Susie J. Lee and Storm Tharp: "Implied Fictions" and "A Closer Look: Portraits from the Paul G. Allen Family Collection"

"Implied Fictions" and "A Closer Look: Portraits from the Paul G. Allen Family Collection"

December 2, 2016 – March 26, 2017

Pivot Art + Culture
609 Westlake Ave N
Seattle, WA 98109

There is a new exhibition at Pivot Art + Culture dedicated to portraits and exploring how artists seek to convey the essence of their subjects. The artworks included span continents, cultures and centuries. A Closer Look: Portraits from the Paul G. Allen Family Collection opens December 2, 2016 and reveals a surprising range of responses.

A Closer Look includes diverse artworks, all attempts to distill the rich complexity of their subjects into a single, static image. Portraits by Paul Gauguin and Pieter Hugo depict people in faraway places, pausing as they go about their daily lives. Photographs by Dennis Hopper and Arnold Newman are more formal images of iconic figures from the arts, sciences, sports and entertainment – people whose gaze may still provoke, despite their familiarity or the passage of time. Several works in the exhibit, like those by Ernest Bachrach and László Willinger, were created for promotional purposes, while pictures by Francis Bacon and Guy Tillim challenge the conventions of portraiture altogether.

In this age of selfies, portraits have never been more common, nor in many cases more superficial. By presenting these enduring portraits, A Closer Look will invite visitors to consider what qualities give these works their depth, power and presence. The variety of artists on display will offer something for everyone from Pierre-Auguste Renoir to Ansel Adams to David Hockney and Georges Seurat.

Portraits from a selection of Northwest artists will also be on display comprising the complementary exhibition, Implied Fictions. Each piece conveys an unspoken narrative that transports the viewer into another world. Artists included in the show are Holly Andres, Marsha Burns, Aleah Chapin, Scott Fife, Ann Gale, Susie J. Lee, Jim Phalen, Akio Takamori, Storm Tharp, Samantha Wall, Tariqa Waters, and Alice Wheeler.

Exhibition Dates
December 2, 2016 – February 26, 2017

Location
609 Westlake Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109
Ground floor of the Allen Institute building in the South Lake Union neighborhood of Seattle

Visit
Hours: Tuesday through Sunday 10am-6pm, and Thursday 10am-8pm Admission: $5