpture of a tree created by Seattle-based artist John Grade has graced the Seattle Art Museum’s main entrance lobby, greeting each visitor that walks through the doors. Recently, the museum announced that the work will be deinstalled from the Brotman Forum in early 2025 after eight years on view. The last day for visitors to experience Middle Fork at SAM is February 2, 2025. Margo Vansynghel of The Seattle Times broke the news, noting that the “beloved” artwork has welcomed more than a million visitors in its time at SAM.

The highly detailed sculpture was created by Grade, his team, and over 3,000 volunteers using a plaster cast of a 150-year-old western hemlock tree in the Cascade Mountains east of Seattle. The cast was used as a mold to assemble a new tree from nearly one million reclaimed cedar segments. Suspended horizontally from the museum’s ceiling and above the viewer, Grade’s sculpture offers a mesmerizing new perspective on a familiar form, and its collaborative energy has made it a symbol of Seattle’s arts community. 

“We bid a fond farewell to Middle Fork,” says Scott Stulen, SAM’s Illsley Ball Nordstrom Director and CEO. “For the last eight years, this sculpture has inspired awe and delight in every visitor to the museum. John Grade’s deep appreciation for the interconnectedness of nature and people in the Pacific Northwest has reflected our mission to connect art to life these past years. We look forward, along with everyone else, to see the next part of its journey.”

Middle Fork (2014–2017) was first conceived at MadArt Studio, a Seattle gallery from 2009–2024, and debuted there in January 2015. Following that, it was included in the WONDER exhibition at the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, DC (November 13, 2015–May 13, 2016) and was displayed at the 2017 Davos World Economic Forum in Switzerland. At SAM, the sculpture was presented in its largest iteration yet, more than doubling from its previous length of 50 feet to 105 feet. Grade’s intention has always been to continue the sculpture’s growth to match the length of the living tree that it is based on, 140 feet. Eventually, he plans to bring the sculpture back to the forest, allowing it to decompose and return to the earth at the base of that original tree.  

Middle Fork is only the second installation to make a home in the Brotman Forum. The first was Inopportune: Stage One (2004) by Chinese artist Cai Guo-Qiang. The large-scale installation featured nine Ford Taurus cars that appeared to be arrested in an animated sequence of explosions via numerous LED light tubes. It was on view at SAM as part of the expansion of its downtown building on May 5, 2007. The installation closed on January 19, 2016.

The Brotman Forum will welcome a new installation in June 2025, to be announced at a later date. From a massive tree, where do you think the museum will go next?

– Rachel Eggers, SAM’s Associate Director of Public Relations

Photos: Middle Fork, 2014–2017, John Grade, American, b. 1970, cedar, 105 ft. long x 30 ft. diameter, Seattle Art Museum commission, Photo: Ben Benschneider.

SAM Welcomes Back Evening Hours Thanks to Funding from the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation

Rachel Eggers on Sep 24 2024

SAM Welcomes Back Evening Hours Thanks to Funding from the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation

Big news was announced today! The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation will give a suite of eight grants totaling $9 million+ to support the cultural vitality of downtown Seattle, and SAM is among the recipients along with fellow grantees Base Camp Studios (BCS), Common Area Maintenance (CAM), Friends of Waterfront Park, Seattle Symphony at Benaroya Hall, Shunpike, SIFF, and Theatre Off Jackson (TOJ).

SAM will receive $500,000 over two years to support extending our Free First Thursday program into the evening. Free First Thursdays at the downtown museum—when the museum is free to all, all day on the first Thursday of each month—will now run until 8 pm and feature programming inspired by the exhibitions on view from 5 to 8 pm.

“We are grateful for this funding from the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation and excited by the opportunities it presents,” says Scott Stulen, SAM’s Illsley Ball Nordstrom Director and CEO. “Local artists will create dynamic programs, our community partners will have a platform, and audiences will be able to visit the museum who may not otherwise have been able to do so. We’re also proud to join with these other incredible local arts organizations as we work to revitalize downtown Seattle and show how important the arts are to those efforts. Philanthropic support like this is critical for organizations of all sizes, and SAM relies on substantial investments like this to be sure that we are here for generations to come.”

With this day of free admission and programming offered every month, SAM is able to advance its mission to connect art to life and contribute to making downtown welcoming and lively. Free First Thursday also serves the museum’s efforts towards being an equitable institution by decreasing barriers for those with financial need or who cannot visit during daytime hours.

The first edition of Free First Thursday supported by the grant will be held on October 3, 2024, and will feature a DJ set from Kennedy Quille; gallery tours by SAM staff, docents, and local artist Stefan Richmond; tabling by the Lavender Rights Project, a SAM Community Pass Program partner; and a meet-and-greet with new SAM CEO Scott Stulen.

– Rachel Eggers, SAM’s Associate Director of Public Relations

Photos: Alborz Kamalizad.

Muse/News: Museum Futures, Sea to City, and Everyday Excellence

Rachel Eggers on Sep 9 2024

Muse/News: Museum Futures, Sea to City, and Everyday Excellence

SAM News

“Can you really compare these selfie stations to Seattle’s best cultural institutions?” Seattle Met’s Allison Williams takes a look at the new Museum of Illusions and compares their “edutainment” value to mission-driven institutions, speaking with José Carlos Diaz, SAM’s Susan Brotman Deputy Director for Art, who isn’t mad at Insta moments. 

“‘I think in the future, we’re probably going to see more and more acceptance, or even embracing of, new ways of presenting art,’ Diaz says. ‘Real works, but then also something very immersive and very emotional.’”

Meot: Korean Art from the Frank Bayley Collection is charming visitors at the Seattle Asian Art Museum. Susan Kunimastu wrote about the exhibition for Preview Magazine, and Madeline Ewing checked out the galleries for SEAtoday. And don’t miss The Ticket’s look at the “very demure, very mindful” artwork on view.

Seattle Refined’s “Artist of the Week” is Troy Gua! Don’t miss their interview with this beloved SAM Gallery artist. 

Local News

Jas Keimig of South Seattle Emerald is back with another roundup of “Arts in the South End”; one of their picks is the Mouthwater Festival: A Disabled Dance Festival, and SAM is proud to host one of its performances, Grow Green Man, on October 5 and 6 at the Olympic Sculpture Park’s PACCAR Pavilion.

Margo Vansynghel of The Seattle Times selects “top Seattle art shows to see in fall 2024,” including some shows outside of the city that feature local artists.

Go with Rachel Gallaher for Seattle Magazine and “Dive into the Design Behind Seattle Aquarium’s New Ocean Pavilion.”

“‘The extraordinary thing about this site is that one edge of it is the Salish Sea, and the other is the urban center of Seattle,’ says Mark Reddington, a partner at LMN. The new 50,000-square-foot Ocean Pavilion, with its sweeping yellow Alaskan cedar-clad façade and nearly half-million gallon Reef ecosystem, houses 3,500 sustainably sourced tropical fish, invertebrates, and plants, representing more than 150 species.”

Inter/National News

Hurray for arts writers! Tessa Solomon for ARTnews reports on the 2024 winners of grants for visual arts journalists from the Rabkin Foundation: Greg Allen, Holland Cotter, Robin Givhan, Thomas Lawson, Siddhartha Mitter, Cassie Packard, TK Smith, and Emily Watlington.

Sarah Cascone for Artnet: “Tschabalala Self Lands a Colorful Ode to the Bodega at the Armory Show.” 

Via Nancy Princenthal for The New York Times’s Fall Arts Preview: “Amy Sherald, Brazen Optimist.”

“Unlike many members of her generation, she is resistant to depicting personal experience. Her sublimity is of the abstract kind: ‘The idea,’ as she puts it, ‘is of portraying everydayness as excellence.’”

And Finally

Watch “The Best of James Earl Jones.”

Photo: Chloe Collyer

Muse/News: Meot’s Treasures, September Shows, and Ailey’s Sparkle

Rachel Eggers on Sep 3 2024

Muse/News: Meot’s Treasures, September Shows, and Ailey’s Sparkle

SAM News

Meot: Korean Art from the Frank Bayley Collection is now on view at the Seattle Asian Art Museum! NW Asian Weekly wrote about its “treasures, past and present” and how they exemplify the meaning of the Korean term “meot.” The exhibition was also featured on the Wall Street Journal’s Arts Calendar for the week.

And there’s even more opportunities to see it! Capitol Hill Seattle Blog shared the news that Wednesdays are back at the Seattle Asian Art Museum, bringing it back to a full five-day-a-week schedule. Visit Meot and the collection galleries Wednesday through Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm.

Local News

Mike Lindblom of The Seattle Times reports on the recent renaming of the light rail station closest to the Seattle Art Museum. University Street Station is now called Symphony Station for our neighbor, Benaroya Hall.

“New director hopes to hit the right note at Seattle Opera”: KUOW’s Diana Opong speaks with James Robinson on his arrival in Seattle after his long-time tenure as artistic director of Opera Theatre of Saint Louis.

“Seattle’s must-see September art exhibits”: The Seattle Times’s Margo Vansynghel spots shows at the Nordic, Davidson Galleries (in its new home!), Traver Gallery (right across the street from the Seattle Art Museum!), and more to see this month.

“September brings lower temps and, for the visual art scene, plenty of good tidings with a brand-new art walk, the return of a Pioneer Square staple, scores of fun events and exciting new shows.”

Inter/National News

Via Tim Brinkhof for Artnet: “A Show of Pre-Raphaelite Masterpieces Invites You to Smell Them, Too.”

“Turkey chili, frizz, and turtlenecks—in. Raves, book clubs, and little gem salads—out.” CULTURED gathers a gaggle of entertainers for a chaotic round-up of what’s in and what’s out this season.

“Alvin Ailey, the Man and the Mind Behind the Unapologetic Sparkle”: Gia Kourlas of The New York Times on the Whitney Museum of American Art’s new exhibition on the choreographer.

“One of the most ambitious shows the museum has ever presented — six years in the making and bigger than any Whitney biennial — it tracks the development of an American art form through Ailey’s singular vision. Here is a chance to better understand the man behind that vision, to watch his dances with new eyes.”

And Finally

“Why A.I. Isn’t Going to Make Art” by Ted Chiang.

Photo: Installation view of Meot: Korean Art from the Frank Bayley Collection, 2024, photo: Chloe Collyer

Muse/News: Meeting Ourselves, New Leader, and Pirate Myths

Rachel Eggers on Aug 5 2024

Muse/News: Meeting Ourselves, New Leader, and Pirate Myths

SAM News

Author and speaker Jodi-Ann Burey writes for ARTE NOIR about spending “an afternoon with Jacob Lawrence” at the Seattle Art Museum. A 13-work exhibition of the modern artist, Jacob Lawrence: American Storyteller, is now on view.

“Why does one painting call us more than others? What parts of ourselves, buried or thriving, known or unknown, does art draw out? What does it mean to stand in front of a Jacob Lawrence painting and think only of my mother? I make a mental note to call her on my way out.”

“An Uproarious Survey in Seattle Brings Together the West Coast’s Artist-Heretics”: Art historian  Patricia Failing reviews Poke in the Eye: Art of the West Coast Counterculture for ARTnews. You’ve got one month left to see it at SAM!

“Wrapping together art-historical revisionism and kid-friendly displays, the Seattle Art Museum’s new exhibition, “Poke in the Eye: Art of the West Coast Counterculture,” flashes back to artistic rebellions of the 1960s and ‘70s associated with the Bay Area Figurative Movement, Funk art, and Northwest studio ceramics.”

Local News

The latest weekly newsletter of Cascade PBS’s Brangien Davis features Actualize AiR, the new endeavor in the Coliseum Theater, and mourns the passing of potter Reid Ozaki. BTW: Did you know that Davis has launched a new video series, Art by Northwest? It broadcasts on Friday nights and streams the following Mondays.

Here’s Jas Keimig for South Seattle Emerald with another helpful “Arts in the South End Roundup” for the month of August. 

Big news via Tat Bellamy-Walker of The Seattle Times: “Seattle’s Northwest African American Museum picks Brandon Bird as CEO.”

“Bird doubled down on the need for the museum to be ‘anchored and grounded’ in reflecting its mission to be a family-focused institution that uplifts the experiences of all Black people, particularly those in the Pacific Northwest.”

Inter/National News

Via Brian Boucher for Artnet: “Snoop Dogg Paid an After-Hours Visit to the Louvre. Zaniness Ensued.”

Andrew Russeth for The New York Times on Pacita Abad’s first retrospective, which opened at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis last year and is now on view at MoMA PS1.

Maev Kennedy for The Art Newspaper on the conservation of a rare pirate flag for an upcoming exhibition at the National Maritime Museum in London. 

“The exhibition will demolish cherished myths about pirates, including walking the plank and maps of buried treasure. It will also reveal that some kept disappointingly pragmatic rules on board—Bartholomew Roberts, better known as Black Bart, insisted on lights out by 8 pm.”

And Finally

Celebrating James Baldwin’s 100th birthday through his sentences.

– Rachel Eggers, SAM Associate Director of Public Relations

Photo: Chloe Collyer.

Muse/News: Timeless Calder, Trash Art, and Artsy Ceremony

Rachel Eggers on Jul 29 2024

Muse/News: Timeless Calder, Trash Art, and Artsy Ceremony

SAM News

For Seattle Magazine, Rachel Gallaher interviewed collector Jon Shirley and curator José Carlos Diaz about iconic artist Alexander Calder and Calder: In Motion, The Shirley Family Collection. By popular demand, the exhibition has been extended through October 20.

“Calder invented an entirely new way to make sculpture,” Shirley adds. “His works of 70 years ago look like they were made yesterday. Not many artists have created a whole new art form, and have created works that seem timeless. To my mind, he is the most accessible artist ever.”

Seattle Refined’s “Artist of the Week” is Jasmine Novak, a coldwater scuba diver who creates evocative photographs from the watery depths. She is also a SAM Gallery artist whose work was recently shown at the gallery’s booth at the Seattle Art Fair.

And Poke in the Eye: Art of the West Coast Counterculture at the Seattle Art Museum is on Seattle Met’s list of “Things to Do in Seattle.” So come and see it already!

Local News

Via Seattle Met’s Adam Willems: “The Ultimate List of Local Olympians to Watch in Paris.”

The Seattle Times’ Erik Lacitis wrote a story about a half day driving tour to do with visitors; then he shared a follow-up sharing readers’ thoughts on what he missed (including the wise suggestion of a visit to Volunteer Park and the Seattle Asian Art Museum…).

Also in The Seattle Times: Gayle Clemans on “trash-talking art and other must-see Seattle shows in August 2024.”

“These thought-provoking exhibitions ask us to reconsider art and political history through carefully crafted works of art that elevate often-overlooked stories and materials.”

Inter/National News

Via Artnet’s Jo Lawson-Tancred: “5 of the Most Memorable Artist-Designed Olympics Posters.” (We’re partial to Jacob Lawrence’s Study for the Munich Games Poster (1971), which is now on view in Jacob Lawrence: American Storyteller at the Seattle Art Museum.)

Sarah Belmont for ARTnews on “Nine Must-See Exhibitions in Tune with the 2024 Olympics in France.”

Artnet’s Sarah Cascone name-checks all the references in the “unusually art-filled” Olympics Opening Ceremony in Paris. 

“The Mona Lisa escaped from the Louvre to catch the occasion, braving the rain along with an expected 300,000 Parisians and visitors from around the world.”

And Finally

“Snoop Dogg, NBC’s New Voice of the People.”

– Rachel Eggers, SAM Associate Director of Public Relations

Image: Installation view of Calder: In Motion, The Shirley Family Collection, Seattle Art Museum, 2023, © 2024 Calder Foundation, New York / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York, photo: Alborz Kamalizad.

Muse/News: Park Life, All’s Fair, and Benin Returns

Rachel Eggers on Jul 24 2024

Muse/News: Park Life, All’s Fair, and Benin Returns

SAM News

Heaven Quiban, SAM’s Manager of Public Engagement, recently appeared on KING 5’s New Day NW to talk about Summer at SAM at the Olympic Sculpture Park. Watch the segment to hear about this free programming series and enjoy a performance by musician Alie Renee, who plays at the sculpture park with her band, BYLAND, on August 1. 

“Why you should see Seattle Art Museum’s exuberant new show”: Gayle Clemans for The Seattle Times on Poke in the Eye: Art of the West Coast Counterculture, now on view at the Seattle Art Museum.

“It’s a show that asks us to look again at SAM’s permanent collection and the nature of art itself, with our sense of humor engaged and our eyes wide open.”

“It looks like neon guts!” That’s 7-year-old art critic Cora on the exhibition for a sparkling “mother-daughter” review from Elizabeth Hunter for Seattle’s Child. In addition to more gems from her kids and their friend, Hunter shared insights from Carrie Dedon, SAM Associate Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, and Ramzy Lakos, SAM Digital Interpretation Specialist, on how the art and in-gallery experiences will appeal to young visitors.

Local News

Seattle author Octavia Butler’s 1993 post-apocalyptic novel Parable of the Sower opens on July 20, 2024. The Stranger’s Charles Mudede thinks you should read it.

The Seattle Times recently published a package called Affordability for Artists, with several features on how the city’s cost of living impacts local artists, including this illustrated guide of 15 ways to support Seattle-area arts and artists.

For The Seattle Times, Gayle Clemans has tips and highlights for navigating the Seattle Art Fair, which takes place this weekend—swing by our booth to see art from SAM Gallery and swag from SAM!

“As usual, SAF will be a gathering place for the city’s creative community as it intersects with visitors from across the world.”

Inter/National News

Via Artnet: “Fiction About the Art World Is Trending. Here Are 8 New Novels to Read This Summer.”

Sopan Deb of The New York Times on how “Keeping the Lights on at the Met Museum Is an Art in Itself.”

Gareth Harris for The Art Newspaper reports on how the Stanley Museum of Art in Iowa has become the first US museum to return looted bronzes to the Oba of Benin.

“Asked if the Stanley Museum of Art is confident that the works returned will be publicly accessible, Lauren Lessing, the director of the Stanley Museum of Art, says: ‘It is not my job to tell people what to do with their own possessions. The two works of art restituted were stolen from the Oba of Benin in 1897, and they belong to him.’”

And Finally

“I Think About Bill Paxton’s Fiancée in Twister a Lot.”

– Rachel Eggers, SAM Associate Director of Public Relations

Photo: Chloe Collyer.

SAM Announces Scott Stulen as New Director and CEO

Rachel Eggers on Jun 25 2024

SAM Announces Scott Stulen as New Director and CEO

We are thrilled to share the news, announced in The Seattle Times, that following an extensive international search, Scott Stulen has been chosen as the Seattle Art Museum’s new Illsley Ball Nordstrom Director and CEO. Scott, an innovative leader renowned for his dynamic vision and commitment to community engagement, will officially begin his new role at SAM on August 26, 2024.

Scott joins SAM with a distinguished career in the arts, bringing a wealth of experience from his previous roles as President and CEO of the Philbrook Museum of Art in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and as the Director of mnartists.org, a critical arts writing platform of the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

“The SAM Board of Trustees search committee, in partnership with Russell Reynolds, searched extensively across the art museum field to find the best fit for our community. While gathering recommendations, Scott was mentioned by many others in the field, due to his reputation as an innovative arts leader, strong business acumen, and outstanding work in community engagement,” said Bert Valdman, SAM trustee and chair of the search committee.

During his tenure as leader of the Philbrook Museum of Art, Scott transformed the museum into a welcoming, inclusive, and family-friendly experience, resulting in exponential growth in both attendance and support. He secured a $10M gift in support of the museum campus’s first addition in over three decades, established a $16.5M contemporary art acquisition fund to diversify the collection, and overhauled the museum’s programming to center interactive, outdoor, and multi-generational fun and learning. In support of the broader community, Scott established a free membership program for all public-school teachers in Oklahoma and oversaw the planning of a 50,000 sq. ft. vegetable garden within the campus, providing over 1.5 tons of fresh produce each year to support communities of need.

Prior to joining the Philbrook, Scott was the inaugural Curator of Audience Experiences and Performance at the Indianapolis Museum of Art from 2014 to 2016, where he launched the ARTx program, commissioned new performances and site-specific installations, and launched new earned-income initiatives to welcome diverse audiences. From 2008 to 2014, he was Project Director of mnartists.org at the Walker Art Center, where he co-curated and developed the Open Field project, reframing the museum as a public park and platform for experimentation, including the first Internet Cat Video Festival.

Scott is also a practicing visual artist with an MFA in Painting and Drawing from the University of Minnesota and a BFA in Sculpture from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. He also DJs (spinning under the moniker MDL WST) and, along with wife Rachel, is raising two sons, Erlend (13) and Oliver (9).

“I am incredibly honored to be selected as the next CEO of the Seattle Art Museum. Seattle has always been a city I deeply admire, and the opportunity to lead such a renowned institution is beyond my wildest dreams. SAM’s three dynamic sites, talented and dedicated staff, and engaged board provide incredible opportunities to deepen our connections with the diverse communities we serve. As an artist, I approach things a bit differently, and I’m eager to bring this perspective to SAM along with my experience developing innovative and inclusive programs,” Scott shared. “I can’t wait to get started.”

Welcome to SAM and Seattle, Scott!

Photo credit: Bhadri Verduzco/Courtesy Philbrook Museum of Art

Muse/News: Weird and Wild, Fan Service, and Double Takes

Rachel Eggers on Jun 24 2024

Muse/News: Weird and Wild, Fan Service, and Double Takes

SAM News

Lights, camera, action! Poke in the Eye: Art of the West Coast Counterculture opened last week at the Seattle Art Museum, and Carrie Dedon, Associate Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, appeared on KING5 programs New Day NW and Evening to talk about curating an exhibition of offbeat art from SAM’s collection. 

“Feeling a little rebellious?” asks Alina Hunter-Grah of SEAtoday. If so, she promises you’ll fit right in at the exhibition.

And here’s Destiny Valencia of 425 Magazine on “Visiting the SAM’s Weird, Wild, and Wacky ‘Poke in the Eye’ Exhibit.”

“How one interprets art is, of course, inescapably subjective. Poke in the Eye: Art of the West Coast Counterculture at the Seattle Art Museum makes that implicit truth unusually explicit by prompting visitors to ponder what, exactly, they consider to be fine art.”

Local News

Cascade PBS’s Brangien Davis seeks out “the downtown Seattle art collection hiding in plain sight.”

For Seattle Magazine, Rachel Gallaher profiles dancer and performance artist Lavinia Vago. 

Special to The Seattle Times, T.S. Flock writes “Seattle’s MadArt holds its last show, celebrating its legacy.”

“Someone walking into MadArt for the first time may wonder what ties them all together, even if they delight in the objects. Put simply, the show succeeds as a fan-service anthology, in which audiences can relive experiences they’ve had with MadArt’s projects.”

Inter/National News

Stewed eels, rum punch, and a dessert known as “The Convent Serpent”: Artnet’s Andrew Russeth goes inside Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec’s recipe collection.

Via ARTnews’ Alex Greenberger: “Carrie Mae Weems Returns to ‘Kitchen Table Series,’ This Time with A$AP Rocky, for Bottega Veneta.”

Rowland Bagnall for The Art Newspaper on Teju Cole’s latest photobook, Pharmakon, which features photographs of “unpeopled scenarios” accompanied by short texts.

“Cole frequently presents a pair of images, the same scene photographed from slightly different angles, moments apart, the gesture (literally) of a double take, illustrating, possibly, the two modes they exist in: peaceful, disturbing. Self-consciously oblique, almost withholding, Cole’s photographs invite us to consider not only what but how we see, through whose lens, when, for what, and why.”

And Finally

“Miss Piggy Has a Mother.”

– Rachel Eggers, SAM Associate Director of Public Relations

Photo: L. Fried.

Muse/News: Impressive SAM, Not Static, and Baltimore Queen

Rachel Eggers on Jun 17 2024

Muse/News: Impressive SAM, Not Static, and Baltimore Queen

SAM News

“Art-loving families should visit the Seattle Art Museum” this summer, says Mark Sissons for Vancouver’s VITA Magazine, thanks to our “impressive” collection galleries and our summer exhibition Poke in the Eye: Art of the West Coast Counterculture, which opens this week on Thursday, June 20!

Nick Hilden for The Observer comes to town to discover “Where to See the Best Art in Seattle” and while at SAM finds that “the museum boasts an impressively eclectic range of works.” 

Via Nura Ahmed for South Seattle Emerald: “Tacoma Artist Anida Yoeu Ali Demands to Be Seen.”

Local News

Have you been keeping up with this season of Cascade PBS’s Black Arts Legacies? They’ve rolled out eight incredible profiles; earlier we shared the one of Gwendolyn Knight Lawrence, but you won’t want to miss the ones of DJ Riz Rollins, painter Moses Sun, glass artist Debra Moore, and more.

Sara Jean Green of The Seattle Times reports on the “long-promised Super Block” coming to the Central District that will feature a public art installation on the neighborhood’s history.

Via Rachel Gallaher for Seattle Magazine: “Tacoma Art Museum’s latest show reconsiders the meaning of Western American art.”

“The four curators are giving space to 17 contemporary artists whose work is often excluded in the context of collections like the Haub. ‘The art of the American West is not static,’ [curator Faith] Brower says. ‘There are many artists creating work that will further our understanding and deepen our connections to this iconic region.’”

Inter/National News

“I can act a fool, I can be delirious, I can give into anger, I can give into joy, into love”: Anthony Hudson AKA Carla Rossi interviews Jeffrey Gibson for BOMB Magazine. While you’re at it, rewatch this video of Carla’s visit to Like a Hammer (it’s our…52nd rewatch? But who’s counting?). 

Arun Kakar for Artsy with “The 10 Best Booths at Art Basel 2024,” including works by Jaune Quick-to-See Smith at Garth Greenan Gallery’s booth.

“How an Artist Became the Queen of Baltimore”: Aruna D’Souza of The New York Times spends the day in Baltimore with Joyce J. Scott on the occasion of her career retrospective, which is co-organized by BAM and SAM and travels to Seattle this fall.

“She sees her life as an artist as modeling for others another way of being and living,” said Catharina Manchanda, a curator at the Seattle Art Museum. “She has an incredibly strong conviction that every artwork has a role in bringing people together and offering people an opportunity to learn together, but she also models a whole new way of being an artist within a community. It’s not as much a career for her as a way of life.”

And Finally

“A Photographer Wins a Top Prize in an A.I. Competition for His Non-A.I. Image.”

– Rachel Eggers, SAM Associate Director of Public Relations

Photo: Alborz Kamalizad.

Muse/News: Essential Summer, Hooked on Clay, and Pointed Playful

Rachel Eggers on Jun 10 2024

Muse/News: Essential Summer, Hooked on Clay, and Pointed Playful

SAM News

The Seattle Times staff recommends “8 essential things to do during summer in Seattle,” including a visit to the Olympic Sculpture Park, especially during Summer at SAM. The annual free series of performances, tours, and activities takes place every Thursday night and Saturday morning between July 11 and August 11.

In South Seattle Emerald’s “Arts in the South End: June 2024 Roundup,” Jas Keimig recommends an upcoming show at SAM. Jacob Lawrence: American Storyteller features 13 works on paper by the celebrated modern artist; it opens June 28.

Local News

Via Catalina Gaitán for The Seattle Times: “Seattle now has two of the largest outdoor murals in North America.”

Artists Anida Yoeu Ali and Kamari Bright were announced as the recipients of the 2024 Arts Innovator Award. Both artists will receive $25,000 to continue their practices. You can see Ali’s work at the Seattle Asian Art Museum in Hybrid Skin, Mythical Presence through July 7.

The June issue of University of Washington Magazine has a profile on artist Patti Warashina by writer Hannelore Suderman that reveals the ceramic artist’s original plan for her studies… click to find out just how lucky we are that she discovered clay. You can see examples in Poke in the Eye: Art of the West Coast Counterculture, which opens at SAM on Friday, June 21. 

“She loved the tactile experience of throwing clay on a wheel and was hooked on creating, pushing the limits of clay and taking inspiration from her classmates.”

Inter/National News

Via Artnet: “A Major Restoration Breathes New Life Into Giuseppe Arcimboldo’s Iconic Seasons.”

Holland Cotter of The New York Times recommends several shows to see in NYC galleries this month, including a solo show for Xenobia Bailey at Venus Over Manhattan. You can see the Seattle-born artist’s Afrofuturist fiber crochet work on view in Poke in the Eye: Art of the West Coast Counterculture, beginning Friday, June 21.

Art in America’s Andy Battaglia interviews Joyce J. Scott on the occasion of her retrospective, Walk a Mile in My Dreams, which debuted at the Baltimore Museum of Art and opens at SAM this fall.

“Time and again, Scott’s colorful creations stare down histories of racism, classism, and sexism with steely eyes and an impish grin. She takes a pointed and playful approach to bracing subject matter, the small-mindedness and absurdity of which she exposes as abhorrent and just plain dumb.”

And Finally

“Oh Happy Day” 30 years later.

– Rachel Eggers, SAM Associate Director of Public Relations

Photo: Chloe Collyer.

Muse/News: Amiably Weird, Pride Art, and Creative Freedom

Rachel Eggers on Jun 3 2024

Muse/News: Amiably Weird, Pride Art, and Creative Freedom

SAM News

Alex Greenberger of ARTnews recommends “44 Museum Shows to See This Summer,” including Poke in the Eye: Art of the West Coast Counterculture, which opens at the Seattle Art Museum on Friday, June 21. Can you dig it?

On view right now at SAM is Yirrkala: Art from Australia’s Top End, an exhibition of Australian Aboriginal paintings recommended in the May/June 2024 issue of Seattle magazine by Helen Lowenthal.

Artist Anida Yoeu Ali was interviewed for KUOW about “the fabulousness of being a Muslim woman” and her performance work, which is now on view in Hybrid Skin, Mythical Presence at the Seattle Asian Art Museum through July 7.

Local News

For KNKX, two Garfield High students reflect on “what it’s really like to perform at the pinnacle of high school jazz”: the Essentially Ellington competition in New York. 

Here’s Brangien Davis of Cascade PBS on the opening of a delightful new brick-and-mortar bookstore in Pioneer Square, Long Bros. Fine & Rare Books.

Gayle Clemans for The Seattle Times on “5 Seattle art shows to see during Pride month 2024.”

“The past, present and future of art is powerfully and inextricably linked with the creative contributions of LGBTQ+ artists who have used art for self-expression, advocacy and social critique.”

Inter/National News

Lance Esplund of the Wall Street Journal reviews the Norton Simon Museum’s exhibition, I Saw It: Francisco de Goya, Printmaker, with prints that include haunting allegorical scenes and brutal images of war.

Artnet’s Katie White interviews Pipilotti Rist at the artist’s “zany, kaleidoscopic, and creatively cluttered” Zurich studio on the occasion of her survey exhibition Doha’s Fire Station.

Via Gameli Hamelo for ARTnews: “When El Anatsui Isn’t Busy Being One of Africa’s Biggest Artists, He’s Collecting Vinyl.”

“Just like Fela, I believe that my career has proven that the audiences will always look to the artist to lead, to expand their experience with new presentations or renewals of old fare. When encountering objects, I think of what they can do and what has not been explored yet, and try to explore it. Freedom has a lot to do with it.”

And Finally

Kabosu, the dog behind the “doge” internet meme, has crossed the Rainbow Bridge.

– Rachel Eggers, SAM Associate Director of Public Relations

Photo: Chloe Collyer.

World-Renowned Artist Ai Weiwei Comes to SAM in 2025

Rachel Eggers on May 22 2024

World-Renowned Artist Ai Weiwei Comes to SAM in 2025

Today, SAM made a major announcement: In 2025, the Seattle Art Museum will present the first US retrospective in over a decade of the work of Ai Weiwei. Titled Ai, Rebel: The Art and Activism of Ai Weiwei, it will explore over 100 works from across four decades, offering visitors from all over the world a rare opportunity to engage with the celebrated conceptual artist’s wide-ranging body of work. The exhibition will be on view at the Seattle Art Museum in downtown Seattle and is curated by FOONG Ping, SAM Foster Foundation Curator of Chinese Art. This also marks the artist’s first solo exhibition in Seattle.

The news arrived via a co-exclusive by ARTnews and The Seattle Times.

ARTnews highlighted the unique curatorial perspective that FOONG will take: “Unlike many curators who’ve worked with Ai, Foong does not specialize in contemporary art. She mainly works with age-old Chinese works presented by the museum, and she said this moved to her to explore the art history that guides Ai. ‘My intention is to find some language that might describe trends and patterns, the things that have stood the test of time, the things that he thought about in his first decade and are still with him decades on,’ she said.”

And in The Seattle Times, José Carlos Diaz, SAM’s Susan Brotman Deputy Director for Art, called this a “major moment” for the city: “Seattle is due for a major exhibition of his dynamic, large-scale work,” he said. “Ai is a global icon whose work resonates with so many types of audiences; this exhibition will make SAM a destination for locals and visitors alike who will want to engage with his work.”

Exhibitions of Ai Weiwei’s work have brought sold-out crowds around the world, so the museum anticipates high demand and is making preparations for the best visitor experience. To increase access, SAM planned an extended run of six months, beyond its usual exhibition timeframe. Timed ticketing will increase access to the museum and improve flow in the galleries. Ticket release dates will be announced in advance so that visitors can plan ahead. SAM members will have additional opportunities for access, including early access to reserve timeslots, member-only days, and member-exclusive events.

– Rachel Eggers, SAM Associate Director of Public Relations

Photo: Gao Yuan / Courtesy of Ai Weiwei Studio.

Muse/News: Peaceful Gestures, Art Response, and Ancient Labels

Rachel Eggers on May 20 2024

Muse/News: Peaceful Gestures, Art Response, and Ancient Labels

SAM News

Tune in: Anida Yoeu Ali was interviewed by Gregory Scruggs of Monocle Radio about her performance works now on view in Hybrid Skin, Mythical Presence at the Seattle Asian Art Museum. (Tip: Her segment starts about 31 minutes into the show.) You can see her as The Red Chador alongside her rainbow brigade on Saturday, June 1 across all three SAM sites!

“My gestures are the heart shake…and then sometimes I just bow to them as the Red Chador, just completely humble myself and offer a bow…that is always very well received and it sort of disarms a moment, too, when they see that I’m offering you a moment of reverence and a peaceful gesture.”

Margo Vansynghel of The Seattle Times was inspired by the aurora borealis to find more open-air beauty, including at the Olympic Sculpture Park: “Where to see free, outdoor art in the Seattle area in spring 2024.”

“The installation is a stunning illustration of Serra’s belief that sculpture wasn’t meant to be passively viewed but felt by moving through it. Here, let the undulating steel waves, at once tender and imposing, wash over you.”

Summer season is upon us: For Fodor’s, Sydney Baker has “The Perfect 5-Day Seattle Itinerary”; Baker recommends CityPASS for all your attraction needs, including a downtown day that includes the Seattle Art Museum. And Amanda Teague for The Manual has “4 reasons why Seattle is Kayak’s No. 1 summer travel destination,” including a shout-out for SAM. 

Local News

The skies also inspired Cascade PBS’s Brangien Davis, who found “Northwest artists channel Northern lights in galleries from Ballard to Pioneer Square.” 

Via Jenn Ngeth for South Seattle Emerald: “Events Bloom All Over Seattle to Celebrate AA&NH/PI Heritage Month 2024.”

Via Nova Berger for Capitol Hill Seattle Blog: “Capitol Hill resident and poet Janée Baugher has received the Dorset Prize.”

“Museums changed that for Baugher. She writes in a literary style known as Ekphrastic poetry: a poetic response to the emotions a piece of art brings. Using language as a tool to bridge the visual and the verbal, allowing the poet to capture their response to the artwork in a way we can all understand.”

Inter/National News

Don’t miss this full celebratory series of the greatest short story writer ever via The New York Times: “Alice Munro, Nobel Laureate and Master of the Short Story, Dies at 92.”

Via Artdaily: “Gagosian opens the gallery’s first exhibition of works by Lauren Halsey.” The artist had her solo show at SAM in 2022 in honor of her 2021 Gwendolyn Knight and Jacob Lawrence Prize. 

For the ones who read the labels: Richard Whiddington for Artnet on English archaeologist Leonard Woolley’s excavation of the ancient Mesopotamian city of Ur and what he found in 1925.

“The clue that indicated that Woolley had uncovered a Neo-Babylonian museum was the presence of artifact labels. Each object corresponded to a small clay cylinder that boasted inscriptions in four languages explaining the object, its context, and its history.”

And Finally

“A Few Words About That Ten-Million Dollar Serial Comma.”

– Rachel Eggers, SAM Associate Director of Public Relations

Photo: Alborz Kamalizad.

Muse/News: Going Mobile, Deep Roots, and Mother Wit

Rachel Eggers on May 13 2024

Muse/News: Going Mobile, Deep Roots, and Mother Wit

SAM News

“Hope you like mobiles!!” The Stranger’s Everout names SAM’s first-ever Calder Symposium one of “The Best Things To Do in Seattle This Month: May 2024.” With a talk by renowned Alexander Calder biographer Jed Perl on Friday evening and a day of tours, lectures, and screenings about Calder’s genius all day Saturday, you won’t want to miss it.

And save the date: SAM’s summer exhibition, Poke in the Eye: Art of the West Coast Counterculture, opens in just over a month. 425 Magazine mentioned it in their “This Week in A&E” spotlight. 

Local News

In her latest ArtSEA post, Cascade PBS’s Brangien Davis sees arts venues “putting on a good face”; some of her recommendations have passed but some are ongoing—don’t miss out!

Via Sarah Stackhouse for Seattle Magazine: “Rebuilding Re-Sole 206.”

“One Reel, former Bumbershoot producer, closing; its art paper survives”: Chase Hutchinson for The Seattle Times with an update on the 52-year-old nonprofit arts organization.

“In an email, Elisheba Johnson, One Reel’s board president, spoke of the organization’s ‘roots that are long and deep in the community. Almost every events/music employee in this region has worked at One Reel at some point of their career,’ Johnson said. ‘One Reel will be remembered as the incredible convener of arts and culture in Seattle for over 50 years.’

Inter/National News

Artnet rounds up the best looks inspired by art history at the Met Gala.

Via Ad Age: “Apple apologized Thursday for a new iPad Pro commercial that was met with fierce criticism from creatives for depicting an array of creative tools and objects—from a piano, to a camera, to cans of paint—being destroyed by an industrial crusher.”

Via Evan Nicole Brown for T: The New York Times Style Magazine: “Betye Saar Remains Guided by the Spirit.”

“Saar, who is 97, decides what to reach for based on something she has referred to over the years as “mother wit”: she feels when a wooden statue, antique doll or rusted dagger is calling to be used. Saar considers this selection process to be a sacred one.”

And Finally

“10 Times Artists Hid Themselves in Their Paintings.”

– Rachel Eggers, SAM Associate Director of Public Relations

Photo: Installation view of Calder: In Motion, The Shirley Family Collection, Seattle Art Museum, 2023, © 2024 Calder Foundation, New York / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York, photo: Alborz Kamalizad.

Global Agitator: An Interview with Anida Yoeu Ali

Rachel Eggers on May 10 2024

Global Agitator: An Interview with Anida Yoeu Ali

Since the debut of Hybrid Skin, Mythical Presence in January, visitors to the Seattle Asian Art Museum have been enthralled by Anida Yoeu Ali’s dynamic performance-based artworks. Now, we speak with the Tacoma-based international artist with the activation of The Buddhist Bug behind her and the activation of The Red Chador taking place on Saturday, June 1.

SAM: Something that connects The Buddhist Bug and The Red Chador is their incredible visual impact that sparks immediate curiosity and delight: the humor and vivid color of the bug and the entrancing sequins of the chadors in all colors of the rainbow. Is this an artistic strategy?

ANIDA YOEU ALI: I know people in general don’t expect to see my specific Asiatic face, with its stoic countenance—which I have inherited from my mother and grandmother—as the visage of The Buddhist Bug or The Red Chador. I’m interested in hypervisibility and an acknowledgement of my presence. I tend to place my body in colors that evoke some kind of joy and pleasure or an infusion of “fabulousness.” For me, performance allows for a magic of reinventing the self and projecting a larger-than-life persona that isn’t imprisoned by oppressive representations. There’s an awareness of the spectacle and ultimately a power in reclaiming the gaze, which has trapped and dehumanized so many of us and our communities.

SAM: You’ve said that the sculptural garments are “artifacts” when not being performed. Tell us about the exhibition space experience you’ve hoped to create for visitors to the museum.

ALI: Many of my installations, whether wearable garments or otherwise, require activation in which the live body completes the artwork. My art form is performance-installation where meters and meters of textile act as skin, as a way for the surface of my body to extend into public spaces, and as a metaphoric device for stories to spread across an expanse. But those stories aren’t literal or spoken; they are experienced through performances and encounters. The audience will need to do the hard work of figuring out what all this might mean to them: personally, politically, and/or spiritually.

I want visitors to pay attention to the encounter they are having with the colors on the walls, the colors of the textile, the highlighted text quotations, the artifacts of performance through exhibited videos, photographs, and installations. In the end, visitors will feel something and they might even be provoked.

SAM: It turns out that The Buddhist Bug and The Red Chador have both been performed at least 16 times. What new discoveries have you made as you’ve enacted the works at different times and places around the world?

ALI: As a performance artist, I put my body into public spaces and take on people’s reactions and responses. If my work provokes, then that means people are not only thinking but they are feeling. I create out of feelings and I want others to feel as well. With every live performance, my body is so publicly accessible that I must engage in a lot of visualization and meditative activities in preparation for a worst-case-scenario situation. However, what grounds me is knowing that someone will be positively affected, whether it’s the ability to bring warmth and smiles to them for a brief moment or offering something unexpected that they will think about beyond the live moment. For me, in every location around the world children and youth have responded with the most joy, curiosity, and genuine wonder. Children have disarmed rare situations in which adult reactions have been alarming or hurtful.

SAM: And what are you excited about for the upcoming performance of The Red Chador on June 1?

ALI: Because my works are more known outside of the US context, I am excited to finally bring this epic performance to the Seattle area. There’s a freedom I feel with performing in public spaces and enacting fantastical/mythical heroines that’s extremely powerful and necessary. All I want to do is to be able to offer people inside and outside my communities an opportunity to witness, engage, and experience a glimpse of the world that I have worked so rigorously to hone.

– Rachel Eggers, SAM Associate Director of Public Relations

This article first appeared in the February through May 2024 edition of SAM Magazine and has been edited for our online readers. Become a SAM member today to receive our quarterly magazine delivered directly to your mailbox and other exclusive member perks!

Photos: Chloe Collyer & Alborz Kamalizad.

Muse/News: Complex Stories, Sowing Seeds, and Desk Drawings

Rachel Eggers on May 6 2024

Muse/News: Complex Stories, Sowing Seeds, and Desk Drawings

SAM News

On Seattle Met’s list of “Things to Do in Seattle”: the “complex cultural storytelling” of artist Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, now on view for just five more days at the Seattle Art Museum. Jaune Quick-to-See Smith: Memory Map closes after Sunday, May 12—don’t miss it!

Local News

SIFF is fifty! (Say that fifty times fast.) The Seattle Times has expansive coverage on the film festival taking place May 9–19.

Rachel Gallaher for Seattle Magazine features three local designers—Guillermo Bravo, Prima Dona Studios, and Eighth Generation—who are giving “Seattle fashion” a good name.

Via Jas Keimig of South Seattle Emerald: Native-led arts organization yəhaw̓ Indigenous Creatives Collective announced the acquisition of a property it will turn into a Native arts center.

“‘By creating an inclusive space where young people, Elders, and all our relatives can create and experience art together, we are sowing the seeds for the vibrant Indigenous futures we want to see bloom for generations to come,’ said Asia Tail (Cherokee), yəhaw̓’s executive director, in a press release about the news.”

Inter/National News

“Went From Bauhaus to Fun House”: Deborah Soloman with an appraisal of Frank Stella, who died this Saturday at the age of 87.

Hyperallergic is already thinking about “14 Art Books to Read This Summer.”

Via Adam Schrader for Artnet: “Kosovar Artist Petrit Halilaj’s Whimsical Met Roof Installation Belies a Dark History.”

“‘These desks were from the ‘70s, years I was not yet born. They have seen the fall of Yugoslavia, all the conflicts of the ‘90s, all the segregation, all the war. They still survived. All those generations of kids were all coexisting in a very beautiful mix with each other,’ he said.”

And Finally

The saga of Sugar the Zebra.

– Rachel Eggers, SAM Associate Director of Public Relations

Photo: Chloe Collyer.

Muse/News: Spring Into Fall, Gwen’s Care, and Steely Watt

Rachel Eggers on Apr 29 2024

Muse/News: Spring Into Fall, Gwen’s Care, and Steely Watt

SAM News

Artnet has you covered with “9 Must-See Shows Around the U.S. This Spring,” including one for an artist who “tackles the weight of history with humor and wit.” Joyce J. Scott: Walk a Mile in My Dreams is now on view at the Baltimore Museum of Art; Seattle audiences get to see it this fall when the retrospective—co-organized by the BMA and SAM—travels here.

Local News

Rachel Gallaher for Seattle Magazine on Subterranean Ceremonies, the solo show of Sky Hopinka on view now through May 26 at the Frye Art Museum. 

Isabella Breda of the Seattle Times on the work of Children of the Setting Sun, an Indigenous-led and -centered nonprofit based in Bellingham that “defies the traditional categories of a ‘media’ group.”  

Black Arts Legacies, a project of Cascade PBS, debuts its third season of stories of Black artists and arts organizations in Seattle. Don’t miss this feature by Jas Keimig about Gwendolyn Knight Lawrence: her young life in Harlem, independent artistic vision, and long partnership with husband Jacob Lawrence. 

“The emotional quality of this work — the gaze, the moody colors, the otherworldliness of its background — shows Knight’s signature attentiveness, the great care she afforded all of her subjects.”

Inter/National News

Via Artnet: “Why Does the Louvre Want to Give the Mona Lisa Her Own Room?”

Via Howard Halle for ARTnews: “As Surrealism Turns 100, a Look at Its Enduring Legacy.”

Via Leslie Wayne for the New York Times: “At the Carnegie Museum of Art, an installation by the artist Marie Watt celebrates the region’s industrial history with I-beams and glass.” Watt’s Blanket Stories is a beloved work in SAM’s collection.

“Steel fits right in with her vision: It was steel from Pittsburgh that helped build the Empire State Building and the George Washington Bridge in New York, and many other famous structures. And it was Mohawk Native Americans, who have been celebrated in her past works, who worked on many of those projects, earning them the moniker ‘skywalkers’ for their daring feats on steel beams.”

And Finally

“Dropping Stitches at Knit Night.”

– Rachel Eggers, SAM Associate Director of Public Relations

Photo: Chloe Collyer.

Muse/News: Big Deal at SAM, Art Labyrinth, and Joyful Revolt

Rachel Eggers on Apr 15 2024

Muse/News: Big Deal at SAM, Art Labyrinth, and Joyful Revolt

SAM News

Theresa Papanikolas, Ann M. Barwick Curator of American Art, appeared on KING5’s New Day Northwest to talk about Jaune Quick-to-See Smith: Memory Map. You have four weeks left to see this powerful retrospective at the Seattle Art Museum before it closes on May 12!

And Anida Yoeu Ali: Hybrid Skin, Mythical Presence is on view at the Seattle Asian Art Museum. Haley Ha wrote about the exhibition for International Examiner. 

Local News

Seattle Met recommends “Washington Museums Worthy of a Road Trip.”

In her latest ArtSEA post for Crosscut, Brangien Davis touches on a new book about local street trees and a can’t-miss Pacific Northwest Ballet bill.

For the Seattle Times, Rachel Gallaher gets a look inside the art-filled home of artists Dennis Evans and Nancy Mee. The couple announced last year that they will leave their collection to Seattle University. 

“It feels like a never-ending labyrinth of discovery; ducking into each room reveals something exciting, with pieces juxtaposed against each other, such as a swirling bronze sculpture by Gerard Tsutakawa placed near work by Ann Hamilton made from deconstructed books.”

Inter/National News

Via CBS Sunday Morning: “From the archives: Faith Ringgold’s colorful and daring art.” The acclaimed artist has died at the age of 93.

Artnet has pictures and details of the Brooklyn Museum’s glamorous Artist’s Ball held last week. 

Jillian Steinhauer for the New York Times previews artist Jeffrey Gibson’s exhibition that will debut this weekend at the US Pavilion in the Venice Biennale. 

“That, in the end, is the message of Gibson’s art: Everything is multifaceted. His over-the-top aesthetic is a joyful revolt against the reductiveness of fixed categories and the pressure he’s felt, both externally and internally, to always show up on behalf of Native Americans.”

And Finally

Meet Roger, the dog hero of the Taiwan earthquake.

– Rachel Eggers, SAM Associate Director of Public Relations

Photo: Chloe Collyer.

Muse/News: Thrilling Ali, Wake Floats, and Craft is Art

Rachel Eggers on Apr 1 2024

Muse/News: Thrilling Ali, Wake Floats, and Craft is Art

SAM News

Amelia Ketzel pens a “love letter” to Anida Yoeu Ali’s performance-based works for Variable West—part of a recurring series for the platform for West Coast art. See Hybrid Skin, Mythical Presence now at the Seattle Asian Art Museum!

“Ali’s presence is thrilling and completely engrossing: what will these colorful entities do next? Where will they go? Where can they go?”

Check this out: Last week, The Seattle Seahawks and Delta Airlines visited the Seattle Art Museum to surprise Yaoyao Liu, SAM Manager of School & Educator Programs, naming her a “Delta Community Captain” for making a difference with her work to support arts education. 

Local News

The Seattle Times returns to its This City Block series, this time visiting Ballard. Rachel Gallaher features “3 must-visit Ballard museums and art galleries.”

Sarah Stackhouse for Seattle Magazine reports back from Visit Seattle’s annual meeting that the city of Seattle is “again the place to be,” with an increase in visitors nearing pre-pandemic levels.

In her latest ArtSEA post, Crosscut’s Brangien Davis remembers the late Richard Serra with a visit to Wake at the Olympic Sculpture Park. 

“Narrowed at the base of what might be the prow and stern, the five rusted steel forms seem to move as a flotilla, impossibly balanced as a giant ship on water — how does it stay afloat?”

Inter/National News

Via Artnet: “The Door From ‘Titanic,’ Too Small to Fit Two People, Sells Big at Auction.” (“Too small”??)

Faye Hirsch for Art in America on the retrospective of Käthe Kollwitz now on view at the Museum of Modern Art. 

Joyce J. Scott: Walk a Mile in My Dreams opened last week at the Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA). Baltimore Magazine interviewed Scott to preview the retrospective, which was co-organized by the BMA and the Seattle Art Museum and opens here this fall. 

“I’m an artist-craftsperson. I don’t separate them. I’m always doing both. It’s the same impulse, the same creative feeling or setting that makes me make a cup and makes me make a piece of sculpture. There’s not a hierarchy that I ascribe to.”

And Finally

In case you missed our big announcement.

– Rachel Eggers, SAM Associate Director of Public Relations

Photo: Alborz Kamalizad.

Muse/News: Must-See Smith, Seattle U Gift, and Finally Gilot

Rachel Eggers on Mar 18 2024

Muse/News: Must-See Smith, Seattle U Gift, and Finally Gilot

SAM News

“3 must-see shows by Indigenous artists in Seattle this spring”: Gayle Clemans for The Seattle Times recommends Jaune Quick-to-See Smith: Memory Map among two other exhibitions at the Frye Art Museum and the Henry Art Gallery.

“Jaune Quick-to-See Smith (citizen of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Nation) has been a force in the art world for over five decades, creating deeply impactful work and opening doors for the increasing recognition of contemporary art by Native Americans.”

And don’t miss Elizabeth Hunter’s “mother-daughter review” of the exhibition for Seattle’s Child, featuring insights from Smith, reflections on the works on view, and tips for how to make the most of a museum visit with your family.

Spring is here, and so is a new edition of The Stranger’s Art and Performance Magazine featuring a dazzling Anida Yoeu Ali on the cover. Inside the magazine—which you can pick up around the city—catch the interview with Ali that covers “absurdity, grief, the diasporic dilemma, cosmogonies, and Dune.” (Jaune Quick-to-See Smith: Memory Map is also among the mag’s recommendations.)

Local News

Via Jas Keimig for South Seattle Emerald: “New Seattle-based podcast Invisible Histories explores the history of Seattle—specifically South Seattle—that might not always be readily apparent or celebrated.”

Seattle Magazine rounds up a bevy of spring arts recommendations around the city, including Calder: In Motion.

“Seattle University gets $300 million gift of art — among largest in history”: Margo Vansynghel of The Seattle Times announces exciting news for the city’s arts scene. 

“The collection—which spans more than six centuries and contains prime examples of Western art history—will serve as a resource for students, faculty and art enthusiasts across the city, said Seattle University President Eduardo Peñalver. ‘I think it’s a win-win for Seattle University and for Seattle,’ he said.”

Inter/National News

The New York Times sends a chorus of three critics—Jason Farago, Travis Diehl, Martha Schwendener—to the Whitney Biennial.

Via Artnet: “Forget Kate Middleton’s Photoshop Blunder: Here Are Other Royals Who Had Their Portraits Edited.”

Via Rhea Nayyar for Hyperallergic: “Picasso Museum Is Showing Françoise Gilot’s Work, Finally.”

“In a press interview regarding the new display, Musée Picasso President Cécile Debray noted that Gilot was at last ‘being given her rightful place as an artist’ at the Parisian institution through this special exhibition of her work.”

And Finally

“What Your Bookshelf Organization Says About You.”

– Rachel Eggers, SAM Associate Director of Public Relations

Photo: Chloe Collyer.

Muse/News: Surreal Dreams, Found Imagery, and Women Artists

Rachel Eggers on Mar 4 2024

Muse/News: Surreal Dreams, Found Imagery, and Women Artists

SAM News

“Jaune Quick-To-See Smith’s vision of America celebrated in Seattle Art Museum retrospective”: Saint Bryan of KING5 Evening spoke with the groundbreaking artist as her landmark show opens at SAM.

For her latest ArtSEA post, Brangien Davis of Crosscut—soon to be known as Cascade PBS—features local women artists as we welcome Women’s History Month. She shared impressions from her first look at Jaune Quick-to-See Smith: Memory Map.

“At the press preview, decked out in all-black clothing and Doc Marten boots, Smith shared her many Seattle connections…‘Being here at Seattle Art Museum is a surrealistic dream for me,’ she said. ‘I keep pinching myself.’”

The exhibition is also on The Stranger’s list of “Best Things to Do in Seattle This Month.”

Nick Ng of My Edmonds News spoke with artist Andy Eccleshall about Luminosity, his new show at SAM Gallery. Erik Bennion, SAM Gallery Manager, was interviewed for the story. 

“His use of light and eye for composition is what really struck me. He is an incredible painter, depicting the Northwest in a fabulous way. What more could you ask for?”

Local News

For South Seattle Emerald, Jas Keimig has your “Arts in the South End” round-up for happenings in March.

Art Beat, the blog of the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture, shares information on DREAM TEMPLE (for Octavia), a new exhibition opening March 7 at ARTS at King Street Station.

Via Gayle Clemans for The Seattle Times: “At Seattle’s Henry Art Gallery, a powerful exhibit by Hank Willis Thomas.”

“Trained as a photographer, Thomas now uses found imagery (particularly old ads), textiles, sculpture, video and photographic works, and collaborative practices — whatever it takes to get us to look closely and think deeply.”

Inter/National News

“We are not letting the horror be forgotten”: Stephen Smith for The Art Newspaper on the opening of the Museum of Civilian Voices in Kyiv, Ukraine.

ARTnews finds the angle: “Sad Oompa Loompa from Viral Wonka Experience Draws Comparisons to Manet Painting.”

Artnet’s Jo Lawson-Tancred on the launch of “Museums with Men,” a series of audio guides for US and UK museums from art historian and podcaster Katy Hessel.

“Hessel’s voice will expertly navigate audiences towards works by underrepresented artists that might be otherwise lost in a sea of Old Masters and macho modernists.”

And Finally

“It turns out California’s famed burger chain has some Washington in its secret sauce.”

– Rachel Eggers, SAM Associate Director of Public Relations

Photo: Alborz Kamalizad.

Curator Foong Ping Invites You to Look Again

Rachel Eggers on Feb 29 2024

“I looked really carefully at the object; I found a Chinese character that nobody has noticed before.”

– Foong Ping, Foster Foundation Curator of American Art

Look Again is a new series that joins curator Foong Ping as she uncovers mysteries and celebrates hidden details of beloved works in SAM’s collection.

In the above video, Foong gets you up close with the Dragon Tamer Luohan, a dynamic 14th–century wood statue that has been in the museum’s collection since 1936. The sculpture is now on view in the “Bringing Blessings” gallery of Boundless: Stories of Asian Art at the Seattle Asian Art Museum. In this exhibition, works across cultures and time periods tell diverse stories of Asia in a series of thematic galleries.

According to Chinese Buddhism, Luohans (also known as Arhats) are the original disciples of the Buddha. They are enlightened beings with distinctive pursuits and supernatural powers. In this video, Foong discusses her discovery of a Chinese character on the sculpture that no one had noticed before. The character identifies this Luohan as a tamer of dragons—a creature long associated with life-giving, spring rains. Ping also notes her favorite part: His gritted teeth as he summons the dragon from the heavens with a powerful hiss.

And don’t miss the first edition of Look Again, in which Foong introduces you to the nearly 1,000 pound, earthquake-proof Buddha statue—with tiny elegant feet—that stands in the Alvord Park Lobby and gazes out upon the surrounding Volunteer Park.

Stay tuned for more art discoveries with Foong Ping in future episodes to come!

– Rachel Eggers, SAM Associate Director of Public Relations

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