Second Thursday Happenings
Consider yourself warned: there’s quite a bit going on tomorrow night. Save Face, Ariana Page Russell‘s first solo show at Platform Gallery opens with a reception 6 to 8 p.m.
Ariana Page Russell. Radiate. Archival pigment print, 2010. 30 x 20 in.
With her new photographs Russell, a 2005 University of Washington MFA grad and recent transplant to Brooklyn, continues a body of work exploiting temporary tattoos printed with images of her own hyper-sensitive skin as costuming elements. Partly inspired by the overstimulation of her new surroundings, Ariana’s new work focuses more closely on the face as a mask that simultaneously hides and reveals aspects of identity. I just previewed the show and the new photographs are definitely something you’ll want to check out in person.
As I previously mentioned, Queen Shmooquan is giving her final pre-hiatus show tomorrow night at the Can-Can.
In Capitol Hill, the Second Thursday Artwalk (whose official name is so stupid that I shall not speak it) is celebrated with openings at a variety of venues. Afterward, don’t miss local design firm Dumb Eyes‘s DJ night Penetration, now in its new home at Unicorn.
Over at The Stranger, Dave Segal has just written a great feature about Dumb Eyes, who have injected an exciting bit of color into Seattle’s visual art and music scene of late (including visuals for the occasional Portable Shrines event). The third installment of Dumb Eyes’s excellent I Want You Magazine is currently available at a variety of spots around town and beyond, or via their website, where an online exhibition of work by current magazine contributors may also be found. Among my favorite artists featured in the current issue is Alan Jaras, an English scientist and photographer who sets up complex transparent matrices for photographing refracted beams of light.
Alan Jaras. Photograph for I Want You #3, 2010.
Other standouts include new works by Seattle-based artists Robert Hardgrave and Brandon Drake. The magazine is free while it lasts, so do yourself a favor and pick up a copy, stat!
UPDATE: Joey Veltkamp has lots more info about tomorrow night’s openings on Best Of, including several worthy things I neglected to mention. Check it out.
