1/8/2009 1:38:00 PM 2008 bodes well for Crawl Space in 2009
The Crawl Space is showing Raymond Boisjoly’s 2008 light-string art “Would you like to start again at the beginning?”
By Steven Vroom
Crawl Space had a very good year by any standards. The gallery presented new work in 2008 to great critical acclaim, with two exhibitions making everyone's top 10 lists for important exhibitions of the year. Crawl Space found itself back in the limelight for its second Stranger Genius "Shortlist" award for Arts Organization in 2008.
And also last year, Crawl Space emerged as the premier non-commercial gallery in Seattle, one dedicated to cultivating innovative artwork by early career artists. Since opening its doors in 2003, Crawl Space has presented new works by more than 150 artists, at no charge to a public audience of more than 4,000.
Member Matt Browning made a big impression with his first solo show, "Home Field Advantage," which Jen Graves at The Stranger called the exhibition "one of the most promising debuts by a Seattle artist." Browning's work remains on view until Jan. 24 as part of "Patch Dynamics, Six New Invasions to the Field," curated by Scott Lawrimore and Yoko Ott at Lawrimore Project. He has also been nominated for the Brink Award, a new prize from the Henry Art Gallery is aimed at young visual artists in Washington, Oregon and British Columbia.
Founder Anne Mathern's work was included in "Thermostat: Video And The Pacific Northwest" curated by Michael Darling at the Seattle Art Museum. Her collaborative exhibition with Chad Wentzel, "This is the Worst Trip I've Ever Been On, Acculturation in a Pre-Apocalyptic Age" received rave reviews. Mathern was awarded a 911 Media Arts Center scholarship and has also been nominated for the Brink Award. She will also be showing in an exhibition at the Art Gym at Marylhurst University in 2009.
Diana Falchuk received a GAP grant from by the Artist Trust Foundation, while Seattle Metropolitan magazine named her one of "15 artists you should know." Jennifer Towner, the most recent artist to become a member of Crawl Space, also received a GAP grant. Wentzel had a solo show at Gallery4Culture in September where he created an epic installation of cut paper and textiles.
The annual fundraiser, "The Grand Geometrician's Ball," was hosted by established artist Jeffrey Mitchell and prominent collectors, John and Shari Behnke. They raised over $15,000 in support from private donors, including such influential contributors as the Behnkes and Bill and Ruth True [Western Bridge]. The majority of Crawl Spaces's operating budget is funded through small contributions from an expanding support base. A timely grant from 4 Culture completed their small annual budget.
2008 also saw the appointment of a new director, Jennifer Campbell. In the last decade, she has worked in various community and nonprofit art organizations, with experience in exhibition coordination, grant writing, curatorial practice, event planning and artist representation. Born in Vancouver, BC, she worked for three years in Montreal as the exhibition coordinator at Dazibao, centre de photographies actuelles, a non-profit contemporary art gallery. She has also exhibited her photo-based work in Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, New York and Melbourne.
Opening on Saturday, Jan. 10, curator Jessica Powers has assembled a group exhibition featuring four artists who live and work in British Columbia. Entitled "Would You Like to Start Again at the Beginning?" the show features Raymond Boisjoly, Josh Hite, Samatha Stagg and Lilith Yacub.
The conceptual premise of the exhibition is based on Philip Jose Farmer's cult 1971 science fiction novel "To Your Scattered Bodies Go." This work imagines that everyone who has ever existed has suddenly been resurrected in the prime of life. This population is left on the banks of a terra-formed river with plenty of food but no clues to the meaning of this strange new afterlife. The exhibition runs from Feb. 8. There will be an opening reception with the four artists on Saturday, Jan. 10, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Crawl Space is currently soliciting proposals for an upcoming Centennial International Juried Exhibition, with guest juror Jeffrey Mitchell. The juror will choose artists with whom he will show later in 2009. There is a $500 juror's award and the premise of an artist picking other artists to show with is both bold and innovative. The deadline for submissions is Feb. 1.
With a new director, a solid year of excellence by member artists, Crawl Space is poised to take off and soar in 2009. By adhering to a conceptual rigor that would be the envy of any university art department, you can be sure to find exciting and challenging art at this quirky, little gallery with a big heart and a lot of moxie.
Crawl Space is located at 504 E. Denny Way, No. 1. (behind the wooden fence). Gallery hours are Fridays and weekends from noon to 5 p.m. and by appointment. For more information, call 201-2441 or go to www.crawlspacegallery.com.
Steven Vroom writes about the Visual Arts regularly for the Capitol Hill Times. He is the host of the Visual Art pod cast "Art Radio Seattle" at www.VroomJournal.com. He can be reached at editor@capitolhilltimes.com.
