COURTESY OF BELLEVUE ARTS MUSUEM
The first thing I heard walking out of the elevator was Kimya Dawson’s voice. I remember thinking, “Where’s the party at?” as I scoured the nooks and crannies of Bellevue Arts Museum‘s top floor, eventually finding my way to a gallery tucked away in the corner, full of Seattle artist Clyde Petersen’s latest work. A jaunty mix of Pacific Northwest punk and post-punk music blared from tiny speakers, engulfing patrons in a PNW punky sonic haze.
Petersen’s exhibition Merch & Destroy is a product of and an ode to life on the road. “I’m a touring musician and I’ve been working for bands for about 20 years,” Petersen says. “Either driving them or playing in them.” Hence, the music of Kimya Dawson, one of many artists Petersen has worked with.
