A Terrific New Installation at Suyama Space!

I was lucky enough to get in on the opening of Claudia Fitch's Floating Mechanism (nightshade) at Suyama Space (2324 2nd Ave.) last Friday. It's quite fantastic. Even several days later, I'm at a loss as to how to describe it. Here's the write-up from the Suyama site:

Floating Mechanism (nightshade) is a landscape tableau that hovers just above the gallery floor, richly patterned and dramatically punctuated by the cantilevered armature floating down from the adjacent wall. Scaled and placed to hold a dynamic relationship to the Space, the tableau considers and playfully re-invents the industrial, mechanical world of the gallery’s original use.

Yeah, OK, but there was also the very cool outer space aspect to it - like it was some important array that should be in geosynchronous orbit around the Earth. Rows and rows of identically-painted pieces of molded cardboard create the impression of eyes or eggs or breasts. It all depends on how you look at them, but the piece's futuristic minimalism is quite remarkable.

Here are many, many pictures:








The best thing about the piece is that despite its uniformity, it is constantly changing depending on the angle of view. It's a completely wonderful experience. This is only the second installation I've seen at Suyama. I thought that Grotesque Arabesque by Dan Corson couldn't be topped, but this is every bit as good. I highly recommend seeing it. Admission is free; just go to the gallery entrance during weekday business hours, ring the bell and they'll let you in. Now that's a great deal! It shows from now until April 23rd.

While taking a break from the crowd (there were quite a few people there), I stepped into the Suyama Peterson Deguchi gallery. Here are a few of their more interesting pieces:

I believe that's a Fokker d.VII.


Here's something by Scott Fife. It's pretty cool.


And this was just oddly juxtaposed.

The Suyama Space: Belltown's Stealth Gallery

OK, so it's not really a gallery per se, with things for sale and such; it's more of an exhibition venue for larger installations - I'm trying really hard not to use the word "space" too often. Either way, it's well worth a visit. Since 1998, curator and gallery co-founder (with George Suyama) Beth Sellars has been presenting three exhibitions a year by various and diverse artists in the atrium of the Suyama Peterson Deguchi design firm at 2nd & Battery. I've been past this place about a million times before I dared to ring the buzzer to be let inside. This is what I saw:



Pretty spectacular, no? This current installation is called Grotesque Arabesque by Dan Corson. It shows through December 18th. The great thing about this piece is that it seems to expand space. The atrium area measures something in the neighborhood of 40' x 20'. But through the use of low light, black light and reflective surfaces, Corson manages to make the area seem huge. This installation bills itself as "otherworldly." That actually might be a bit of an understatement. My photos only capture one aspect of the piece. To fully appreciate it, you need to see it with your own eyes. And in order to do that, go to Suyama Peterson Deguchi any weekday during business hours, ring the bell (to the right of the garage door), walk up the ramp and soak in the vibe. It's free and you can spend as much or as little time there as you'd like. It may be the coolest thing you do all week.

If you'd like to see photos from past exhibitions, visit the Suyama Space's website. There is some truly incredible stuff there. Until just recently, I was hardly aware that such a wonderful place was just down the street.

(Cross-posted at the Seattle P-I Belltown Blog)

Oh, the Humanity...Sort of

It was just today that I noticed that the Suite 100 Gallery here in the 2nd & Blanchard home zone was closed, but that's just half the story. First, observe:

In the past, this storefront has been many things: a bookstore, the original Vain salon, a weird retro climbing shop and a boutique that sold incredibly expensive children's clothes, among other things. And now they're closed. But wait! They've actually moved down the street into Blvd. Gallery space next to Roq La Rue at 2nd & Bell - just one block away. I also didn't notice that either. Walk by every single day, didn't notice. These days, it's called Halogen. Like BoingBoing darling Roq La Rue, I don't dig their art. But I do hope they sell tons of it.

As for the old space at 2222 2nd, it appears that it is poised to become a bar. That's just what Belltown needs: more booze. I'm serious.