SEATTLE--The Seattle Art Fair wasn't the only game in town in Seattle this weekend. Down the street and up the stairs past the empty Amtrak waiting lobby and set on the third floor of historic King Street Station is 24,000 square feet of raw space. Cloaked from the heat of a record-breaking summer night, the space was ignited on Thursday, July 30, 2015 with the pop up exhibition "Out of Sight: A Survey of Contemporary Art in the Pacific Northwest". The show, remaining on view through August 2, 2015, presents around 100 artworks from emerging and mid-career Pacific Northwest artists.
"Out of Sight: A Survey of Contemporary Art in the Pacific Northwest" is curated by Kirsten Anderson of Roq La Rue Gallery with Sierra Stinson, Sharon Arnold and Greg Lundgren. Vital 5 productions, organizers of the event, described the exhibition as “...the largest survey of contemporary art happening in the region.”
Lundgren, owner of popular local bars The Hideout and Vito’s, is used to feeling busy, but tonight feels different, he said, because the Seattle art community turned out in full force to celebrate the fair, share community and Rainier beers, and check out some art. “We’ve sold at least a dozen pieces before event even started, and I’ve been going all night,” said Lundgren.
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“A54” by Chris McMullen, 2011. steel bronze bearings, skateboard bearings, chain, sprockets, old growth fir, 11” x 30” x 20”. Photo by Amber Cortes.
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Lundgren's been playing matchmaker, introducing new or undiscovered pieces to their destined owners, based on years of knowing collectors tastes, passions, penchants, and price points. He’s more interested in the love story than the market share.
The organizers of "Out of Sight" have this space, which has been empty for almost 30 years, for six months. Even as the doors are newly opened, they are already hoping to make it stick and have invited the mayor to tour the space to scope it out as a permanent home for regional art.
“We feel ignited, especially with the potential of this space,” said local artist Shaun Kardinal. “Right now we have the energy and there are a lot of galleries here. We don’t have a space like the Armory in New York, big enough to really show off large scale work and large and comprehensively curated collections like this [King Street Station].”
To see images of the Opening, view our slideshow:
View Slideshow.
“In a Nut Shell” by Frank Correa, 2013-2015. Digital painting. Photo by Amber Cortes.
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Greg Lundgren, right, one of the curators of “Out of Sight”, talks with art goers at the Opening. Photo by Amber Cortes.
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"Out of Sight" presents art by Humaira Abid, Iole Alessandrini, Julie Alexander, Julie Alpert, Megumi Shauna Arai, Rick Araluce, Nola Avienne, JD Banke, Crystal Barbre, Baso Fibonacci, Joey Bates, Justin Beckman, Jared Bender, Gretchen Frances Bennett, Zack Bent, Gala Bent, Evan Blackwell, Colleen RJC Bratton, John Brophy, Jazz Brown, Bette Burgoyne, Max Cleary, Frank Correa, Tim Cross, Casey Curran, Brian Cypher, Sue Danielson, Jack Daws, Patrick “Duffy" De Armas, Jed Dunkerley, Warren Dykeman, Debbie Faas, Leiv Fagereng, Jueqian Fang, Aidan Fitzgerald and Scott Foldesi.
Also, Julia Freeman, Erin Frost, Neal Fryett, Justin Gibbens, Damien Gilley, Klara Glosova, Mandy Greer, Francisco Guerrero, Laura Hamje, Robert Hardgrave, Colleen Hayward, Jenny Heishman, Julia Hensley, Jesse Higman, C. Davida Ingram, Jeff Jacobson, Claire Johnson, Sean M. Johnson, Ken Kelly, Patrick Kelly, Dave Kennedy, Izzie Klingles, Kirk Lang, Kat Larson, Mike Leavitt, Rich Lehl, Greg Lewis, Margie Livingston, Francesca Lohmann and Amanda Manitach.
Chris McMullen, Jennifer McNeely, Katie Metz, Steven Miller, Ryan Molenkamp, Saya Moriyasu, Scott Musgrove, David Nelson, Matthew Offenbacher, Tyna Ontko, Michael Ottersen, Joe Park, Shannon Perry & Kyler Martz, Mary Ann Peters & MKNZ, Eleanor Petry, Jason Puccinelli, Cheyenne Randall, Rob Rhee, Tivon Rice, George Rodriguez, Ashleigh Rose Robb, Joe Rudko, Serrah Russell, Sail, Joe Shlichta, Rafael Soldi, Kellie Talbot, Polina Tereshina, Barbara Earl Thomas, Chris Thompson, Kimberly Trowbridge, Sarita Valdes, Joey Veltkamp, Redd Walitzki, Tariqa Waters, Casey Weldon, Chandler Woodfin, Robert Yoder, Claude Zervas, and Jennifer Zwick are also expected to have work on view.
To see images of the Opening, view our slideshow:
View Slideshow.
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BASIC FACTS: "Out of Sight: A Survey of Contemporary Art in the Pacific Northwest" is presented on the third floor of historic King Street Station, 303 South Jackson Street, Seattle, WA 98104. The exhibition is open noon to 8 p.m. on July 31 and August 1 and form 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on August 2, 2015. www.facebook.com
The Seattle Art Fair will be presented from July 30 to August 2, 2015 at CenturyLink Field Event Center, 800 Occidental Ave S., Seattle, WA 98134. The Seattle Art Fair is open July 31 and August 1 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on August 2 from noon to 6 p.m. www.seattleartfair.com.
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Amber Cortes is a freelance multimedia journalist living in Seattle.
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