Second Thursday is here, which means its time to go art walkin’ in Capitol Hill. You can see a full list of participating venues on the Capitol Hill Art Walk official site (with a handy map to navigate it all). Here are three highlights worth seeing this month.
L’œil des Femmes Pop-up Show at Amandine Bakeshop
Georgetown, Seattle-based gallery studio e has been hosting monthly pop ups in the upstairs area at Amandine Bakeshop, and the results are always delicious for all the senses. For the third year running, designer and photographer Netra Nei has guest-curated a photography show at studio e’s main space. The main show opens this weekend in Georgetown, and features all black and white analog photos from international artists. During Capitol Hill Art Walk, Nei will be showing colorful, curious and beautifully textured images from women photographers. Come in and delight your senses (including your ears, as DJ One Bean provides tunes to keep the atmosphere lively).
5-8pm at Amandine Bakeshop (1424 11th Ave). 2nd floor (not wheelchair accessible)
proposed land use at Vermillion
Vermillion‘s first new show of sculpture and mixed media for 2017 arrives this Thursday. Artist Aubrey Birdwell takes on changing urban landscapes in a unique way in proposed land use. Birdwell is a skilled fabricator and sculptor, and his day job includes making the ubiquitous proposed land use signs seen throughout the city. These portents of a changing urban landscape have become much maligned (and graffitied), and Birdwell chops and reshapes them into sculptures, including a large coffin with a cityscape inside.
There is a touch of personal mourning here, but the title of the show implies a deeper question being asked around the world: What kind of city do we want? What makes a city in the first place? Cities are dynamic places where change is a given, but as public spaces are eliminated and cultural touchstones disappear, we must propose our own ideas.
Birdwell collaborates with artist Darya Husak and arts collective The New Mystics for proposed land use. Come on the early side (6pm) to catch a procession with the New Mystics, accompanied by accordion player Vladislav Petruk. The celebration will continue in Vermillion’s back room with DJ Leopold Bloom.
6-9pm at Vemillion (1508 11th Ave). Ages 21+.
11 years ago, the nine year anniversary of Robert Zverina’s PoD project. Via Zverina.com.
ARTisANAL: 20-year Robert Zverina Retrospective at Dendroica
Twenty years ago (before blogs were even a thing), artist Robert Zverina started posting a photo a day, accompanied by commentary. Posts are less frequent now, but Zverina remains ever prolific. Sometimes political, sometimes ekphrastic, always interesting, his online work is a vast trove of inspiration now.
Dendroica hosts a nicely timed retrospective of Zverina’s multimedia output, including video, recordings, assemblages and flatwork. Zverina will be present at the opening reception and in the coming weeks. The show is up through March 5, and the artist will be gallery sitting frequently, inviting people to dialogue and collaborate in order to determine (in Zverina’s) words “how to be effective in the days ahead.” Check out Zverina’s online project and archive at www.zverina.com.
5-9pm at Dendroica (1718A E Olive St).
City Arts Winter Art Walk Awards Party
After the Art Walk, head over to Sole Repair for the Winter Art Walk Awards, hosted by City Arts.
Each quarter three guest judges explore neighborhood art walks throughout the city to select nine exhibited artworks as finalists. The Art Walk Awards celebrate the finalists and attendees at the event will choose the winners. The top three artworks will receive cash prizes and the first-place artwork will be featured in City Arts Magazine.
The party is free. To attend, RSVP before 3pm on Thursday, February 9. RSVP online here.
Ages 21+. Doors at 7pm at Sole Repair (1001 E Pike St).
