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Three artists selected to create solar-based art projects

The Office of Arts & Culture in partnership with Seattle City Light has selected Seattle artists —  Britta Johnson and Tivon Rice — and the interdisciplinary team SuttonBeresCuller to create semi-permanent, site-specific, solar-based artworks.

BigTopGrandStand_SuttonBeresCuller_NB2014SamJavanrouh13These projects are undertaken in conjunction with City Light’s Green Up program, which enables customers to invest in new, renewable energy sources and educate others about renewable energy through public demonstration projects.  The artworks will highlight renewable energy resources and provide educational, interactive demonstrations of solar energy.

SuttonBeres Culler will create a free standing installation activated by solar energy on Capitol Hill that will serve as a gateway to the Capitol Hill Arts District. The artwork will also assist in cultural way finding for the district.

Britta Johnson and Tivon Rice will each create a solar-based artwork for installation on city-owned property in a neighborhood. Locations are yet to be determined.

Johnson, Rice and SuttonBeresCuller were selected through an open call by a panel of arts professionals advised by community members and Seattle City staff. The artwork is funded by Seattle City Light 1% for Art and Green Up public demonstration funds.  The projects will be administered by the Office of Arts & Culture. Funds from Capitol Hill Arts District program will supplement the installation on Capitol Hill.

Britta Johnson_photo by Regan MacStravicBritta Johnson is a Seattle-based stop-motion animator. She makes video installations, short films, and music videos. Her projects and collaborations have shown in venues including Seattle’s Lawrimore Project, Bumbershoot, the Henry Art Gallery, PICA’s TBA festival, the Walker Art Center, Mass MoCA and the Boston MFA. Recently, her Homeostasis video installation was on display in a group show at Greg Kucera Gallery. Johnson received a bachelor of arts from Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota.

Tivon Rice_photo by Tivon RiceTivon Rice’s work explores representation and communication in the context of digital technologies.  He creates systems that pair immediate materials such as light, space and tangible forms with live and recorded sound and video.  Rice’s work has been exhibited at a number of venues including Suyama Space, On the Boards, Lawrimore Project and Nanji Residency Gallery at the Seoul Museum of Art in South Korea. His artwork is also in the collection of the Henry Art Gallery and the Portland Art Museum. Rice is a 2011-12 Fulbright Scholar and teaches courses in Video Art and Installation at the University of Washington. Rice received PhD candidacy from the University of Washington Center for Digital Arts and Experimental Media (DXARTS).

SBCportrait_photo by SuttonBeresCullerSuttonBeresCuller are a trio of artists (John Sutton, Ben Beres, and Zac Culler) who have been working together with a unified vision since 1999. Site-specific installations, portable public art environments, performance, photography and sculpture have all played a part of their highly conceptual work designed to engage and invite participation from viewers. They attract (sometimes unsuspecting) audiences to new readings of and approaches to political, social, cultural, and aesthetic issues.  All three team members received their bachelor of fine arts from Cornish College of the Arts. They have exhibited at The Henry Art Gallery and Greg Kucera Gallery in Seattle, Planthouse in New York City and Gusford in Los Angeles.

Photo credits:

SuttonBeresCuller; Big Top Grand Stand; 2014
Alupanel, steel, enamel, scissor lift and trailer
40’ x 9’ x 16’
Commissioned by Scotiabank for Nuit Blanche 2014, Toronto, Canada
Photo by Sam Javanrouh

Individual artists:
Tivon Rice photo by Tivon Rice
SuttonBeresCuller photo by SuttonBeresCuller
Britta Johnson photo by Regan MacStravic