Yesterday I was struck by a wall painting on the southern edge of Pioneer Square, so I posted it to Facebook with a note:
Okay, Seattle Art Museum, now we're talking. This is a stealth marketing campaign for the museum's upcoming Picasso show, with parts of Guernica painted over by "graffiti" and in the middle of it all, a devious and shady red-eyed Picasso presiding.
Here's the painting, on South Main Street at Third Avenue South (kitty-corner from Foster/White Gallery):
But then I thought: I'd better check with SAM. And it turns out an artist sent the museum an email on August 5. The email said, basically, Hey! I just put up this painting of Picasso, and by coincidence you're having this show, and well, all righty then!
To which I say: Too good to be believed? Hmmm? Stealthier than stealth?
Nicely played, secret spies of art and publicity and Picasso and all things promotional—or not.