Curiousity, Contamination, and Cultivation - Seattle.

Feb 6th, 2004

by Michael Overa

    It's a cold February night, and the sun is down by the time Art Walk is gearing up. A once a month event, Art Walk includes a collection of local galleries that stretches from just north of the Seattle Art Museum (SAM) to Seattle's Pioneer Square.

    The event attracts hipsters, artists and students, the wealthy and poor, and the cultured of every degree.

    The SAM, like the Seattle Asian Art Museum, promises free admission all day. In the SAM's lobby a band plays to people on crowded steps nibbling hors d'oeuvres, and drinking white wine from plastic cups.

    The galleries are crowded, as patrons wander through the artwork of Christian Marclay (currently on display at the SAM), eyeing record sleeve montages and white cast telephones scattered across the floor. On a screen to one side of the Marclay exhibition a side by side by side by side video display plays mixing music and scenes in strange cacophony.

    On the upper floors regular exhibts of Chinese Art, Native American Art, and various collections sit in cases, and curious displays. The curious work of Curtis Steiner with it's odd jars and nik-naks (including glass eyeballs in a velvet lined box), occupies one alley between rooms.

    Out on the city streets buses pass and art enthusiasts wander past bums, drunks, and the end of the day crowds. Galleries offer more wine, more hors'd'oeuvres, and varied art. Bright painted canvases and castings on pedestals. Seattle's big name artists mingle with minor names, mingle with patrons and enthusiasts.

    No matter the ideal art it can most likely be found here. From minimalist paintings to found art sculptures. Paintings and photographs of dolphins and seacoasts -- pastel designs -- wooden montage'd toys. Pieces of art that both demand and refuse to be touched.

    In the William Traver Gallery Mark Zirpel's monoprint birds surround strange experiments and combinations of machinery and attic refugees. A mechanical bird swings it's wings on a pedestal, and small machines move in undetectable increments.

    Near Pioneer Square, an (literally) underground gallery offers a quartet of artsy composition. A stand up bass plays in brick halls accompanied by drums, keyboard, guitar. Here there is photography, water colors, various closed shops, bodies squeezing by in the narrow passages. In the square itself tables and carpets straddle the cobblestones offering candles, jewelry, small sculptures.

    On the corner of the square The Last Supper Club hosts a poetry reading. Not far away are four star bars, strip clubs, restaurants and homeless shelters.

***The SEATTLE ARTWALK is the first Thursday of every month, allowing free entry to all participating galleries, including the Seattle Art Museum and the Seattle Asian Art Museum. ARTWALK has cousins in various cities and locations around Seattle including Kirkland, Ballard, Vashon Island, and Fremont.***