The Seattle Times Archives

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

Rachel Eggers on Oct 12 2024

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.

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

Rachel Eggers on Sep 9 2024

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

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

SAM Announces Scott Stulen as New Director and CEO

Rachel Eggers on Jun 25 2024

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