Update May 10, 2013: An exhibition of the artworks will be on view in two parts: July 2 through August 12, with a reception July 17; and August 13 through October 1, with a reception September 11. Both will be at Seattle Municipal Tower Gallery, 700 Fifth Ave., located on the third floor of the building.
Update: Eddy Radar’s Touch of Tornado was not able to be purchased by Seattle Public Utilities as part of the selection because it was sold beforehand.
Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) has purchased 47 artworks by 33 artists for their offices in the Seattle Municipal Tower. The artworks have an atmospheric/weather-related theme and include paintings, photographs, hand-cut paper, embroidery, knitting, works on paper, ceramics, collage and sculpture.
The artists whose works were selected are: Victoria Adams, John Armstrong, Stephanie Ashby, Deanne Belinoff, Gala Bent, Carrie Bodle, Chris Bruch, Jaq Chartier, Timothy Cross, Rebecca Cummins, Linda Davidson, Steve Davis, Peter de Lory, Claudia Fitch, Tod Gangler, Karen Ganz, Mandy Greer, Julia Haack, Eirik Johnson, Ryota Kajita, Paul Komada, Spike Mafford, Rachel Maxi, Stuart McCall, Anna McKee, Eddy Radar, Glenn Rudolph, Jeffrey Simmons, Katy Stone, Cappy Thompson & Dick Weiss, Grace Weston, Brad Winchester and Alice Wheeler.
Included in the purchase is the latex-paint-on-salvaged-wood construction of a twister, Big Wind by Julia Haack. The artist gives the tornado image a dimensional appearance with her choice of materials: recycled lathe from old buildings. Likewise, the acrylic-on-canvas painting by Eddy Radar, Touch of Tornado, depicts a tumultuous sky over a low landscape of farm buildings in silhouette. The brightness behind the buildings alludes to a nicer day before the advance of the storm. Tod Gangler’s tricolor carbon print photograph Saskatchewan is taken from a plane window and shows the wintery landscape of farmland over Canada. The grid-like pattern of the snow covering the earth has a peacefulness that only the deep chill of winter produces.
Nearly 5,000 images were submitted for consideration for purchase. The 47 selected artworks were chosen by a panel of arts professionals that included Suzanne Beal, Thuy-Van Vu and Robert Yoder.
SPU’s collection is exhibited throughout the utility’s offices, engaging its employees and visitors by helping to create an interesting and diverse work environment. The purchase was made possible with Seattle Public Utilities 1% for Art funds.
IMAGES:
Eddy Radar, Touch of Tornado, 2012, acrylic on canvas, 42” x 30”. Photo courtesy of the artist.
Julia Haack, Big Wind, 2013, latex paint on salvaged wood, 42” x 42”. Photo courtesy of the artist.
Tod Gangler, Saskatchewan, 2010, tricolor carbon print, 19” x 24”. Photo courtesy of the artist.
