The final frontier: inaugural Seattle Art Fair to open this month

Sunglasses artwork
The inaugural Seattle Art Fair opens on 30 July with an expansive programme of exhibitions, site-specific and on-site installations, interventions and talks. Pictured: Wayne Thiebaud, Sunglasses, 1991.
(Image credit: Allan Stone Projects, New York​)

Attempting to make a dent in the saturated global art fair world, the Seattle Art Fair bursts out of the gates with an expansive programme of exhibitions, site-specific and on-site installations, interventions and talks for its inaugural offering later this month.

It’s an impressive first effort; the co-production team of Art Market Productions and Vulcan Inc. have put together a sterling roster of exhibitors, spanning national and international galleries including the Gagosian, David Zwirner and Pace. (To name just a few – the organisers have bought together over 60 names from cities as far-afield as New York, London, Vancouver, Seoul, Paris and Tokyo.)

The action will primarily be located within the CenturyLink Field Event Center, but a number of city-wide happenings are also planned, from Jenny Heishman's creation of experiential false landscapes in Myrtle Edwards Park, to a site-responsive life-sized diorama of inflatable and cut-out animals by the Native artist Wendy Red Star, and a multi-disciplinary offsite exhibition of emerging local artists at the alternative art space Soil.

'Working alongside our Seattle partners, we are breaking the boundaries of the traditional art fair to ignite the imagination of the city and the global arts community,' says Max Fishko, director of the Seattle Art Fair and managing partner of Art Market Productions.

'The fair has been designed to showcase the vibrant culture and diversity of the Pacific Northwest,' adds Mary Ann Prior, director of art collections at Vulcan Inc. 'We are excited to be creating an immersive, city-wide experience for not only Seattle residents, but established collectors and international art patrons.'

Tim Gardner, Sauble Beach, 2015

The organisers have bought together over 60 names from cities as far-afield as New York, London, Vancouver, Seoul, Paris and Tokyo. Pictured: Tim Gardner, Sauble Beach, 2015.

(Image credit: the artist and Monte Clark Gallery, Vancouver)

teamLab, Flowers and People – Dark artwork

Work of all disciplines will be on display, from galleries as esteemed as the Gagosian, David Zwirner and Pace (among many others). Pictured: teamLab, Flowers and People – Dark, 2015. 

(Image credit: 2015 teamLab)

Jean-Claude Moschetti, Ouri 01, 2010 artwork at display

Within the international scope, a wealth of local artists and galleries will also be featured. Pictured: Jean-Claude Moschetti, Ouri 01, 2010. 

(Image credit: Mariane Ibrahim Gallery, Seattle)

Jason Burgess, perpetual effect

The action will primarily be located within the CenturyLink Field Event Center, but a number of city-wide happenings are also planned. Pictured: Jason Burgess, perpetual effect, 2015. 

(Image credit: Harmony Murphy Gallery, Los Angeles)

Artwork James Turrell, Suite from Aten Reign, 2014

The fair is a collaboration between Art Market Productions and the philanthropic investors Vulcan Inc. Pictured: James Turrell, Suite from Aten Reign, 2014. Courtesy of Richard Levy Gallery, Albuquerque

(Image credit: Richard Levy Gallery, Albuquerque)

Black and white dog painting

'We are breaking the boundaries of the traditional art fair to ignite the imagination of the city and the global arts community,' says Max Fishko, director of the Seattle Art Fair and managing partner of Art Market Productions. Pictured: Gaylen Hansen, Two Dogs (One White One Black), 2015. 

(Image credit: Linda Hodges Gallery, Seattle)

Dawn Cerny, A Mound Above and Below, 2013

'We are excited to be creating an immersive, city-wide experience for not only Seattle residents, but established collectors and international art patrons,' says Mary Ann Prior, director of art collections at Vulcan Inc. Pictured: Dawn Cerny, A Mound Above and Below, 2013. 

(Image credit: SEASON, Seattle)

Aerwork Ann Hamilton, Blood, 2014

The inaugural Seattle Art Fair will run until 2 August, a short and sweet four day enterprise. Pictured: Ann Hamilton, Blood, 2014. 

(Image credit: press)

ADDRESS

CenturyLink Field
800 Occidental Ave S. Ste 100
Seattle, WA 98134

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Tom Howells is a London-based food journalist and editor. He’s written for Vogue, Waitrose Food, the Financial Times, The Fence, World of Interiors, Time Out and The Guardian, among others. His new book, An Opinionated Guide to London Wine, will be published by Hoxton Mini Press later this year.