CENTER ON CONTEMPORARY ART

65 Cedar St, 728-1980.

THE WHOLE WORLD IS WATCHING: ART, IMAGES, AND LITERATURE FROM THE WTO PROTESTS

One of the happier results of the protests last fall is this ongoing dialogue in various arts about the event and about the idea of protest in general. Some very good artists have contributed to this show, including Friese Undine, Deborah Lawrence, and Cause B. (a graffiti writer featured earlier this year at Consolidated Works). Through July 1.

CONSOLIDATED WORKS

410 Terry Ave N, 860-5245.

*SHEILA KLEIN

Sculptor Sheila Klein works in a wide range of media and scale, from enormous public art commissions to small conceptual pieces (including proposals to ornament city skylines with jewelry), but it all bears her trademark humor and excellent eye. This show of recent sculpture includes interactive hanging tents (viewers are invited to climb in) and a fortress made of... giant Spandex pants. Through June 30.

FRYE ART MUSEUM

701 Terry Ave, 622-9250.

THOMAS HART BENTON

Perhaps best known for his dense, saturated murals (the likes of which adorn city halls across the country), Benton also was a great traveler, and recorded what he saw in America's remote regions. His drawings chronicle the country's change from an agricultural nation to an industrialized one. Through June 25.

GRAHAM NICKSON

The British-born Nickson, well known for his figurative painting, has been painting bathers for the last 20 years. This subject certainly has deep roots in the history of art (Cézanne, Degas), and Nickson makes his mark with vivid, just-this-side-of-natural colors. Through July 16.

DAVID ROSENTHAL

Large oil paintings of Antarctic landscapes--realistic, with an otherworldly feel. Through Aug 9.

HENRY ART GALLERY

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

TONY OURSLER

Oursler's video works are characteristically creepy--for example, projections of facial features that give a weird, transparent life to inanimate objects. His installation at the Henry is called The Empty Cabinet, but knowing Oursler, "empty" is a relative term. Through July 30.

SHIFTING GROUND: TRANSFORMED VIEWS OF THE AMERICAN LANDSCAPE

It's such a ubiquitous subject, and so often maligned. Here's a show that makes a gallant effort to show how landscape portrayal has changed over time, and by implication, how our attitude toward the land has been altered in the process. Through Aug 20.

SEATTLE ART MUSEUM

100 University St, 654-3158.

2000 1/2: GOING FORWARD LOOKING BACK

SAM is still insisting that this is the first year of the new century, and has mounted this exhibition from its permanent collection (and some loans) to mark its midpoint. Among the included artists are Gary Hill, Ed Ruscha, Kiki Smith, Vanessa Beecroft, and Sherrie Levine. In addition, two small traveling exhibitions have been incorporated under this conceptual umbrella: a series of photographs by the Chinese Canadian artist C. D. Hoy, and an installation by Whitfield Lovell. Through July 16.

SEATTLE ASIAN ART MUSEUM

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

THE ART OF PROTEST

Social and political issues addressed through a variety of media, including the photography of Walker Evans and the mordant commentary of Jenny Holzer. Fang Lijun's enormous woodcut, No. 19, dominates the exhibition. Through Jan 21, 2001.

TACOMA ART MUSEUM

12th and Pacific, Tacoma, 253-272-4258.

FAST FORWARD: THE SHAPE OF NORTHWEST DESIGN

It's no longer news: Design is irrevocably part of our visual culture. It doesn't make this show any less interesting, however, since the best design, like the best art, continues to delight and surprise. Participants range from the ubiquitous (Microsoft, Boeing) to Anoek Minneboo, a furniture designer recently named one of I.D. Magazine's hot young designers under 30. Through June 18.

WING LUKE ASIAN MUSEUM

407 Seventh Ave S, 623-5124.

THROUGH OUR EYES

An extensive exhibition of Asian American photography of the Northwest, from journalism to fine art. It includes the photography of Frank Matsura--who emigrated from Japan at the turn of the century (the last one) and documented the Okanogan frontier--through the contemporary work of Dean Wong and Jessica Kim. Through April 8, 2001.

WRIGHT EXHIBITION SPACE

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. Other highlights include a Robert Longo, Eric Fischl, a huge Warhol Rorschach, and Jules Olitski's Thigh Smoke. Open-ended run.

OPENING EXHIBITIONS

JUDITH KINDLER, SANDY SAMPSON

This opening marks the first show in Atelier 31's new space. Kindler's paintings use layers of acrylic, which give a glazed feeling to nearly photorealistic figurative images combined with simple line drawings. Sampson too combines real and abstract, and gives it a layer of wax for good measure. Opening reception Sat June 17, noon-6 pm. Atelier 31, 122 Central Way, Kirkland, 425-576-1477. Through July 11.

KELLY NEWCOMER, CHUCK DONG

Both Newcomer's oil paintings and Dong's prints have a smooth, glossy quality that suggests the impenetrability of advertising. But they're thankfully more beautiful. Opening reception (with DJ) Thurs June 15, 6-9 pm. I-Spy/Nation, 1921 Fifth Ave, 374-9492. Through July 12.

ABSTRACTION FROM NATURE

Nine artists twisting the natural world--in the best of ways. Seattle Art Museum Rental Sales Gallery, 1134 First Ave, 654-3240. Through July 8.

ROSS PALMER BEECHER

In a new series of multimedia entitled Great Film Directors, Beecher honors the film industry's giants. Her assemblages of fabricated metal and old camera parts create elaborate frames for Alfred Hitchcock, Werner Herzog, and Orson Welles--the directors, in short, who put frames around everyday and not-so-everyday life. Greg Kucera Gallery, 212 Third Ave S, 624-0770. Through June 15.

BRING FORTH ART

Work by UW B.F.A. candidates. Oculus Gallery, 216 Alaskan Way S, 366-2108. Through June 30.

*CRIS BRUCH

See Stranger Suggests. Suyama Space, 2324 Second Ave, 256-0809. Through Aug 18.

*CHARLES BURNS

You'll recognize the blank-eyed characters, the noir-ish atmosphere, the precise, hard-edged drawing style. Grotesque and innocent, narrative and subconscious, appalling and compelling--this is comics art at its best. Comics artists come and go, but Burns (like Crumb, like Spiegelman) endures. Roq la Rue Gallery, 2224 Second Ave, 374-8977. Through June 30.

KEITH CARTER, LARRY CALKINS

Two artists exhibiting utterly personal work, in two entirely different media. Carter's photographs of his adopted home--East Texas, reflect the popular culture of that odd place; Calkins fashions relic-like objects from wood, cloth, metal, dirt, and clay. G. Gibson Gallery, 122 S Jackson St, Suite 200, 587-5751. Through July 1.

STEPHAN CHALMERS

The disturbing feeling given off by these looming, large-scale silhouettes isn't only formal, but is embedded in the source. Chalmers uses as his subjects emotionally disturbed children posing with their most treasured objects, and the result is sobering, to say the least. FotoCircle Gallery, 216 Alaskan Way S, 624-2645. Through June 29.

LAURIE CINOTTO

Cinotto is adept at balancing kitsch and nostalgia, the arched eyebrow with the pangs of real memory. In this installation, entitled Bird Lore, she uses all manner of objects--crocheted doilies, Styrofoam birds, sequins, and feathers--to poke at the embedded past. King County Art Gallery, 506 Second Ave, Room 200, 296-7580. Through June 30.

TIM CURCHOD

Collage and painting about artists at work. Trapeze Gallery, 1130 34th Ave, 329-3363. Through June 30.

MARK DANIELSON

Mid-century suburbia: safe haven or claustrophobic death trap? Danielson's paintings offer just enough to make the question clear. Howard House, 2017 Second Ave, 256-6399. Through July 1.

JAMES DEITZ, INGE NØRGAARD

There's something quite charming and also slightly sinister about Deitz's paintings, which feature everyday objects interacting socially on surfaces that are thick and scraped and obscuring. Nørgaard's small tapestries are framed in woven strips of old gasoline cans. Francine Seders Gallery, 6701 Greenwood Ave N, 782-0355. Through June 25.

PAUL GREEN

Very detailed, very precise paintings, rife with sexual symbolism and a kind of moral ambivalence about eroticism. Also at Davidson is the Northwest Print Invitational, this month featuring Washington artists. Davidson Galleries, 313 Occidental Ave, 624-7684. Through July 1.

DIONNE HAROUTUNIAN, MONA J. LANG

Haroutunian focuses on rocks, in prints and drawings that have an illustrative feel. Lang's acrylic paintings are an ongoing narrative about a strange (but charming) large-eyed sylph called "Staring Girl." Sev Shoon Arts Center, 5200 Ballard Ave NW, 782-2415. Through July 1.

*RICHARD HUTTER

Hutter seems to draw inspiration from two rather opposing camps: a purity of shape and color associated with minimalism, and the catchall aesthetic of collage. His panels speak to each tradition, but are hardly exercises in conflict; rather, they're as calm and intriguing as Buddhist koans. Lisa Harris Gallery, 1922 Pike Place, 443-3315. Through June 30.

NAN JOHNSON

Recent work inspired by travels in the Mediterranean. Ballard Fetherston Gallery, 818 E Pike Street, 322-9440. Through July 8.

LE DEBUT

Five graphic-design students from the Art Institute (Josh Sellers, Tiffany Stone, Alex Toussaint, Steven Bacon, and Jennifer Martin, who go by the collective name "Allure") show their fine-art work. Ace Studios, 619 Western Ave, Third Floor. For information, call 448-0900, ext. 2251. Through June 25.

RICHARD LEWIS

The method is at least as interesting as the work: Lewis makes large-scale contact prints from homemade cameras (which are included in the exhibition) and paper negatives. The Pound Gallery, 1216 10th Ave, 323-0557. Through June 27. Reviewed this issue.

*KAREN LIEBOWITZ

There's not much painting that's really grand these days--not in the old awe-inspiring, knee-quaking way. But Liebowitz's canvases are crowded with symbols and emotion and color, with the iconography of Judaism, mythology, and history, and with intense and cryptic narrative. It's a lot of work for a painting to do, but work it does, because Liebowitz can paint. SOIL Artist Cooperative, 12th and Pike, 264-8061. Through June 25.

MACROCOSM/MICROCOSM

Nature enlarged beyond recognition and pressed right into the canvas, from artists Carolyn Watts and Eva Isaksen. Cornish College of the Arts, Fisher Gallery, 710 E Roy St, 726-5011. Through Aug 31.

*ENRIQUE MARTÍNEZ CELAYA

See Bio Box. Eyre/Moore Gallery, 913 Western Ave, 624-5596. Through July 1.

*MIRROR'S EDGE

Get yourself up to Canada to see this touring show--Vancouver is as close as it's coming to Seattle--featuring work by international artists rarely shown in the U.S. Vancouver Art Gallery, 750 Hornby St, Vancouver, BC, 604-662-4700. Through Aug 13.

NEDDY ARTIST FELLOWSHIP EXHIBITION

Work by the eight nominees for this annual award, given by the Behnke Foundation: George Chacona, Deborah Mersky, Mary Ann Peters, and Liza von Rosenstiel (all in painting); and Lita Batho, Patrick Holderfield, Claudia Fitch, and Hele Lessick (in sculpture). Bank of America Gallery, 701 Fifth Ave, Third Floor, 585-3200. Through July 7.

PRINTWORKS 2000

Yet another show with "2000" in the title, but there's good work to be seen here and (not incidentally) it's one of the great benefits of the "one-percent-for-arts" funds. Among the City of Seattle's recent acquisitions are prints by Dirk Park, whose chemically etched work has an eerie and beautiful biological feel, and C. Blake Haygood, whose drypoint prints resemble inventions from the mind of Dr. Seuss, though slightly more sinister. Key Tower Gallery, Fifth and Cherry, Third Floor. Through July 14.

RoSTARR

RoStarr is actually the brand name of artist and graphic designer Romon Yang. This show is only partly about his paintings, which feature bold patterns of bright Rorschach-y blots. The rest is a collaboration with Colab, a New York City-based fusion of art and marketing, which mounts art in lightboxes so that it's as visible as advertising. Houston, 907 E Pike St, 860-7820. Through July 13.

JOHN STAMETS, FORD GILBREATH

For a while, Stamets seemed to be an unlucky guy to have around new construction: He's the photographer who took those classic pictures of Husky Stadium collapsing, and was on hand to snap Hammering Man as it fell during installation. His current photographs are of museums under construction, including the strange evolution of the Experience Music Project. Gilbreath's subjects examine woodlands from animal perspectives. Esther Claypool Gallery, 617 Western Ave, 264-1586. Through July 1.

MARIAM AZIZA STEPHAN

A series of drawings entitled Stranded by this sure-handed artist. Two Bells Tavern, 2313 Fourth Ave, 441-3050. Through Aug 1.

STUDENT EXHIBITIONS

It's that time of year--the trees are budding, the birds are singing, and young artists are decorating the walls. By definition such shows are a mixed bag, but there's a real thrill in finding talent. UW's Master of Fine Art candidates have the nicest venue: the South Gallery of the Henry; their exhibition runs through June 25. Shoreline Community College's show (16101 Greenwood Ave N) is up through Sept 1.

LINO TAGLIAPIETRA

These glass forms are lovely--shapely, organic, and shot through with mysterious color. There's a lot of hack glass out there, but Tagliapietra is a maestro, in the actual and metaphorical sense of the word. William Traver Gallery, 110 Union St, Second Floor, 587-6501. Through July 2.

*WHITING TENNIS

Tennis' work can be deceptively homely. He tends to reach back to decidedly un-hip precedents in art--quilting, still life--and then renders them sharp and new. These new paintings--classically arranged still lifes, landscapes, and portraits--have a kind of pervasive chill that keeps them an arm's length from sweet. Grover/Thurston Gallery, 309 Occidental Ave S, 223-0816. Through July 1.

HENRY TURMON

The exploration of vessel-as-form is traditionally a feminine subject, but Turmon takes it on to fine effect. His sculpture and drawings in this new show draw on imaginative and metaphorical objects, such as the genie's lamp. James Harris Gallery, 309A Third Ave S, 903-6220. Through July 1.

20th-CENTURY MASTER WORKS ON PAPER

Works by Dubuffet, Leger, Matisse, Picasso, Braques, Miro, and Le Corbusier. Winston Wächter Fine Art, 403 Dexter Ave N, 652-5855. Through Aug 10.

MARK VERCAMMEN

Black-and-white photographs in blurred close-up and vertiginous perspective. Lux Coffeebar, 2226 First Ave, 443-0962. Through June 30.

MATT WINKELMANN

Winkelmann's ceramic forms--heavy, hollow, imposing--have a bronze-like presence. Seemingly inspired by natural things, they're quite unreal. Random Modern Gallery, 1102 Court D, Tacoma, 253-209-3758. Through June 30.

BRANDON ZEBOLD

Zebold "draws" on steel using a flame-cutter. Now that's a powerful pen. Bryan Ohno Gallery, 155 S Main, 667-9572. Through July 1.

EVENTS

*ROME

Another multi-art event from Curtis Taylor, who has a talent for the kind of cabaret that juxtaposes the absurd and the sublime. Rome promises to touch on themes of "food, machines, the state, and sex-death," and performers include mezzo-soprano Janna Wachter, sound-composer Boyd Post, actress Christina Mastin, and artist Friese Undine. Music, art, and booze, too. At 9 pm on Fri-Sat June 16-17 and 23-24. Tickets are $10 ($7 for members) and available at the door or by reservation at 728-1980. At CoCA, 65 Cedar St.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR ARTISTS

PAUSE

The idea is to measure time through the body, and 20 artists are gathering at SAM (under the auspices of Occupy Yourself Productions) to try this out through the polymorphous media of performance installation. It's hard to imagine what such a mandate means, but the inclusion of those incredibly slow and stately Butoh dancers is a clue. Other participating artists include Jamie McMurry, J. D. Platt, and Performance Art Network; the performances take place throughout the museum--on the stairs, in the galleries, in the elevators on Thurs June 15, 6-9 pm, at the Seattle Art Museum. For information, call 654-4410.