What's Coming Up at SAM?
Downtown Seattle is home to some pretty unique art and fun, interesting exhibits. And now that Seattle is almost fully reopened, we can start thinking about safely attending community events once again. SAM, a collection of world-class visual arts in the Pacific Northwest, is proud to offer a variety of new collections and events at its various locations in and around Downtown Seattle. Here is a glimpse into what to look forward to at the Seattle Art Museum, Seattle Asian Art Museum, and Olympic Sculpture Park in the coming months.
Plein Air Painting at the Park | Olympic Sculpture Park, September 18th
In partnership with Plein Air Washington Artists, SAM is offering a free demonstration of techniques for outdoor painting at the Olympic Sculpture Park. Attendees are invited to observe and learn from artists in the park as they paint Seattle’s waterfront. This event was inspired by Monet, a well-known plein-air (outdoor) painter that found inspiration in the cliffs of Étretat. If you are interested in learning more about Monet, the Seattle Art Museum has an entire exhibit dedicated to his works, Monet at Étretat, that will remain on display through October 17th.
SAM Gallery Presents: Rising Tides | Seattle Art Museum, September 1st - October 3rd
Throughout the entire month of September, the Seattle Art Museum Gallery is displaying work from three local artists that are passionate about exploring ideas related to rising sea levels, coastlines, and the rest of the underwater world. The three local artists, Tallmadge Doyle, Iskra Johnson, and Jueun Shin, utilized a variety of printmaking techniques to make this collection come to fruition.
SAM Performs: Timber | Olympic Sculpture Park, October 9th
Visit the Gates Amphitheater located inside the Olympic Sculpture Park for this special performance of Timber, put on by SAM. The acclaimed American composer Michael Gordon wrote Timber, which is currently being performed by other ensembles throughout the world in celebration of the work’s 10th anniversary. This 65-minutes tour-de-force is scored for six virtuosic percussionists (Aaron Michael Butler, Storm Benjamin, James Doyle, Rebekah Ko, Paulina Michaels, Jonathan Rodriguez) on tuned 2x4s and is described as a “math rock meets sound bath” by SAM. There will be two performances, one at 1 p.m. and the other at 5 p.m. if you’re interested in attending.
The Amur River: Between Russia and China | Seattle Asian Art Museum, October 9th
Presented in collaboration with the Elliott Bay Book Company and organized by the Gardner Center for Asian Art and Ideas in partnership with the Jackson School of International Studies at the University of Washington, this online talk will explore the award-winning travel writer Colin Thubron’s most recent book The Amur River: Between Russia and China. In the book, he details his time spent traveling the Amur River, the tenth longest river in the world, that connects China and Russia, two of the world’s most powerful superpowers. He’ll provide details and insights into his 3,000-mile journey, offering a dual look into both the area’s history and current affairs. Following his talk, he’ll be joined for a discussion with Seattle-based author and journalist Blaine Harden.
For more information on SAM, as well as current and future offerings, please visit their website.