Seattle Art Museum

How do spy pigeons and stray hens relate to contemporary South Asian art? Find out this Saturday, June 8 from Sonal Khullar, W. Norman Brown Associate Professor of South Asian Studies at the University of Pennsylvania, during the final Saturday University Lecture of the 2023–2024 season. In advance of her talk, learn more about Khullar and her research on #SAMBlog! https://lnkd.in/gazAgf-D

"Poke in the Eye: Art of the West Coast Counterculture," opening Friday, June 21 at SAM, is on ARTnews list of 44 museum exhibitions to see this summer! Find out what other exhibitions made the list and catch up on all that's happening in the art world this week with a new Muse/News on #SAMBlog. https://lnkd.in/gN5g_7RA

A material as humble and mundane as wire proved inspiring for Alexander Calder, who used it to create three-dimensional line drawings. The Parisian avant-garde were so enthralled by his wire sculptures that he was nicknamed “Le roi du fil de fer,” or the king of wire. Visit #SAMBlog now to learn more about the artist’s simple yet surprising “Animated Coat Hanger” as part of the free smartphone tour of “Calder: In Motion, The Shirley Family Collection” at SAM. https://lnkd.in/g4TbHjhc

🌈 TWO DAYS TO GO! On Saturday, June 1, Anida Yoeu Ali will take to the streets of Seattle as "The Red Chador" alongside six fully-veiled performers in various colors of the rainbow. Check out the event schedule below to find out where and when you can see Ali and her colorful brigade of sequined chadoras in Seattle. Please note that times are approximate and may be subject to change. Visit bit.ly/SAMTheRedChador to learn more about what you can expect at this not-to-miss citywide public performance!

"The Red Chador" and her rainbow brigade of chadoras are taking over the streets of Seattle this Saturday, June 1 from 10 am to 4 pm! Join Anida Yoeu Ali as she transforms into "The Red Chador" alongside six fully-veiled performers in various colors of the rainbow. Together, this colorful brigade of sequined chadoras will walk and wander across the city, connecting all three of SAM's locations and allowing the public to bear witness to the glory, pride, and joy of hijabi women. Here's the full schedule: 🔴 10–11 am: Seattle Asian Art Museum 🟠 11:30–11:45 am: Westlake Center 🟡 Noon–12:30 pm: Seattle Center 🟢 1–1:30 pm: Olympic Sculpture Park 🔵 1:30–2 pm: Seattle Waterfront (Pier 70 to Pier 66) 🟣 2:15–2:45 pm: Pike Place Market 🟤 3–4 pm: Seattle Art Museum Please note that times are approximate and may be subject to change. Visit bit.ly/SAMTheRedChador to learn more about this one-day-only public performance!

"[Gwendolyn] Knight and [Jacob] Lawrence spent as much time as they could holding up artists through their service and instruction, but often it was the fact of these two giants of the Harlem Renaissance simply being here that grounded Black artists in Seattle." 🎂 Happy Birthday, Gwendolyn Knight Lawrence! This Seattle arts icon, featured here in her self-portrait, was recently profiled by Jas Keimig as part of Cascade PBS's Black Arts Legacies. The project, launched in 2020, illuminates the history and ongoing legacy of significant Black artists who have contributed to the city’s vibrancy. Knight Lawrence's influence and legacy on SAM is undeniable. It includes the Jacob Lawrence and Gwendolyn Knight Prize, awarded biannually by SAM since 2009 to an early career Black artist, and more than 60 sketches and portraits by the artist in SAM's collection. Click here to read Jas's full profile of Knight Lawrence: https://lnkd.in/e2nhY_Rt.

Alexander Calder considered the circus to be a highly sophisticated form of entertainment. Discover the origins behind the artist’s lifelong fascination with circus life as part of the free smartphone tour of “Calder: In Motion, The Shirley Family Collection” at SAM. Visit #SAMBlog to listen! https://lnkd.in/gSDi4dn7

🗣️ You asked and we listened! We’ve extended our application deadline to join the 2024–2025 SAM Teen Arts Group (TAG) through next Sunday, June 2. Visit bit.ly/24-25TAGApplication to apply and make your mark on SAM as one next year’s teen leaders. [📸 Chloe Collyer]

“A major moment for the Seattle Art Museum." – José Carlos Diaz, SAM Susan Brotman Deputy Director for Art 📣 HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT! In 2025, SAM 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," the exhibition 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 is curated by FOONG Ping, SAM Foster Foundation Curator of Chinese Art, and marks the artist’s first solo exhibition in Seattle. Read more about this incredible upcoming SAM exhibition via The Seattle Times, ARTnews, and on #SAMBlog! https://lnkd.in/gcZanQmd

👀 There's always something new to see at SAM! Stop by our fourth floor on your next visit to the Seattle Art Museum to see three new installations in our European galleries. The objects in "Conscious Constructions" span hundreds of years across Europe, encompassing High Renaissance, mannerism, baroque, as well as a sprinkling of contemporary art. What most of these works offer is an invitation from the artists to observe exquisite techniques and dynamic subject matter. "Impressionisms: The Global Nineteenth Century" reveals continuities between European and American art over the course of the long 19th century, a historical period spanning from the beginning of the French Revolution in 1789 to the beginning of World War I in 1914. Last, but certainly not least, "SAM on Paper: Rembrandt's Etchings" highlights its collection of Old Master prints and drawings with a selection of etchings by the Dutch artist Rembrandt van Rijn (1606–1669). All three of the installations are now on view at SAM! Reserve your tickets to explore these galleries and more at visitsam.org/tickets. [📸 Chloe Collyer & Alborz Kamalizad]