On the first Thursday of every month, Seattleites flock to the streets of Pioneer Square for the city's central and oldest art walk, which offers opportunities to stroll, sip on wine, and attend as many gallery openings as possible. But, in most cases, the shows are up for longer than just one night, and the historic neighborhood is a great place to check out art any day of the year. So, below, we've compiled the most promising exhibits that are having opening receptions on Septemberâcomplete with a handy Google map at the bottom. You can also find more options on our First Thursday calendar or our complete visual art calendar.
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Aidan Fitzgerald: Content-Aware
On August 22, Cold Cube Press co-founder Aidan Fitzgerald staged a performance in which he sat in a folding chair, dressed in white from head to toe, and scrolled through his phone for eight continuous hours. This performanceâwhich was live-streamed on YouTubeâis one of Fitzgerald's meditations on the work of art in the age of digital content creation. In the 1930s, Walter Benjamin wondered if the work of art reproduced mechanically could retain any of the "aura" of the original. Today we might ask something different: If there was no one there to Instagram it, did the work ever exist in the first place? EMILY POTHAST
Mount Analogue
Dale Travous: Sparks, A Retrospective
Dale Travous, now Midwest-based, used to live in Seattle, where he turned out sculptures and paintings inspired by scientific advances and alchemy. He once had a two-million-volt Tesla coil at the Garner/Demombynes Gallery. At this pub gallery, see his work from the Seattle years (minus coil).
Virginia Inn
Dan Friday
Lummi glass blower Friday crafts exquisite sculptures based on Native practices like, in this case, cedar bark weavingâan art he encountered growing up with his relative, the Lummi weaver Fran James. The objects are exquisite, paying homage to the intricacy of the traditional craft and adding his own asymmetries and vividly contrasting colors. For this exhibition, he pays tribute to traditional Lummi reefnet fishing.
Stonington Gallery
The Drawnk Show: ArtCade
The Drawnk, a weekly drawing and drinking meet up at local bars that boasts 1,500 members in its Facebook group, holds its second group show at Statix. Artists are contributing carnival themed objects, some of which were commissioned for outdoor activities at Occidental Park this summer. Games like PLINKO! and Art Jenga, as well as facehole photo booths will be on display. The artistic styles of the over 50 artistsâincluding street, cartoon, chalk, illustration, and muralsâlend themselves well to the theme. Artists of note include Michael Alm, Joseph Brooks, Tara Kraft, Gabriel Marquez (EMOH), Angelita Martinez, and Ryan Thies. KATIE KURTZ
Statix
Eunice Kim: Nature Stories
This Seattle printmaker developed allergies to the chemicals generally used in the practice and so developed a more environmentally friendly and healthy process, which produces variation in prints. She creates images formed by spots in simple formations, perhaps reminding you of magnified microbes or of a more subdued Yayoi Kusama.
Davidson Galleries
Janna Watson: Moody as Light
In the early 20th century, nonobjective painting was seen as something revolutionary. Today, it feels almost quaint and anachronistic, as though every painting for its own sake that the universe could possibly need has already been made. The large-scale mixed-media works of Toronto-based painter Janna Watson stand in defiance of this trend. Large brushstrokes and small bursts of color wiggle and dance on soft gradients like visual music. A recent article from Artsy named Watson's paintings among the most collectible offerings at Seattle Art Fairâbut even if you're not in the market to buy art, these are very nice to look at. EMILY POTHAST
Foster/White
Lawrence Pitre: We Are One
Like the great Seattle artist Jacob Lawrenceâwith whom he studied at the University of WashingtonâLawrence Pitre uses bold, stylized figures to create paintings embedded with political, social, and cultural history. Born and raised in the Central District, Pitre has witnessed decades of transformation and economic displacement firsthand. In We Are One, he presents paintings of historical people, places, and events from Seattleâs African American, East Asian, and Jewish communities, from the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II to the radical activism of the Gang of Four. âThe inclusiveness behind the work is meant to show that we need each other again,â says Pitre. âWe have to come back together and start standing up for our community as a whole.â EMILY POTHAST
Gallery 4Culture
Louder in the dark
In tandem with the ambitious Becoming American, this member artist show highlights and responds to Aram Saroyanâs experimental poetry, written from 1964-72.
SOIL
Merci Beaucoup
Elizabeth Arzani's tin and assemblage sculptures are on exhibition in this farewell show before the artist moves to Europe. Alongside these eye-pleasing, DIY-aesthetic 3D pieces, Heidi Dyer will sell ceramics and donate all of the proceeds to SOS Mediterranée, a migrant rescue organization.
Velouria
Phillip Levine, Dale Lindman
Levine was recently the subject of a book published by the Museum of Northwest Art. His sculptures and drawings have netted him a Washington State Governor's Award and are exhibited in many collections and museums. Abstract painter Dale Lindman has received multiple prizes, including the Minnesota State Arts Board, Ford Foundation Scholarship, Northwest International Art Competition at the Whatcom Museum, and a Morris Graves Foundation residency.
Prographica/KDR
Sale Sale Sale Cheap Art Stuff Blow Out Banger Sale Sale Sale
Recovering from a break-in last month, the gallery has sprung back up and is offering art, furnishings, inventory, and much more, including "mannequins, mystery pinatas, yards and yards of faux fur, pastel plants, party supplies, disco balls, wig displays, fancy string lights, weird furniture, angelic plinths, roman plinths, plain ass wood plinths, discounted apparel, art bargains, pin deals, [and] vintage wares." Plus, there's cake!
Party Hat
Sister Mary Corita Kent: Selected Works
Born in Fort Dodge, Iowa, Sister Mary Corita Kent entered a convent at age 18. In 1947, during graduate school at the University of Southern California, she fell in love with screenprinting. Influenced by Andy Warhol, the slogans of the Civil Rights era, and her own commitment to consider poverty, racism, and injustice from a spiritual perspective, Corita Kent created one of the boldest, most distinctive bodies of 20th century poster art. After heading up the art department at Immaculate Heart College in Los Angeles for a number of years (where she could often be seen screenprinting in a full nun's habit) she left the order and moved to Boston, where her work took on a more introspective style. EMILY POTHAST
Davidson Galleries
Ursula Rose
Ursula Rose conjures parts of nudes, portraits, and still lifes in ethereal watercolor that seems to emerge organically from the blank background.
Linda Hodges Gallery
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