An online swap meet just opened up for Seattle artists. And for your reading pleasure, here are some classic stories of art barter.

Jen Graves (The Stranger’s former arts critic) mostly writes about things you approach with your eyeballs. But she’s also a history nerd interested in anything that needs more talking about, from male...

4 replies on “Seattle Art Barter”

  1. I like to barter art used for State Highway projects. Like the new art for the 520 bridge, which has an angel of death killing a tree, to symbolize the doubling of global warming emission in both the construction and operation of this eight lane bridge with no transit-only lanes. Bartered for a pint of blood from the Seattle people who paid for it, even though it wasn’t their choice.

    Wonder if we can preview that art today at South Lake Union at the 520 hearings that Microsoft is sending its employees to to pretend it has grassroots support? The one from 5-7 pm?

    Or, even better, the art donated by Bill Gates and Paul Allen for their Billionaires Tunnel to replace the Viaduct – the one that halves freight capacity, removes downtown exits, and doubles global warming gas emissions in both construction and operation? You know, the vanity project they wanted, showing how Microsoft is anti-Green. Even if it costs at least more than $1 billion extra than the alternatives of Surface Plus Transit or a Rebuilt Viaduct.

    My guess is the artwork for that will be a glasswork done by Dale Chihuly, forged in a furnace using old growth redwoods chopped down by gas-fueled chainsaws, and dragged across salmon beds to show the power of Microsoft can’t be stopped by Mother Earth. Maybe they’ll throw in a dolphin or an orca slaughtered on yacht trip by the corporate execs?

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