Staff Picks
Did you see it? The northern lights put on a spectacular show for us this past weekend. As the luminous green danced above the horizon, I found further wonderment in the fact that we were all outside, gazing up at the same artwork in the sky. It inspired me to assemble a selection of Seattle-area open air art experiences — some brand-new, all free — to add to your May and June art-gazing list.
“Boren Banner Series: Samantha Wall”
The mythical woman on the billboard, tangled up in a dance of swooping locks and long limbs, seems at once hemmed in and completely free. For this artwork displayed on a giant billboard viewable from Boren Avenue, Portland-based artist Samantha Wall took inspiration from the Korean serpent goddess Eopsin, the shape-shifting healer Anyanwu from Octavia E. Butler’s novel “Wild Seed” and her own experience as a Black Korean immigrant to the U.S. Created in sprayed ink with conté crayon (sticks made from compressed graphite or charcoal mixed with clay), the monochromatic work is texturally and thematically rich, and an absolute must-see.
Through Oct. 6; Frye Art Museum, 704 Terry Ave., billboard on 747-711 Boren Ave., Seattle; 206-622-9250, fryemuseum.org
“Chloë Bass: Soft Services”
“Not every tenderness must be seen in order to be believed,” the inscription on the rock near the duck pond reads. “Certain touches thrive in the shadows, too intense for witness, more powerful than gaze.” While you don’t have to see this tender artwork by New York-based artist Chloë Bass to believe in its delicate power, I highly suggest you do. Comprising 14 stone sculptures engraved with evocative sentences and silhouettes of plant life in light-responsive paint, this dispersed monument to the concept and practices of care will lead you on a poetic treasure hunt.
Through Aug. 31; Volunteer Park, 1247 15th Ave. E., Seattle; henryart.org
Light rail art
April’s opening of the Eastside’s new, eight-station light rail route marked a momentous occasion. Riders won’t just be treated to fast service between South Bellevue and Redmond — and, eventually, Seattle — they’ll also be able to train their sights on some great public art. Funded by Sound Transit’s art program (which dedicates 1% of construction budgets to public art), these artworks by local and national artists like Louie Gong, Yuki Nakamura and Dan Webb are meant to bring color, intrigue and playfulness to daily commutes, but are reason enough for a voyage on their own.
Permanently on view in and around the East Link Starter Line’s eight light rail stations; soundtransit.org
“Art Interruptions” in Beacon Hill
Rows of eyes follow you from Jefferson Park. Colorful banigs, traditional Filipino sleeping mats, drape down from a nearby fence. Oddly shaped balloons bubble up near Lucile Street. While these public art pieces — made by local artists (including Ai-Chun Huang, Hans Amor and Morgan Madison) and commissioned by the city of Seattle — have been in place since late last year, now’s the perfect (dry!) time to take yourself on an art stroll in Beacon Hill.
Through Aug. 24; Beacon Hill Greenway; seattle.gov/arts
“Richard Serra: Wake”
Installed nearly two decades ago, this monumental, 300-ton outdoor artwork in Seattle’s renowned Olympic Sculpture Park has taken on an additional layer with the recent death of its creator, the famed American sculptor Richard Serra (1938-2024). 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.
Permanently on view, Seattle Art Museum’s Olympic Sculpture Park, 2901 Western Ave., Seattle; seattleartmuseum.org
Also don’t miss:
From immersive, poetic installations to ceramics and filmed performance, the Central District art space Wa Na Wari is — as usual — filled to the brim with engaging, in situ art. Through July 20; Wa Na Wari, 911 24th Ave., Seattle; 206-485-7563, wanawari.org
With the tongue-in-cheekily titled “Another Day at the Orifice,” the 2024 University of Washington MFA students present their thesis exhibit, a great opportunity to spot local, up-and-coming talent. May 28-June 6, 2-7 p.m. and by appointment June 7-9; RailSpur Building, 419 Occidental Ave. S., Floor 7, Seattle; free; art.washington.edu
Through a series of mixed-media paintings grouped under the show name “Assimilations,” John Feodorov grapples with colonization and his mixed Navajo (Diné) and Euro-American heritage. June 6-27; Gallery 4Culture, 101 Prefontaine Place S., Seattle; 206-296-7580, 4culture.org
In “See Through,” artists Nadia Ahmed and Shannon Hobbs work with wax to examine the ephemerality of relationships. An installation with a one-way mirror and two seats will invite visitors to participate. June 1-22; The Vestibule, 5919 15th Ave. N.W., Seattle; thevestibule.org
The esteemed South Lake Union art space MadArt bids its final adieu. Titled “MAD STUDIO” and featuring a who’s who of local arts, the exhibit is an epic swan song you can’t miss. June 8-July 13; MadArt, 325 Westlake Ave. N., #101, Seattle; madartseattle.com
To read more of our arts and entertainment writers’ recommendations, go to: st.news/staff-picks.
This story has been updated with correct photo captions for the Phillip K. Smith III and Leo Saul Berk artworks.
The opinions expressed in reader comments are those of the author only and do not reflect the opinions of The Seattle Times.