BAGLEY WRIGHT

407 Dexter Ave N, 264-8200.

THE WRIGHT COLLECTION

Virginia and Bagley Wright have rehung their foundation's exhibit space, devoting one gallery entirely to their great collection of '60s and '70s color field paintings, and introducing a large David Salle oil and the John Baldessari piece Two Onlookers and Tragedy to the mix. Open-ended run.

CENTER ON CONTEMPORARY ART

65 Cedar, 728-1980.

DUSK

CoCA goes goth. Curated by Chicago artist Kim Collmer and De Kwok of Seattle's Milky World Gallery, the show focuses on the contemporary recontextualization of gothic tradition. The show is photography-heavy, including documentation of the L.A. goth scene by Mike Kelly and Cameron Jaime, sci-fi manipulated photos by Veronika Bromova, and Alexander Osbourne's photos of trend-setting bands like Bauhaus. This show isn't all black makeup and gore -- there is certainly an element of humor that runs through it. Through Dec 18.

CONSOLIDATED WORKS

410 Terry Ave N, 381-3218.

ARTIFICIAL LIFE

The visual arts component of this new multidisciplinary arts space opens with a group show exploring various definitions of the theme Artificial Life. A large installation by Sandy Skoglund is the show's centerpiece, with hundreds of fluttering butterflies as the backdrop of a jellybean- covered scene. Other highlights include an installation of cloned cast-resin sheep by Lauren Grossman; Shawn Wolfe's simultaneously technophobic and technophilic paintings and video; and Jim Rittiman's disturbing skeletons, which he conjures by mixing pieces of real insects, reptiles, and other animals. Through Nov 28.

HENRY ART GALLERY

15th Ave NE at NE 41st St, 543-2280.

GILLES BARBIER

Clones is being presented as part of Côte Ouest, a series of exhibitions by contemporary French artists on view in venues along the West Coast this fall, and features life-like wax self-portraits capturing various aspects of Barbier's persona. There are naughty, playful clones; resourceful clones; and clones that juggle the difficult job of daily living. To sum it all up, Trans-schizophrenic Anatomy is a wax cast of his bald head, carved with a diagram of Barbier's divided consciousness. Through Jan 2.

WHAT IT MEANT TO BE MODERN, SEATTLE ART AT MID-CENTURY

Over 100 works, including sculpture, paintings, and works on paper exploring the art and influence of a specific group of regional artists tagged by Life magazine in 1953 as the "Mystic Painters of the Northwest," which included Guy Anderson, Kenneth Callahan, Morris Graves, and Mark Tobey. The exhibition follows the evolution of the "Northwest School" of artists from 1932 to 1962, and contextualizes their work with other national and international movements. Through Jan 23.

NORDIC HERITAGE MUSEUM

3014 NW 67th, 789-5707.

VEBJORN SAND

This traveling exhibition of works by a prominent Norwegian contemporary artist includes paintings and renderings from major installations, a 16-foot steel replica of Leonardo da Vinci's Golden Horn Bridge, and a series of extraordinarily rich paintings. Through Nov 16.

SEATTLE ART MUSEUM

100 University St, 654-3100.

AN AMERICAN CENTURY OF PHOTOGRAPHY: FROM DRYPOINT TO DIGITAL

An important exhibition of works from the Hallmark Photographic Collection, examining important artists from Edward Muybridge to Aaron Siskind to Sandy Skoglund, and the advancement of photographic techniques throughout this century. Through Jan 9.

ANSELM KIEFER AND GERMANIC TRADITION

Paintings, works on paper, and sculpture bring contemporary German works into focus. Kiefer, born at the end of WWII, balances visually powerful imagery with intellectual critical analysis in highly dramatic paintings. Works by Max Beckmann, Rosemarie Trockel, and others. Through Dec 5.

SEATTLE ASIAN ART MUSEUM

1400 E Prospect St, Volunteer Park, 654-3100.

MODERN MASTERS OF KYOTO

Works by late 19th- and early 20th-century artists from Kyoto round out the programming for SAAM's "Year of Japan." This collection is owned by Northwest residents Griffith and Patricia Way, and contains more than 80 examples of Kyoto-school nihonga -- modern Japanese paintings executed in traditional media formats. Through Feb 13.

WING LUKE ASIAN MUSEUM

407 Seventh Ave S, 623-5124.

A DIFFERENT BATTLE

An exhibit that explores the stories of Asian Pacific American veterans who served in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Grenada Invasion, and the Persian Gulf War. The stories are conveyed through written text, audio, and video components that are divided into two sections -- how the military and combat shaped the lives of these veterans, and how it has affected the lives of individuals, families, and communities of future generations. Through April 9.

OPENINGS

*MICHELLE FIERRO/PATRICK HOLDERFIELD

The first Northwest solo show for Los Angeles artist Fierro. Her abstract works on paper and canvas are delicate little messes: Tiny globs of acrylic and oil paint, smeary pencil lines, and little pieces of lint combine in what the artist calls "vacant substance." The back hallway at James Harris has become a project room, and this month Holderfield continues his series of sculptures utilizing polyurethane foam and found objects. James Harris Gallery, 309A Third Ave S, 903-6220. Thurs Nov 11 through Dec 18.

KAWS

For the past five years, the bulbous skull and crossbones tag of Northwest graffiti artist KAWS has been seen on bus shelters, phone booths, and the sides of buildings. This tag has become a part of our urban landscape. KAWS has another side -- his fine art is shown in galleries in New York, Japan, and Seattle. ARO.space, 925 E Pike St, 320-0424. Thurs Nov 11 through Dec 11.

KIM NEWALL

Green Blood is an exhibition of new paintings and carved sculptural constructions exploring the central images of body and tree in a hybrid universe of plant and animal, memory, dream, and personal narrative. Seattle Pacific University Art Gallery, 3 West Cremona, 281-2205. Mon Nov 15 through Dec 3.

CONTINUING EXHIBITS

AN ALL-METAL VENUE

Eight artists show work in metal, from Brandon Zebold's four-yard-long sculpture to Jan Smith's miniature vignettes in brooch form. Madrona Automatic, 1435 34th Ave, 329-7869. Through Sun Nov 14.

JIMMY ANDERSON

A collection of stark black-and-white photos of Alcatraz Island. Art Not Terminal, 2045 Westlake Ave, 233-0680. Through Dec 2.

ART ABOUT MUSIC

Artwork with music as subject matter, featuring Weldon Butler, Joe Max Emminger, Mary Flynn-Gillies, Gene Gentry McMahon, Linda Okazaki, Lois Silver, and Chuck Smart. SAM Rental/Sales Gallery, 1334 First Ave, Suite 140, 654-3183. Through Nov 27.

ARTHUR AUBRY/JOHNINE MAJCHROWICZ

Aubry's Post is an austere collection of black-and-white photos documenting Hanford. Majchrowicz presents sensitively rendered drawings on panels of plants and flowers. Esther Claypool Gallery, 617 Western Ave, 264-1586. Through Nov 27.

*DRAWING SPACE

A show exploring works with strong linear elements, featuring Laurie Chambers, Victoria Haven, Robert Jones, Robert Yoder, and D. E. May, curated by Beth Sellars. George Suyama Space, 2324 Second Ave, 256-0809. Though Jan 7.

DIPTYCH: MILLENNIUM PROJECTS

Works in a variety of media, exploring the broad concept of what has changed in the last 1,000 years. LEAD Gallery, 1022 First Ave, 623-6240. Through Nov 26.

*KAREN GANZ

Ganz has a new gallery. In her first showing, she continues her use of comic figures reminiscent of cartoon characters from the 1940s. See Bio Box. Grover Thurston Gallery, 309 Occidental Ave S, 223-0816. Through Nov 27.

KATHRYN GLOWEN/JUAN ALONSO

Architecture of Language by Glowen consists of two- and three-dimensional works comparing and contrasting the structure of language and the building of physical structures. New paintings of exotic flower forms by Alonso. Francine Seders Gallery, 6701 Greenwood Ave N, 782-0355. Through Nov 28.

GAYLEN HANSEN

Big, rich, thick narrative paintings by a Northwest master. Linda Hodges Gallery, 410 Occidental Ave S, 624-3034. Through Nov 27.

WILLIAM HERBERHOLZ

In his show Prints/Porno, Herberholz mixes subject matter from Tijuana Bibles, beefcake photography, and George Grosz in a stew of high and low references. Two Bells Tavern, 2313 Fourth Ave, 441-3050. Through Dec 1.

*MATTHEW LANDKAMMER

A new group of canvases utilizing alkyd mediums and strips of tissue paper. Landkammer's delicate, linear works are graceful and inventive. The edges of the works curve toward the wall, and are painted a rich color that glows off the wall, creating a kind of aura for each work. Oculus Gallery, 163 S Jackson. Through Nov 27.

*SIMON LARBALESTIER

88299 is the first U.S. retrospective exhibition of this British photographer known for his Pixies CD cover art. This is a multimedia exhibition full of photographs from the last 12 years, a CD-ROM portfolio, and two websites. It is a unique opportunity to trace Larbalestier's work from lush, atmospheric narratives to his recent lonely, minimal landscapes. Houston, 907 E Pike St, 860-7820. Through Nov 28.

LUX AQUA PURA

A unique month-long video installation by Marianna Haniger, sponsored by 911 Media Arts Center, in the water tower at Volunteer Park. Viewers encounter a digital waterfall, projected downward from the trusses onto the double stairway that winds around the center core to the top. Volunteer Park Water Tower, daily from noon to 6 pm. Through Nov 22.

BEN MAHMOUD

Very skillfully rendered surreal paintings that present still-life elements as if they were being carefully collected and archived. The text within the composition either supports or confounds the relationship between the objects. Ballard Fetherston Gallery, 818 E Pike St, 322-9440. Through Dec 22.

*MARK TAKAMICHI MILLER

Four large acid-colored abstract paintings. Takamichi is a great painter, and these psychedelic works explode with force and ooze with energy. Frankly, I think they're a perfect combination of sexy and tacky. Howard House, 2017 Second Ave, 256-6399. Through Nov 27.

PETER MILLETT/WILLIAM WEGMAN

Millett's new body of elegant geometric sculptures are made from cleanly cut cross-sections of steel pipe. Also included in the exhibition are wood sculptures painted or stained in earthy muted tones. When he's not in the studio shooting his dogs, Wegman likes to draw and paint on photographic prints. This is the second showing of his altered works at Kucera. Greg Kucera Gallery, 212 Third Ave S, 624-0770. Through Dec 15.

NIAGARA

This Detroit artist and pop diva plays with gender roles in her new work, where girls are hard-core and guys whimper. Roq la Rue, 2224 Second Ave, 374-8977. Sat Nov 13 through Dec 4.

MIKE NIPPER

In Nipper's abstract oil paintings, layers of lighter paint on top of deep colors, along with grid-like linear qualities, combine to create a map-like landscape. Still Life Coffee- house, 709 N 35th, 547-9850. Through Dec 6.

*MARION PECK/DRAKE DEKNATEL

Two painters I adore. Peck honors objects and trends dear to our hearts in the 1970s. Her work is always witty and fresh without a shred of pretension. Deknatel's gestural abstract works always begin with a figure study, and deconstruct to the point of no return. Deknatel paints -- really paints. Davidson Gallery, 313 Occidental Ave S, 624-4588. Through Nov 27.

CLAUDIA REINHARDT

Shot like a photo layout in an ultra-hip rag like Wallpaper, these photos are raw and enticing. The subject matter is most often about gender and sexuality. This Berlin photographer's work has been published internationally in publications like I-D magazine. The Pound Gallery, 1216 10th Ave, 323-0557. Through Nov 30.

*JENA SCOTT

Scott is an amazing painter, and an even more amazing storyteller. Her works are generally autobiographic and often very difficult, but always wrapped in a blanket of shiny paint, bright colors, and enticing layers of narrative elements. They're truly jewel-like, but carry a vicious bite -- an irresistible combination. Eyre/Moore Gallery, 913 Western Ave, 624-5596. Through Nov 30.

KEN SHIMIZU

Photographs of people in villages around the Amazon, taken on the artist's recent visit to Brazil. RAW Gallery, 409 Seventh Ave S, 340-1445. Through Nov 21.

SHRINKY DINK ART EXHIBITION

Seattle artists are cutting loose, creating tiny works that will be auctioned to benefit the Langston Hughes Cultural Arts Center. Zeitgeist Art & Coffee, 161 S Jackson, 583-0497. Through Nov 27.

*GEORGE STOLL

The first solo exhibition in Seattle for this respected Los Angeles artist contains work from his latest series, which continues his fascination with household objects -- this time the sponge. Past obsessions have included Tupperware and toilet paper. Delicate and ephemeral, Stoll's burned balsa wood and alkyd sponges, and minimal pencil drawings, avoid preciousness and hit home with a sense of modesty and simple allure. Winston Wächter Fine Art, 403 Dexter Ave N, 652-5855. Through Nov 27.

TAKE MY PICTURE

Check out the exhibit and then come back for the fundraiser. Fifty artists have donated works, and at the end of the month 100 tickets will be sold for $100 each. Each ticket-holder will get to pick a piece off the wall as their number is drawn, so everyone wins. Photographic Center Northwest, 900 12th Ave, 720-7222. Through Nov 20.

KATI TOIVANEN

Multi-layered photographs telling subtle yet complex visual stories. FotoCircle Gallery, 163 S Jackson St, 624-2645. Through Nov 27.

KATRINA WHITNEY

A 10-year retrospective featuring photographs, collage, paintings, and constructions. Habitude, 5350 Ballard Ave NW. Sat Nov 13 through Dec 30.

ELLEN ZEIGLER

Exploring the relationship between the physical and spiritual world, Zeigler's environment is truly exotic: cascading black bells, running water, dried fish and fruit, bright flowers. Zeigler's work isn't at all akin to the mixed-media shrine craze from the early 1990s, but rather a sophisticated,refined, clean vision of a meditative environment. King County Art Gallery, 506 Second Ave, Room 200, 296-7580. Through Nov 26.

EVENTS

A. D. Coleman on the Digital Age of Photography

Photo critic A. D. Coleman addresses social and ethical issues facing photography in the digital era. A panel discussion including Paul Berger, Rod Slemmons, and Davis Freeman will follow. Sponsored by SAM's Photography Council. Seattle Art Museum, 100 University St, 654-3100. Fri Nov 12, 7 pm.