BELLEVUE ART MUSEUM

510 Bellevue Way NE, Bellevue, 425-519-0770.

* TRESPASSING: HOUSES X ARTISTS

The houses of famous people should be made of two-way mirrors; this would meet celebrities' paradoxical need for privacy and exposure at the same time. Unfortunately, my brilliant idea is not included in Trespassing, a collaboration between the Bellevue Art Museum and the MAK Center in Los Angeles--but such not-frequently-seen-in-the-Northwest artists as David Reed, Jessica Stockholder, and Chris Burden are. It's a big year for the architecture-as-art inquiry, and this entry looks smart, promising, and stylish. Through Jan 5.

CENTER ON CONTEMPORARY ART (CoCA)

1420 11th Ave, 728-1980.

* BLURRED

Architects, game designers, graphic designers, and other nontraditional practitioners in a series of site-specific installations. See also Events. Through Sept 13.

HENRY ART GALLERY

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

EXPERIMENTS IN ART AND TECHNOLOGY (E.A.T.)

34 years after its official inception, the Northwest chapter of Experiments in Art and Technology (or E.A.T.), a group that provided artists with access to a variety of cutting-edge electronics, reunites for a historical retrospective. Featured are works from E.A.T. chapters across the country, including Kisses Sweeter than Wine and other E.A.T. Ephemera, a series of documentary films on the original E.A.T. group (founded in New York by Billy Klüver, Robert Rauschenberg, Robert Whitman, and others), and Hans Haacke: Wind Room, a collection of recently uncovered documents concerning a 1969 installation commissioned by the Henry. Stay tuned for October's addition of Rauschenberg's Test Stones and Booster. Through Dec 1.

SEATTLE ART MUSEUM

100 University St, 654-3100.

* DO-HO SUH

Korean artist Suh understands the power of "a lot," understands how repetition gives a kind of dignity to modest things. He imbues his projects--a suit of armor made from thousands of dog tags, a floor held up by thousands of tiny figures, wallpaper made of thousands of faces cut out from his high-school yearbook--with political feeling as well. (Emily Hall) Split between the Seattle Asian Art Museum and the Seattle Art Museum, the first American survey of Suh's work arrives in our city. Through Dec 1.

OPENING EXHIBITIONS

* 6 PACK

Local surrealist painters (including Rich Lehl, Marion Peck, and Jason Puccinelli, among others) and their "all-American perversities"! Opening reception Fri Sept 6, 7-11 pm. Vital 5 Productions, 2200 Westlake Ave, 254-0475. Through Sept 30.

* ANTHONY AUSGANG, YUMIKO KAYUKAWA

See Stranger Suggests. Opening reception Fri Sept 6, 6-10 pm. Roq la Rue, 2316 Second Ave, 374-8977. Through Sept 30.

MARSHALL BIALAS

Biblical text superimposed upon enlarged and distorted elements of human faces constitute this "powerfull [sic] body of work that questions the meaning and nature of our existence." Opening reception Thurs Sept 5, 6-8 pm. Gallery 110, 110 S Washington, 624-9336. Through Sept 28.

LUKE BLACKSTONE, BILL WHIPPLE

In light of the anniversary of our greatest national tragedy, artists Blackstone and Whipple, each with their distinct takes on action (in the most literal sense) as a means of expression, unite their varied mechanics to articulate a message of hope and progression. Esther Claypool Gallery, 617 Western Ave, 264-1586. Through Sept 28.

* JENNY CARCIA

Motor sees space constructed in paint and color as a form of sculpture--both posing under the illusion of depth. Opening reception Thurs Sept 5, 6-8 pm. King County Art Gallery, 506 Second Ave, Suite 200, 296-7580. Through Sept 27.

* GEOFFREY CHADSEY

Chadsey's voyeuristic illustrations, with lens focused keenly on moments of trivial intimacy in the lives of his (typically male) subjects, are painstaking depictions of sordid, secret moments in "jocular freedom." Opening reception Thurs Sept 5, 6-8 pm. James Harris Gallery, 309A Third Ave S, 903-6220. Through Sept 28.

LAURI CHAMBERS, DAVID KURAOKA

New oils and ceramics, respectively. Opening reception Sun Sept 8, 2 pm. Seders Gallery, 6701 Greenwood Ave N, 782-0355. Through Sept 29.

COMIC GEEK ART SHOW

*BIFF!* *BANG!* *POW!* Opening reception Sat Sept 7, 7-9 pm. Cafe Venus, 609 Eastlake Ave E, 624-4516. Through Sept 27.

CONVENIENCE

Artists such as Blake Haygood, Rachel Maxi, Shawn Wolfe, and Tara Morgan explore the ostensible nature of America's great motivator. Opening reception Sat Sept 7, 6-10 pm. Pound Gallery, 1216 10th Ave, 323-0557. Through Sept 22.

ISA D'ARLEANS

In the wake of September 11, French American painter Isa D'Arleans took refuge in the healing power of her own work, crafting a 10' x 15' mural of "tragedy" and "hope." Her "passion" eventually found her in the hospital with a blood clot from overstraining her neck. Opening reception Fri Sept 6, 5-8 pm. Ballard Fetherston Gallery, 818 E Pike St, 322-9440. Through Oct 4.

BEN DARBY

In Silver Falls (a play on Hawaii's wondrous plummeting attraction), Darby's latest three-dimensional, molded paintings explore a more subdued palette--a shower of scissors and silverware that jumps from its canvas. Opening reception Thurs Sept 5, 6-8 pm. Bryan Ohno Gallery, 155 S Main St, 667-9572. Through Sept 28.

TOM De GROOT

Organic abstractions contrast with a manmade canvas of Tyvek, a construction material used for insulation. Opening reception Thurs Sept 5, 6-8 pm. Zeitgeist, 171 S Jackson, 583-0497. Through Oct 2.

REBECCA FARR

Marking SAW's grand reopening is Slip, Rebecca Farr's series of intimate portraits featuring women in their skivvies. Opening reception Fri Sept 6, 7-11 pm. Secluded Alley Works, 113 12th Ave, 839-0880. Through Sept 22.

FLATCHESTEDMAMA

Jean: The Other Raw Canvas is this local artist's celebration of America's fabric--denim. Opening reception Sat Sept 7, 7-10 pm. Art/Not Terminal Gallery, 2045 Westlake Ave, 233-0680. Through Oct 3.

* GUN SHOW

In the wake of September 11, the importance of America's constitutional rights have clearly allowed the people of this great nation to remain steadfast in our support of the War on Terror. In correspondence with the anniversary of the terrorist attacks on our nation, SOIL pays tribute to our most inalienable of rights, that of bearing arms. Featuring works by Jim Blanchard, David Rauschenberg, Clare Twomey, Jack Daws, Kiki MacInnis, Robert The, and many others. Opening reception Sat Sept 7, 7-10 pm. SOIL Gallery, 1317 E Pine St, 264-8061. Through Sept 29.

* SARAH HUTT

Sarah Hutt's mother met Jack LaLane once. And she often read encyclopedias. She also had a habit of reading the inscriptions on the undersides of fine china. Learn more about Sarah Hutt's mother with My Mother's Legacy, a 1,000-line poem inscribed on the base of 1,000 simple wooden bowls. Opening reception (featuring the Typing Explosion) Thurs Sept 5, 6-9 pm. Elliott Bay Café, 101 S Main St, 682-6664. Through Oct 31.

RICHARD HUTTER

Like so many artists in the shadow of the terrorist attacks on the United States, Hutter has relied on an undying spirit of American perseverance to fashion new works in floral still life, inspired in part by a recent trip to Italy. Opening reception Thurs Sept 5, 6-8 pm. Lisa Harris Gallery, 1922 Pike Pl, 443-3315. Through Sept 28.

THE NEW AGE OF WONDERLUST

Robots. Lots of robots. Area 51, 401 E Pine St, 568-4782. Through Sept 30.

CHRISTOPHER REILLY, MICHELLE HAGLUND

New paintings. Opening reception Thurs Sept 5, 6-8 pm. Grover/Thurston Gallery, 309 Occidental Ave S, 223-0816. Through Sept 28.

AMY RUPPEL

Delicate, elegant panels of wax, oils, and pigment on birch. Opening reception Sat Sept 7, 6-9 pm. Artemis Gallery, 3107 S Day St, 323-0562. Through Sept 28.

* STATES OF THE UNION: BEFORE AND AFTER

Surprisingly earnest among the current deluge of 9/11 anniversary exhibitions, Greg Kucera's exhibition is something of a celebration of America's many faces--from mystique to critique. Featuring the works of Andres Serrano, John Haddock, Sue Coe, Bill Owens, and the Starn Twins, along with locals Ross Palmer Beecher, Jack Daws, and Katy Stone. Greg Kucera Gallery, 212 Third Ave S, 624-0770. Through Sept 28.

* MARK SULLO, CURTIS TAYLOR

Ninety-nine Polaroid portraits of fair Aurora, one of the city's last beacons of beauty and enchantment, comprise Sullo's striking Aurora Files--11 miles of the route that connects Mexico and Canada with the Greatest Country in the Whole Goddamn World™. With new paintings by Taylor. Opening reception Sun Sept 8, 2-6 pm. Vodvil, 1408 18th Ave, 329-9198. Through Sept 29.

USELESS WOODEN TOYS

The artists and designers of regional snowboard and skateboard manufacturer Lib Technologies present a wicked-sick showcase of paintings, photos, and other wares. Opening reception Fri Sept 6, 7-10 pm. Aftermath Gallery, 928 12th Ave, 709-9797. Through Sept 23.

CONTINUING EXHIBITIONS

* LEO SAUL BERK, DONNABELLE CASIS

Surveying explores Berk's fascination with the timber industry in the form of his 100-foot veneer ribbon sculpture, which promises to literally envelop its viewers. Vague, flirtatious oil forms compose Casis' hanker. Howard House, 2017 Second Ave, 256-6399. Through Sept 7.

FICTIONS

Contextual snapshots inspired by narrative whimsy. SAM Rental/Sales Gallery, 1334 First Ave, 654-3240. Through Sept 21.

ANDREW MIKSYS

Local Guggenheim recipient Miksys presents Paper Heart, a two-pronged solo exhibition of documentary photographs culled from his heartrending Bingo series and his more recent Lithuania works. Artist's reception and lecture Fri Sept 6, 6:30-9 pm. Photographic Center Northwest, 900 12th Ave, 720-7222. Through Sept 29.

* SARAH MORRIS

The goals of commerce, as illustrated through an accumulation of shopping bags. Seattle Art Museum Rental/Sales Gallery, 1334 First Ave, Suite 140, 654-3240. Through Sept 29.

NORTHWEST MASTERS

Includes efforts by Chuck Close, John Cage, Lee Friedlander, Dale Chihuly, Sonja Blomdahl, and many, many more. City Space, 701 Fifth Ave, 749-9525. Through Sept 20.

* ANTJUAN ODEN

Oden's coffee drawings--coffee-powder paste applied with twisted tissue paper--were done during a 28-day stay in solitary confinement. They are something. With acrylic color paintings. Garde Rail Gallery, 4860 Rainier Ave S, 721-0107. Through Sept 28.

* PROJECT 18

New sculpture built in and around Sand Point's Building 18 by Romson Bustillo, Eddie Hill, Angelena McQuarter, Hahn Rossman, and Katy Stone. Stone's impromptu riffs on signs, windows, and gaps in the brick building are especially winning. Sand Point Magnuson Park, Building 18, 522-9529. Through Sept 28.

CHRISTOPHE ROBERTS, BEN HANAWALT

Recent urban paintings. Nation Gallery, 1921 Fifth Ave, 374-9492. Through Sept 8.

SAMUELLA SAMANIEGO

New landscape and architectural works in photography. Sacred Circle Gallery of American Indian Art, Daybreak Star, Discovery Park, 285-4425. Through Sept 29.

MAGGIE TAYLOR, DOMINIC ROUSE, JERRY UELSMANN

Uelsmann asks the tough artistic questions--like, "Dude! What the fuck are those lips doing in the middle of the road?!?!" Benham Gallery, 1216 First Ave, 622-2480. Through Oct 19.

JULIA WHITE

The surreal surroundings of White's effortless oil scenes juxtapose the fantastic with the mundane in vibrant, clean color. Victrola Coffee, 411 15th Ave E, 325-6520. Through Sept 30.

EVENTS

BLURRED ARCHITECTURE WALKING TOUR

One night only. A "self-guided" tour of structurally notable buildings in the area, in concurrence with CoCA's current exhibition. Includes salmon dinner! For more information contact Center on Contemporary Arts, 728-1980, www.cocaseattle.org. $20. Sat Sept 7, 2-6 pm.

BURNINGHEARTS ARTISTS' MARKET

Now in its fourth month of operation, the BurningHearts collective has a regular tradition of phoning to criticize the editorial content of each and every one of our write-ups. So, in hopes of avoiding another concerned call, I'd like to let you know that their market is both fun and exciting--like the environment of a rock show. To get the point across, they've added a little T&A by way of a burlesque performance. Market takes place Sat Sept 7, 3-7:30 pm, with $7 burlesque performance beginning at 9:30 pm. Rendezvous' Jewel Box Theater, 2320 Second Ave, 898-9067.

CONSEQUENCE

This week only. For every action... a two-day event featuring 32 local artists (including Chris McMullen, Kamala Dolphin-Kingsley, Mike Combs, Susie Lee, and Ursula Gullow) exploring the titular theme. Sat-Sun Sept 7-8, 2-9 pm. Bemis Building, 55 S Atlantic St, 262-0257.

ONE NIGHT ONLY: 11 SHOWS IN 11 MONTHS

This month: Kristine Evans, Lance Wakeling, Joon Miette, Samantha Scherer, and Sita Lombardi. Thurs Sept 5, 6-10 pm. 321 Third Ave S, 720-9909, between Seattle Lighting and King Street Station, look for One Night Only signs.

POST NEO EXPLOSIONISM

See preview this issue. Thurs-Fri Sept 5-6. Showbox, 1426 First Ave, 628-3151.

PUGET SOUND MUSEUMS REMEMBER

One night only. In light of the wake of the shadow of the anniversary of our nation's greatest tragedy, the potency of art's pharmacy has become especially evident. In observance of this, the gracious humanitarians at several regional institutions will open their doors to the grieving public for a day of hope, sans cost of admission, with hours extended to 8 pm. Contact your local major arts institution for more details.