WITNESS | CHOICE: 30 Visual Artists respond to the Reversal of Roe vs. Wade
Just a reminder—Roe vs. Wade is still overturned and the right to abortion and body autonomy is still not considered a constitutional right. The rage that followed this shift continues to be viscerally felt, permeating today. What is being done with that rage? How is it being channeled? At the Vashon Center for the Arts, a collective of over 30 artists have used it to create CHOICE: an exhibition that dives deep into the emotion and impact of the Roe vs. Wade reversal. This collection of art invites viewers to join a powerful dialogue surrounding womxn’s bodies and their right to them—drawing attention to injustice and hardship through diverse pieces. Works range from paintings to photography to prints to mixed media to a giant crochet uterus installation by Fumi Amano. Before Women’s History Month is over, take a trip to Vashon Island and experience the potency of this exhibit in person.
March 3rd – April 2nd | 12 – 5 pm @ Vashon Center for the Arts
ATTEND | AWP Conference and Bookfair
Calling all readers, writers, poets, publishers, students, teachers, and bookworms! The AWP Conference & Bookfair (short for the “Association of Writers & Writing Programs”) has officially kicked off as of yesterday. This four-day-long affair is the ultimate who’s-who of the book world—chockful of events, workshops, programs, readings, literary conversations, and celebrations. Central to the AWP Conference is the Bookfair: the nation’s largest marketplace for independent literary presses and journals slinging one-of-a-kind small batch goodies. The exhibition hall will also be stacked with an impressive panel lineup of speakers and topics like “Writing Motherhood in Post-Roe America”, “Storytelling for Change: Environmental Racism and Literature”, and “Mutant, Monster, Misfit, Myself: Writing the Disabled/Chronically Ill Body”. The headlining keynote for the conference will be given by Min Jin Lee, author of the Korean historical epic, Pachinko.
If you haven’t registered for the AWP Conference, don’t sweat—there are plenty of literary venues around town hosting offsite events open to the public that are just as interesting! From sapphic storytelling to Indigenous poetry celebrations to screenings to karaoke dance parties, there’s truly something for everyone.
Through March 11th | Various times @ Seattle Convention Center & Various offsite venues
SEE | ByDesign Festival 2023
The ByDesign Festival showcases a unique amalgamation of arts, building a bridge between the architecture world and the film world in the theatre. A collaboration between the Seattle Design Festival and Northwest Film Forum, the ByDesign Festival is a cross-cultural exploration of people, structures, and ideas at the intersection of architecture and the moving image. Featuring a broad, inclusive selection of films, performances, and interactive activities, attendees are invited to interrogate their own relationships to personal and collective identity as well as examine how humanity’s understanding of itself is central to the ways in which it creates the physical world. The film lineup and schedule are yet to be announced, but check out the trailer for ByDesign 2023 here in the meantime—expect intricate stop motion, symmetrical stills, sumptuous aesthetics, and mind-bending visuals.
March 17th – 26th | Various times @ NW Film Forum