Bill and Ruth True are the leading collectors of contemporary art in Seattle. They buy a lot of art and they really do live with it—there are stories of videos playing above the table in their dining room or over a set of stairs. They even accidentally scared one of their children with something they installed in her room when she was young.
But they can't put it all up at home. In 2004, they opened Western Bridge, a contemporary art center that this summer looks empty but is actually full of a new sound installation by Bill Fontana. (The Trues commissioned him to make the work.) They've also given and loaned regularly to museums—The Henry Art Gallery currently has an exhibition up, Mouth Open, Teeth Showing, of several works owned by the Trues, including Doug Aitken's i am in you, having its U.S. premiere.
On a sunny day recently, the Trues sat down outside the St. Ignatius Chapel at Seattle University and talked about their history, their hopes, and the way they feel about having exposed themselves publicly at Western Bridge.
Listen in.
