On View

Genius / 21 Century / Seattle

September 26, 2015 - January 10, 2016

Genius is an unprecedented, large-scale celebration of exceptional multidisciplinary and collaborative artistic practice in Seattle in the twenty-first century. It features over sixty-five visual artists, filmmakers, writers, theater artists, composers, musicians, choreographers, dancers, and arts organizations. The exhibition and its more than forty events will run from September 26, 2015, to January 10, 2016.

Genius has no limiting paradigm. It relinquishes the idea of an exhibition that does not change, that has a beginning and an end, and embraces instead the idea of a living exhibition that is in constant transformation.

During the sixteen weeks of the exhibition, Genius features twenty-five commissions and premieres, immersive installations, durational performances, and collaborations across disciplines, and also presents film and literary festivals. A specially designed, shape-shifting environment in the Frye's largest gallery space will host live music, dance and theater performances, literary readings, video exhibitions, public forums, and rehearsals.

The installations, works of art, performances, workshops, events, and festivals in Genius offer a variety of perspectives on the social, political, and cultural flux shaping Seattle and the global community. They address the complexities, discrepancies, and contradictions of issues such as unrestrained urban growth, social and racial inequity, and the threat of natural catastrophe. Genius expresses the shared concerns of the artists and citizens of Seattle while imagining alternative visions for the future.

Artists participating in Genius were selected by leading arts writers and the Seattle artistic community to be recipients of The Stranger Genius Award. The Frye Art Museum is itself a recipient.  Genius continues the Frye's inquiry into the role of the museum in the twenty-first century and its place in the cultural and intellectual life of the city.

Among the distinguished artists, collaborative groups, and organizations participating in Genius are (in alphabetical order): Sherman Alexie, Sarah Bergmann, Matt Briggs, Rebecca Brown, Drew Christie, Web Crowell, Valerie Curtis-Newton, Robinson Devor, Steven Fisk, Ellen Forney, Frye Art Museum, Lori Goldston, Wynne Greenwood with K8 Hardy, Megan Griffiths, Gary Groth, Yussef El Guindi, Victoria Haven, Lesley Hazleton, Implied Violence, Industrial Revelation, C. Davida Ingram, The Intelligence, Chris Jeffries, Marya Sea Kaminski, Eyvind Kang, Ben Kasulke, Jessika Kenney, Lead Pencil Studio, Susie J. Lee, Stacey Levine, James Longley, Heather McHugh, Jeffry Mitchell, Zia Mohajerjasbi, Cary Moon, Charles Mudede, Paul Mullin, On the Boards, John Olson, John Osebold, Pacific Northwest Ballet, DK Pan, Mary Ann Peters, Linas Phillips, Jonathan Raban, Susan Robb, Sarah Rudinoff, David Russo, Scarecrow Video, Alex Schweder, Seattle School, Michael Seiwerath, Shabazz Palaces with Nep Sidhu, Lynn Shelton, Cherdonna Shinatra, SuttonBeresCuller, Rodrigo Valenzuela, Velocity Dance Center, Jim Woodring, Maged Zaher, Jennifer Zeyl, and zoe | juniper.

Curated by Jo-Anne Birnie Danzker, director of the Frye Art Museum, and Erika Dalya Massaquoi, an independent curator, Genius builds and expands upon the principles of past Frye cross-platform projects such as Mw [Moment Magnitude], 2012, and Your Feast Has Ended, 2014, and imagines and makes real a museum that not only exhibits art, but also supports its production.

An interactive microsite and scholarly catalogue will accompany the exhibition and together provide, for the first time, a comprehensive overview of individual and collaborative artistic practice across all disciplines in 21 Century Seattle.

Genius / 21 Century / Seattle is a Raynier Institute & Foundation exhibition organized by the Frye Art Museum and curated by Jo-Anne Birnie Danzker and Erika Dalya Massaquoi. The exhibition is funded by the Frye Foundation and the Raynier Institute & Foundation through the Frye Art Museum | Artist Trust Consortium. Generous support was provided by The Hugh and Jane Ferguson Foundation, Seattle Office of Arts & Culture, 4Culture/King County Lodging Tax, Douglas Smith and Stephanie Ellis-Smith, Riddell Williams P.S., Nitze-Stagen, and Frye Art Museum members and donors. Seasonal support provided by ArtsFund. Print media sponsorship provided by The Stranger. Broadcast media sponsorship provided by KUOW 94.9 FM.

Shabazz Palaces with Nep Sidhu. Malcolm's Smile, 2015. Concept and design: Nep Sidhu. Wool, poly-cotton, aluminum. 150 x 96 x 15 in. Courtesy of the artist. Photo: Mark Woods 

EXHIBITION PROGRAMS 

September 25, 7:00 pm – 11:00 pm 
Exhibition Opening Reception 
Genius / 21 Century / Seattle 

September 26, 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm 
We were. Performance with zoe | juniper 

October 3, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm 
Genius / 21 Century / Seattle 
Gallery Talk with Jo-Anne Birnie Danzker 

October 3, 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm 
Literary Festival 
Reading with Jonathan Raban 
Introduction by Charles Mudede 

October 9, 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm 
Decade 
Open Rehearsal with Industrial Revelation 

October 9, 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm; 9:00 pm – 10:00 pm 
Decade 
Performance with Industrial Revelation 

October 10, 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm 
Literary Festival 
Reading with Matt Briggs, Gary Groth, John Olson 
Hosted by Paul Constant 

October 15, 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm 
Becoming Something, Within Without 
Performance with Pacific Northwest Ballet 

October 16, 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm 
MIX/WORRY 
Performance with Chris Jeffries and Sarah Rudinoff 

October 17, 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm 
MIX/WORRY 
Performance with Chris Jeffries and Sarah Rudinoff 

October 18, 11:00 – 5:00 pm 
Frank in the 3rd Dimension – Video Exhibition Closes 
Jim Woodring 

October 20, 11:00 – 5:00 pm 
Prole – Video Exhibition Opens 
Film with Rodrigo Valenzuela 

October 24, 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm 
Literary Festival 
Reading with Rebecca Brown and Ellen Forney 
Hosted by Sean Nelson 

October 25, 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm 
The Mysterious Others 
Performance with Marya Sea Kaminski 

October 29, 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm 
Practical Grant Writing 
Workshop with On the Boards 

October 31, 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm 
Future Seattle: A People’s Forum 
Cary Moon 

November 1, 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm 
Future Seattle: A People’s Forum 
Cary Moon 

November 5, 12:00 pm – 6:00 pm 
We were. Performance with zoe | juniper 

November 5, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm 
Practical Lighting Design with Rich Bresnahan 
Workshop with On the Boards 

November 7, 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm 
Literary Festival 
Reading with Yussef El Guindi and Heather McHugh 
Hosted by Christopher Frizzelle 

November 8, 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm 
City Light 
Performance with John Osebold 

November 10, 11:00 – 5:00 pm 
impossible monument (flotsam) - Installation Opens 
Mary Ann Peters 

November 12, 12:00 pm – 6:00 pm 
We were. Performance with zoe | juniper 

November 13, 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm 
Cherdonna Shinatra, Patron Saint of Velocity 
Performance with Velocity Dance Center with Cherdonna Shinatra 

November 14, 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm 
Strikethrough 
Performance with Seattle School 

November 15, 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm 
The Intelligence Performance 

November 17, 11:00 – 5:00 pm 
Eclipse Tower I – Video Exhibition Opens 
Film with Web Crowell and Stacey Levine 

November 19, 6:00 pm – 6:30 pm 
In the Form of a Hummingbird 
Susan Robb 
Why Not School? 
Frye Art Museum/Yesler Community Center Project 

November 21, 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm 
Future Seattle: A People’s Forum 
Cary Moon 

November 22, 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm 
Future Seattle: A People’s Forum 
Cary Moon 

December 3, 11:00 – 5:00 pm 
We were. 
Performance with zoe | juniper 

December 3, 8:00 pm – 9:00 pm 
Viscous Circle 
Performance with Eyvind Kang and Jessika Kenney 

December 5, 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm 
Film Festival 
Film with Drew Christie and Megan Griffiths 

December 6, 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm 
Film Festival 
Film with Ben Kasulke and Lynn Shelton 

December 10, 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm 
Pollen 
Open Rehearsal with Lori Goldston 

December 11, 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm 
Pollen 
Open Rehearsal with Lori Goldston 

December 12, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm 
Genius / 21 Century / Seattle 
Gallery Talk with Jo-Anne Birnie Danzker and Erika Dalya Massaquoi 

December 12, 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm 
Pollen 
Open Rehearsal with Lori Goldston 

December 12, 3:00 pm – 7:00 pm 
Film Festival 
Film with David Russo and James Longley 

December 13, 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm 
Film Festival 
Film with Linas Phillips and Crewtopia Conversation 

December 15, 11:00 – 5:00 pm 
New Report, Artist Unknown - Video Exhibition Opens 
Film with Wynne Greenwood and K8 Hardy 

December 17, 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm 
Artist Talk 
C. Davida Ingram 

December 19, 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm 
Film Flights with Scarecrow Video 

January 3, 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm 
Be The First To Review The B83 
Steven Fisk 

January 7, 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm 
Conversations in the Stratosphere 
Ishmael Butler and Nep Sidhu 

January 8, 8:00 pm – 9:00 pm 
Shabazz Palaces with Morgan Henderson 
Performance