Arts and Culture in Seattle — December 2022

December 8, 2022 Cloud Room

ATTEND: MoM GALA

We love a good party, and the annual Museum of Museums fall gala is going to be a glitzy, cosmic affair you won’t want to miss. Each year, MoM pulls out all the stops for this formal, fashion-forward event to celebrate the museums members, artists, and greater community. This year’s theme is “Out of this World”—a spacey soirée with starry, astrological, alien, and galactic motifs. The gala promises to be astronomically studded with art, performances, music, and libations, featuring a live music show by ARCHIE, DJ sets by DJ Funfetti and La Mala Noche, and celestial art by Izzy Phantom. Paparazzi abound, so be sure to show up and show out with your most extraterrestrial outfit to party the night away.

December 17th | 8:00 pm – 1:00 am @ MoM

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SHOP: RENEGADE CRAFT FAIR SEATTLE

Seattle is big on shopping small and with so many holiday markets popping up all over the city, how can you tell which ones are worth your while? With over 180 curated local artists, the Renegade Craft Tour is a standout. Formed in 2003, Renegade Craft consists of a collective of creatives who produce events and endeavors around the country with the goal to build, cultivate, and foster creative community. By hosting dynamic events for small creators to connect with each other and consumers, Renegade Craft answers the need for conscious consumerism, sustainability, and an accessible creative economy. Join them this weekend to find some truly unique holiday gifts and support small businesses and artists! If you can’t make it, you can always shop their online Collective—an ever-evolving roster of their community’s craft designers.

December 10th & 11th | 11:00 am – 5:00 pm @ Hangar 30 in Magnuson Park

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TASTE: GEMINI ROOM

Ever since beloved next-door neighbors, Café Pettirosso, closed their 11th Ave doors this February, our corner of the neighborhood has been missing a bit of sparkle—but not for long! The Gemini Room, a new, all-day café and bar will be opening their doors on 11th and Pike this month. The team behind this debut project is a collaborative powerhouse of all-woman & all-LGBTQ industry veterans backed by the owners of Oddfellows, Elliot Bay Books, and Big Little News. Gemini’s interior will boast a nostalgic 70s vibe, accented by moody lighting, textural materials, and post-mod patterns. Menu offerings will consist of familiar favorites from high-quality coffee and grab-and-go breakfast staples in the morning, to fresh seasonal sandwiches and salads in the afternoon, to late-night fare featuring a wide range of elevated shareable bites. Don’t forget about the cocktails—drinks will shine with fun and funky glassware, punch bowls to share, and unique infusions that will transport customers to a different time and place.

Soft Opening: Mid/Late December

Follow The Gemini Room on IG for updates

Arts and Culture in Seattle — November 2022

November 10, 2022 Cloud Room

TASTE: TERROIR BAZAAR

The second annual Terroir Bazaar is on the horizon! Join Light Sleeper and Wide Eyed Wines at Chophouse Row for an afternoon of tasting delicious wines. They'll be featuring over two dozen natural wines from Walden Selections, Vin2U Wine Group, Owen Kotler Selections, Petit Monde Wine Merchant, and Kily Import, all expertly curated to perfectly complement your holiday table. Each wine offered at the tasting will be available for take away with special discounts on six and twelve bottle purchases—perfect for gifting during the season of giving. In addition to vino, Light Sleeper will be offering and selling amazing, unique snacks, as well as festive pantry items and more surprises to come. Don't miss the chance to stock up on some very limited wines for a very limited time and make a fun Saturday out of it at Chophouse Row!

November 19 | 12:00 – 5:00 pm @ Chophouse Row

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ATTEND: HRVST HOUSE X SESSIONS IN PLACE LIVE SHOW AND AFTER PARTY

Hrvst House, a Seattle-based production company providing strategic and creative services for artists and brands worldwide, is collaborating with Sessions in Place, a local Emmy award-winning collective of volunteer filmmakers and multimedia artists, for an unforgettable live show. Both Hrvst House and Sessions in Place focus on showcasing regional artists through beautiful content and events, so it’s only right they’ve joined forces to present Sessions In Place LIVE: a hybrid concert with four headlining performances by Livt, Donte Thomas, Rell Be Free and Claudine Magbag. Showgoers will be a part of the live audience as Sessions in Place works their cinematography magic for stream viewers at home. To top it off, Hrvst House will be closing the night the only way they know how—with an after party hosted by DJ Pax. The show and afterparty will all be going down in the beautiful Emerald City Trapeze Arts Space in SODO. If you haven't been to a Hrvst House event before, all they have to say is: COME AND FIND OUT.

November 11 | Doors: 6:00 pm / Starts: 7:00 pm @ Emerald City Trapeze Arts Space

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SUPPORT: EQUALUX

Support and celebrate our local LGBTQ+ community by attending the glamorous, not-to-be-missed EQUALUX fundraising gala! Join the GSBA for an evening of exquisite bites from top-notch restaurants, renowned Washington State wines, show-stopping entertainment, top-notch silent and live auctions full of unique items and memorable experiences, and a multi-course meal. The gala also provides touching opportunities to hear powerful stories and beautiful performances by GSBA Scholars and leaders.

All proceeds from EQUALUX benefit the GSBA Scholarship Fund, the oldest LGBTQ+ scholarship fund in the U.S. Since its founding in 1990, the GSBA Scholarship Fund has invested $5.5 million in LGBTQ+ students who exemplify leadership potential, strong academic ability, community involvement, and dedication. The scholarship program works to empower students with marginalized intersectional identities within the LGBTQ+ community and provides not only financial support for students, but a network of support, skills-based workshops, and a yearly three-day leadership immersion camp. Show up and show out to honor these future leaders and ensure the GSBA Scholarship will be sustained for years to come.

November 19 | 5:00 pm @ The Westin Seattle

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Arts and Culture in Seattle—October 2022

October 13, 2022 Cloud Room

DRESS UP: HOTEL SORRENTO’S GHOSTLY GALA

Are you looking for Halloween plans this spooky season? Dance (or float) the night away at the Ghostly Gala! A ticket gets you yummy perks, including a mouthwatering food menu and Halloween-themed cocktails like “The Great Pumpkin” and “Frank N. Steins Elixir”. DJ Abbie will be commandeering the dancefloor and there’ll be many opportunities to immortalize your Halloween costume with photo opportunities. Don’t be surprised if ghosts or spirits pop up in your pictures; Hotel Sorrento is a 113-year-old Seattle establishment considered to be the most haunted place in Seattle. Many guests and visitors have claimed to see the ghost of writer Alice B. Toklas shrouded in white or black, wandering the hotel halls, causing lights to flicker and drinks to mysteriously move around. If you’re looking for an authentic and terrifyingly good time, look no further than Hotel Sorrento’s Ghostly Gala.

October 29th | 6:00 – 10:00 pm @ Top of the Town Ballroom in Hotel Sorrento

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ATTEND: SEATTLE QUEER FILM FESTIVAL

The 27th annual Seattle Queer Film Festival kicks off tonight! Witness queer magic at this 10-day long fest full of film, art gallery shows, parties, meetups, live podcasts, and fun. This year, the festival is accessible both online and in person, featuring a diverse slate of queer cinema from across the globe (59 programs comprised of 150 films, to be exact). Check out their film guide categorized by various genres and LGBTQ+ identities to see just how varied their showings are. The centerpiece of this year’s festival is a double feature of two unique, captivating comedies: “YOUTOPIA”, the winner of honorable mention for North American narrative feature at LA’s Outfest, and “THE JESSICA CABIN”, writer/director Daniel Montgomery’s feature film debut. This double feature and the seemingly endless lineup of queer films will be shown at historic venues all over Capitol Hill, including NW Film Forum, SIFF Cinema Egyptian, and Broadway Performance Hall.

The entertainment doesn’t stop at the theatre—parties, celebrations, and workshops abound! Get the good times rolling at the opening party with an exclusive burlesque performance, a DJ activated dance floor, and the premier of “WHAT THE FUNK?!”, about of Seattle’s first inaugural BIPOC Burlesque festival. As you move through the week, swing by the Magic Fair to pick up enchanted goods from queer vendors, make new friends at Wild Rose’s Sapphic Soiree or Pony’s Pony Up Gay Meetup, experience the MOTORBYKE/SUPERDYKE multimedia art installation and zine making workshop at MoM, and wrap it all up at the closing party next Saturday. While the Seattle Queer Film Festival is intended to be catalyst for LGBTQ+ community building, allies are welcome to support and attend the festival to witness the magic of queer cinema too.

October 13th – 23rd | Various times @ Various locations

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Arts and Culture in Seattle—September 2022

September 8, 2022 Cloud Room

Coming Soon: La Dispensa

Wish you could have La Spiga for lunch or in the comfort of your home? You’ll be able to soon! Sabrina Tinsley and Pietro Borghesi, the husband-and-wife team behind the well-loved Chophouse Row dinner spot have something new in the works: La Dispensa. Described as an Italian deli and gastronomy concept, La Dispensa, meaning “The Pantry”, will offer quick and convenient access to tasty grab and go offerings, Italian culture, product shipping, cooking classes, a funky Italian-style happy hour, and even curated small group tours in Italy.

The spot is slated to serve La Spiga favorites and Italian specialty items to take home or to enjoy at the counter or courtyard. Some menu items include lasagne, salads, deli meats, artisan cheeses, rotisserie meats and veggies, pastas and signature sauces, and panini and piadina sandwiches. Fresh homemade pasta dinner kits will also be available for easy and tasty take home meals in addition to wine, beer, and happy hour. You can expect to see La Dispensa this Fall 2022 at the counter space in the lobby of the first floor of Chophouse Row. Stay tuned for updates on the grand opening!

Follow Osteria La Spiga for updates

Attend: The Magic of the Moon: A Book Launch Party

Join us at the Cloud Room as long-time member and astrologer Stephanie Gailing celebrates the launch of her new book, The Complete Guide to Living by the Moon: A Holistic Approach to Lunar-Inspired Wellness! The event will feature a conversation between Stephanie and Megan Skinner, an astrologer, tarot intuitive, and fellow co-host of the So Divine!podcast. The two will explore how to attune to the magic of the moon and how aligning with it can help elevate well-being while tying in tips from Stephanie’s latest book. While listening in on the discussion, attendees can sip beverages from our bar, featuring a moon-themed specialty cocktail created for the event, and enjoy scoops of plant-based ice cream from Frankie and Jo’s. Tickets to the party not only cover attendance, but also include a signed copy of Stephanie’s new book and a gift bag with moon-inspired items by Megan Skinner, Olivine Atelier, Wunderground Coffee, Sugarpill and more. As a women-owned coworking and event space, we’re especially proud to support other women in their pursuits and host a book launch party that highlights many other women-owned businesses. See you there!

October 6th | 6:00 – 7:30 pm @ The Cloud Room

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See: C-ID Love Letters 3.0

This year will be the third installation of the Chinatown-International District’s Love Letters exhibit and it promises to be yet another beautifully touching homage to the strength of community. C-ID Love Letters installations began in response to the physical, economic, and mental hardships of the COVID pandemic as well as the rapidly rising rates of Anti-Asian hate experienced by the AAPI community. Seeking to provide an outlet for processing emotions, raising voices, and sharing personal stories, the Wing Luke Museum invited the community to write love letters to themselves and the neighborhood—inspired by the original call for Love Letters to Chinatown by Wing On Wo & Co 永安和. These works were collected and displayed in Historic Canton Alley to spread awareness and bolster the strength of the community’s emotional and spiritual resilience.

Now in its third year, C-ID Love Letters 3.0 seeks to continue to hold space for the stories and lived experiences of the AAPI community through art. The love letters displayed aren’t all classically written—past submissions include paintings, illustrations, videos, animations, comics, installations, and zines. Check out last year’s C-ID Love Letter 2.0 exhibit to see the myriad of past works and take a walk through the Canton Alley to see what the community has dreamed up this year.

September 17th – December 2022 | Various times @ Historic Canton Alley

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Arts and Culture in Seattle—August 2022

August 11, 2022 Cloud Room

WATCH: 2022 Sundance Institute Indigenous Short Film Tour

Storytelling is woven into all Indigenous cultures. Sharing stories is the way traditions, values, beliefs, and history have been passed down from generation to generation; it is, in large part, how Natives have been able to survive. The 2022 Sundance Institute Indigenous Short Film Tour is a testament and current to the power of storytelling. Through film, the festival celebrates Native perseverance and offers a deep, engaging perspective from Indigenous artists. The tour features a 91-minute program of six narrative and documentary short films directed by Indigenous filmmakers, highlighting titles from the 2022 Sundance Film Festival shorts program and works from the alumni of Sundance Institute’s Indigenous Program. The Institute has been long committed to supporting Indigenous artists and their voices—sustaining a film circle that has now spanned over four generations.

The short films featured look beautifully and carefully created—watch the trailer here and see for yourself. Works come from artists of varied Native backgrounds, including the Ífugão tribe, the Ho-Chunk Nation, the Diné Nation, the Zapotec peoples, the Roadrunner clan in the Pueblo of Laguna, and the Cherokee Nation. If you haven’t heard of most (or some) of these Indigenous communities, let this be an encouragement to see and hear their stories from the source.

August 17th - 26th @ NW Film Forum
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ATTEND: Day In Day Out

Have you yet to attend an outdoor music festival before Seattle summer ends? Maybe you debated going to Cap Hill Block Party but electronic hyperpop Gen-Z-centric music isn’t your thing? Get a ticket to Day In Day Out (DIDO) this weekend! The second installment of the three-day festival has a lineup full of indie, rock, and contemporary artists seemingly specifically curated to capture a snapshot of millennial alt nostalgia. While DIDO is certainly more low-key than Block Party, it isn’t lacking in energy or fun; headliners include prominent indie rockers The National, indie-pop singer/songwriter Mitski, and loveable prince of indie-rock mac DeMarco. The lineup continues with contemporary indie stars Japanese Breakfast, Soccer Mommy, Animal Collective, hardcore punk band Turnstile, noise-rap alchemist JPEGMAFIA, R&B songstress Jamila Woods, and many more. Expect to hear from your favorites, discover a new artist (or a few), and get to know the local Seattle music scene better with bands like La Luz and Hollis. DIDO will also include food trucks and a beer garden with DJs from various Seattle bands spinning in between sets. Snag a 3-day or single day pass and enjoy the last of our sunny days while you can!

August 12th – 14th | 3:00 – 11:00 pm @ Fisher Green Pavillion
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EAT: Tailwind Café’s Fresh Lunch

New menu alert! The beloved Tailwind Café & Bar inside of Good Weather, located in the heart of our own Chophouse Row, recently announced the re-emergence of their new menu with rotating lunch bowls. You may be just as excited as we are, or you may be wondering: what’s all the fuss about? Firstly, we’ve missed their full menu (it was so good). Secondly, this business has been a staple in our community and when the pandemic hit, they were forced to close the café leading the good folks at Good Weather to get creative with their ventures. The team came up with Good in Seattle: a delivery service that distributed local farm, purveyor, and small business boxes to the community. Not only did this pivot provide their employees with job security and recipients with delicious food, but it also allowed them to build relationships with local business and farms producing some of the best produce, meats, cheeses, grains, designs, and sounds.

Good Weather and Tailwind forged a positive path during a dark time, and although Good in Seattle has since been dissolved, they’re rekindling many of the relationships they’ve made during the depths of the pandemic. Experienced chef Jacob Wilson is on board to build out the menu while local farms like Cedarville Farm (featured this week) will be providing organic produce. Currently, Tailwind’s offering two weekly-rotating bowls that feature vegan options and fresh, seasonal ingredients from farms and purveyors they’ve known and loved for years. The evolving re-introduction of Tailwind’s menu isn’t simply about having more lunch options nearby, it’s a testament to our community’s strength and bonds. We can’t wait stop by every week to try everything they’re cooking up!

Tuesdays – Fridays | 11:30 am – 2:30 pm @ Tailwind Café at Chophouse Row
Check their IG for updates

Arts and Culture in Seattle—July 2022

July 14, 2022 Cloud Room

ATTEND: CAPITOL HILL BLOCK PARTY

Buckle up, Cap Hill—Block Party is back. The past two pandemic-ridden Seattle summers haven’t felt the same without the iconic three-day long music festival, but with required vaccinations and updated COVID safety protocols in the mix, it’s time for the party to make a comeback. This year’s 69+ performer lineup is stacked with a ton of glitzy fun, including hyperpop princess Charli XCX, DJ’s Diplo and Jai Wolf, millennial-favorite Toro y Moi, Zoomer favorite 100 gecs, soul pop singer Remi Wolf, and overnight rap star Flo Milli. Local artists like Enumclaw, The Black Tones, Archie, and The Grizzled Mighty will also grace Capitol Hill Block Party’s (CHBP) multi-stage set up.

While the abundance of music acts are enough of a draw, this year’s CHBP is sure to be an especially good time in the wake of spending Seattle’s sunniest seasons socially distanced. With food trucks, beer gardens, indoor activations, local businesses, and a cool-down zone in our very own Chophouse Row, there is something for everyone to enjoy and spaces for everyone to connect. Block Party has always been an opportunity to bring people to Capitol Hill and showcase all the great parts of our neighborhood; this is one you won’t want to miss.

July 22nd – 24th | Get Tickets

EXPERIENCE: SEATTLE ART FAIR + XO SEATTLE

Yet another renowned event is making a triumphant return this summer since the pandemonium of the pandemic: The Seattle Art Fair. A one-of-a-kind destination for the best in modern and contemporary art as well as a showcase for the vibrant arts community of the PNW, the Seattle Art Fair is featuring a whopping 85+ international and local gallerists, museums, and programs for its sixth installment. Each day of the fair brings new public projects to view and exciting events to attend, like interactive panel discussions, book signings, and artist talks. Some local highlights to look forward to include Peter Gronquist’s communion (featuring a real pool of water), a full-size totem pole from Preston Singletary, and many more. There’ll be specialty cocktails and beer, coffee and pastry carts, and a lounge to grab lunch so you won’t go hungry while attempting to view every art installment.

Debuting in tandem with the Seattle Art Fair is XO Seattle’s Grand Opening Summer Art Party. Riding on the trajectory of Out of Sight, an annual survey of PNW contemporary art ran by longtime friend Greg Lundgren, XO Seattle is seeking to feature a major roster of emerging and established contemporary artists working in a variety of media. Designed and curated by Austin Bellamy Hicks and Julianne Johnson with co-curation by Erik Molano and Moses Sun, XO Seattle describes their space as not a gallery or art fair, but as an “ephemeral and ever-evolving presentation or “happening””. This collective of artists, builders, and community organizers are focusing on short-term cultural programming and creating a commission structure for selling pieces that favors artists. Joining the Summer Art Party is HRVST House, a Black owned Seattle based production company, who will be showcasing DJs and local performers during the event. XO Seattle’s model is fresh and groundbreaking for the PNW art scene; if you (regrettably) miss the opening party, don’t worry—featured art will remain on view and dynamic weekly events abound.

Seattle Art Fair: July 22nd – 24th | Various Times @ the Lumen Field Event Center
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XO Seattle Summer Art Party: July 22nd | 5:00 – 10:00 pm @ 419 Occidental Ave S.
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CELEBRATE: KEXP50

Happy 50th birthday KEXP! Our beloved local radio station is celebrating half a century on air, and you’re invited to the party. Bring family and friends out for a free afternoon of fun that will melt into a sweet summer evening, featuring performances, activities, food, drinks, and of course, live music. Taking place at the Seattle Center, KEXP50 will boast two stages in the courtyards adjacent to their studios for concerts; Performers include !!!, Sons of Kemet (in their last-ever US appearance), Thao (formerly of Thao and the Get Down Stay Down), Tomo Nakayama, LIVt, and a special surprise guest. The party will also have a public Gathering Space that will host a beer garden, special commemorative merchandise, food trucks, live on-air DJs, opportunities for community members to share their vision for the future of KEXP, presentations from KEXP’s business supporters, and the unveiling of the newest set of donor tiles on the side of KEXP’s facility.

KEXP has come a long way since 1972, when four students at the University of Washington came together to create a radio station where students could learn the art of broadcasting and listeners could discover music. Built on the ethos that DJs should have reign over their own programming and that loving music is about expanding one’s scope, seeking new sounds with intention, and connecting through art, KEXP has created an ever-growing community of music lovers and music makers from all backgrounds. Thank you KEXP for being a strong pillar of Seattle culture and community; Let’s party!

August 6th | 12:00 – 7:00 pm @ the Seattle Center

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Arts and Culture in Seattle—June 2022

June 9, 2022 Cloud Room

Celebrate: Pride on Capitol Hill

No Seattle Pride celebration is complete without a visit to Capitol Hill—the queer epicenter of our city bejeweled with rainbow crosswalks and LGBTQ+ establishments. Pride parades and bar activations abound during Pride weekend (June 24th-June 26th) with PrideFest often dominating Cal Anderson and the neighborhood at large on Saturday, June 25th. We love and support all the events and celebrations that Capitol Hill provides during Pride season, but we have a reverence for a particular community staple: The Wildrose. There are only a few lesbian bars left in the United States and our very own Wildrose is one of them. For the past 34 years, The Rose has been celebrating Pride and this year is no different.

Join The Wildrose this Pride weekend as they welcome a diverse selection of local and regional artists Friday through Sunday. This year, after a two-year hiatus, they’re partnering with Kendall’s DJ and Event (KDJE) and KEXP to curate and manage a robust and dynamic lineup of talent, including Adra Boo, Brittany Davis, Bijoux, DJ Skiddle, DJ Brynn Taylor, and many more. The Rose has ambitious programming for Pride weekend with Friday festivities taking place from 6 pm – midnight, Saturday festivities from 1 pm – midnight, and Sunday festivities from 1 pm – 10 pm. Their weekend-long event also includes dancers, live performances, and multiple bar activations. Snag a single day or full weekend ticket to support your local lesbian bar this Pride season.

June 24th – 26th

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COMMEMORATE: REVIVAL: Juneteenth Pop Up Market

Juneteenth is the oldest nationally observed commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. It’s a time for the Black community to celebrate and the nonblack community to self-educate, honor, and embrace Black culture through its art and history (which should be a daily practice). As residents in Seattle, a predominantly white city, arguably one of the most impactful ways we can implement this practice is to support our local Black owned businesses and organizations. This Juneteenth, join the Capitol Hill EcoDistrict at Midtown Plaza for their REVIVAL: Juneteenth Pop-up Market, a celebration of the Black owned business in our community. Connect with their community partners, Arte Noir, the Central Area Collaborative, and Craft3, to uplift Black businesses in the heart of the Central District, a historically African American neighborhood. KEXP 90.3 FM, hosted by Larry Mizell Jr. and DJ Riz, will broadcast live from the event providing music and ambiance while you explore the market. Discover Black retailers, food vendors, and resources from community organizations that specialize in elevating thriving Black communities. Check out Capitol Hill EcoDistrict’s Instagram and Facebook to learn more about their vendors and community partners.

June 19th | 11:00 am – 3:00 pm

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SEE: Romare Bearden: Abstraction at The Frye

Our favorite free entry museum, the Frye, is welcoming a large body of work by Romare Bearden on June 25th, featuring over fifty-five paintings, works on paper, and collages. This exhibition is the first to fully explore Bearden’s influential abstract work created between 1952 and 1964. The New York avant-garde artist is not only recognized as one of the most creative and original visual artists of the twentieth century, but he is also celebrated for his work as a writer, social worker, and activist. As an instrumental organizer of the time, he was the first art director of the Harlem Cultural Council, a prominent African American advocacy group, and was involved in the founding of The Studio Museum in Harlem. Fleeing to New York in childhood to escape the Jim Crow South, Bearden studied art and established a thriving career by 1945 then transitioned to non-representational subjects in the ‘50s. A trailblazer of the “stain painting” method, Bearden continually reimagined what artmaking could be, developing additional techniques that incorporated the mediums of casein and collage.

Abstraction will be on display at the Frye until September 18th and is a historically moving exhibit you won’t want to miss. Check the Frye’s calendar for curator tours and workshops surrounding Romare Bearden’s works.

June 25th – September 18th

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