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