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Courtesy of Glass Box

The newest solo show at Glass Box in the International District features minimalist sculptures by Tannaz Farsi, who lives and works in Oregon. Farsi is an accomplished contemporary artist, using sculptural techniques to present interpretations of visual coding and commentaries on identity and digital language. Farsi has shown at the Disjecta Contemporary Art Center and the Delaware Center for Contemporary Art, among others. Luckily, Seattle still maintains spaces such as Glass Box (the last time Seattle was graced with Farsi’s work, Glass Box was OHGE Ltd.) and curators such as Julia Greenway to bring us thought provoking contemporary visual art—a hard thing to come by in the Sell! Sell! Sell! establishment galleries of Pioneer Square.

Farsi’s solo show features seven sculptures. The first two works you encounter are of a personal-to-the-artist nature. One is a memory box of sorts, featuring the artist’s mother’s hand knit sweater and a digital print of a parrot. In the same room is a stack of greeting cards indiscriminately floating on the wall. There are no explanations or didactics near the artworks. There is a print out on the front desk you can carry with you, but why bother? It won’t help you. I invite you to project yourself into the downstairs work instead of trying to interpret the "intent" of the work (especially that card stack).

In the other room is one of Farsi’s most recurring pieces–Untitled [Without Control]. It is a large round silver medallion, standing alone in the middle of the room, with “YOUAREINVISIBLE” carved through it. It said to me: “No one actually sees you. I am sorry to inform you.” I found it relieving and responded: “Thank you for your honesty.” Upstairs there are two works. The first is composed of three individually titled sculptures which form one installation. 10 security lights blare directly at two steel plates carved with words addressing social and digital boundaries (colonist, pilgrim, defector, to name a few). Around the corner is the last piece, "Script." Do not miss it.

Field not Frame is up at Glass Box through December 9th.