With the new addition on Union Street of the Washington Mutual Tower, the Seattle Art Museum adds two floors of galleries to the original (ca. 1994) post-modernist building by architect Robert... More

With the new addition on Union Street of the Washington Mutual Tower, the Seattle Art Museum adds two floors of galleries to the original (ca. 1994) post-modernist building by architect Robert Venturi. And the surprise is that what used to be a fairly limited collection now has covers most areas of world art, including first and foremost American modern and contemporary art. Unfortunately, when I went Edward Hopper's "Chop Suey" had not been installed. But there was a representative Georgia O'Keefe as well as paintings by other major names (Jasper Johns, Motherwell, Rothko, Pollock, de Koening). And a "Bird in Motion" by Brancusi, that I believe I saw 30 years ago at the Seattle Center annex. In view towards the $1 billlion in artworks promised to the Museum on the eve of its 75th anniversary, there are various "stations" where one can see a continuous closed circuit of videos with some of the major donors/collectors. And in a nod to American colonial art, a Samuel Singleton Copley (this is not even Boston or Philadelphia!) painting hung pride of place at the entrance to one of the rooms devoted to American art. What was pleasantly surprising to find were two medium-to-large Italian Renaissance tondos, one by Botticelli, "Madonna of the Magnificat" (a version on loan from the Paul Allen collection, the more famous version is in the Uffizi in Florence), with superlative bright deep cerulean blues and crimson reds and jewel-like clarity of design. The significance of--the iconography of--this painting is not explained in the label. http://www.wga.hu/fram... Nice, too, to have small but fascinating collections of Egyptian, Roman and Islamic art. I'm not whether the famous Japanese "Deer Scroll" or the Black Crows (on a gold background) folding screen are on "short-term loan" from the Seattle Asian Art Museum. And what ever happened to the Grand Staircase (with Chinese Ming dynasty rams and warriors) in the Venturi building? One criticism I have is that the organization of the two floors is confusing. As the museum does not have separate wings to house the different "departments," one wanders from room to room without a sense of connection or flow.
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Part natural area (native species), part outdoors museum with a couple dozen contemporary sculptures, and part spectacular viewpoint (Elliot Bay and the Olympic mountains), this newest addition to... More

Part natural area (native species), part outdoors museum with a couple dozen contemporary sculptures, and part spectacular viewpoint (Elliot Bay and the Olympic mountains), this newest addition to the Seattle Art Museum also partakes of his proximity to the tourist-inflected Waterfront--hence it similarity to an amusement park--as well as to Myrtle Edwards Park (home of the 4th of July Fireworks display). Thus, it tries to be many things to different people. The sculptures--mostly by very well known names in contemporary American art--tend to be easy to overlook and hard to find, as they blend into the surroundings. But Alexander Calder's "Eagle," which used to be be on the front lawn of the Seattle Asian Art Museum in Volunteer Park--where it was completely out-of-place--benefits greatly from its new surroundings and takes on a breathtaking aesthetic significance. Tony Smith's "Wandering Rocks" are largely lost in a small wooded area. Richard Serra's "Wake" has a large "courtyard" to itself and is meant to be walked through and next to, enhancing its towering undulating curves which suggest the prow of a ship. Louise Bourgeois's "Father and Son" fountain--by its proximity to the Waterfront---has a schmaltzy quality, worsened by the literal interpretation given to it by the Museum's own publicity. Her ocular black marble "benches," likewise, lose their odd visual/tactile qualities by being placed so close to the same entrance on Alaskan Way and thus made available to pedestrians, on which they will immediately plunk themselves down. See http://www.metmuseum.org... http://cybermuse.gallery... for more representative works of Bourgeois. The "Vivarium" is difficult to find and often closed. You really need a map (available at the Paccar Pavilion, the visitors' center) to find about half of the sculptures. Part of the excitement of this park is its location, with freight trains running through it at various times of the day (or night), Elliott Avenue suddenly thrusting itself out of the ground at mid-levels. The day I went a young African-American couple was letting their four kids trample and race through the strips of delicately planted native species, even though there were signs everywhere asking people to respect the plants and to stay on the gravel path (I suppose that's the fault of white people, too). There weren't any skateboarders on the concrete areas. The park itself faces West, so a blazing afternoon sun obliterates much of the pleasure that might otherwise be had strolling in zig-zag manner down to the shore. There are metal red chairs scattered on the "viewing" terrace above the Calder. Rarely has an outdoor sculpture "garden" (though this is really a park) incorporated art into both the urban and natural environments in such a spectacular fashion (think of the Hirshhorn Sculpture Garden in D.C.).
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I'm prepared to change this post when the new and improved museum opens up but up til now, this has been the WORST museum I've been to. I've been to NYC, London, Denver, and various other places and... More

I'm prepared to change this post when the new and improved museum opens up but up til now, this has been the WORST museum I've been to. I've been to NYC, London, Denver, and various other places and I have always been disappointed by SAM. I stopped paying to get in because they have really small traveling exhibits and NO modern art in the permanent collection. I'm all for different cultures and their art, but in the city of Seattle there are hardly any contemporary art (big enough for the big gigs) museums. Henry Art is okay, but it's small. I look forward to the changing ways of SAM, but they better get it together.
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For instance, the website advertises their Warhol and Lichtenstein collection. However, they only have one or two works of each artist in reality. Wait for traveling exhibits and if you can, go on... More

For instance, the website advertises their Warhol and Lichtenstein collection. However, they only have one or two works of each artist in reality. Wait for traveling exhibits and if you can, go on a Thursday (the first of the month) and get in free. The building is big but sparse in actual art and I do believe they are already remodeling again! Why spend more money on renovation when you can spend that hard-earned funding on drawing more great art to the museum (echoing the last Van Gogh success).
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Its hammer time , all the time here in this fantastic art display museum. I have visited this place a few times and they have the amazing "every first thursday of the month, free entry". If you just... More

Its hammer time , all the time here in this fantastic art display museum. I have visited this place a few times and they have the amazing "every first thursday of the month, free entry". If you just want to try this place out you can visit for free! They have some amazing art with a traveling exhibit which allows you to see new things every time! The Van Gogh exhibit was amazing, just seeing something so perfect was inspiring.
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Even the entrance is very well maintained in this clean and quiet museum. The exhibits change often enough that everytime I go, I see something new. The guides are very well trained and educated, as... More

Even the entrance is very well maintained in this clean and quiet museum. The exhibits change often enough that everytime I go, I see something new. The guides are very well trained and educated, as they answered every question that was raised up very thoroughly. A mix of cultural collections are held here, and I would recommend this place to any art fan, history major, and those who are just interested in the Asian arts.
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I went to the SAM when the Van Gogh works were being displayed. I was given a device that narrates and reenacts audibly, which really enhanced my learning. There were a lot of paintings, all... More

I went to the SAM when the Van Gogh works were being displayed. I was given a device that narrates and reenacts audibly, which really enhanced my learning. There were a lot of paintings, all arranged logically so that my path would follow along the timeline, yet if I wanted to, there were shortcuts that would take me to other time periods.
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Well, not really classics but great art none-the-less. Northwest art into one convient place in the middle of downtown seattle. The admission prices are great, very cheap for a date. It is very... More

Well, not really classics but great art none-the-less. Northwest art into one convient place in the middle of downtown seattle. The admission prices are great, very cheap for a date. It is very big in side and has a couple of levels of art. Some of the art is ancient, or so it seems. Catch a taxi there, and the people who work there will recommend great pieces for you to see and analyze. I had fun and would definitely do it again!
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The SAM is located in the heart of downtown Seattle and is Seattle's biggest art museum. Though it cannot compare to the major metropolitan art museums that you find on the east coast the SAM does a... More

The SAM is located in the heart of downtown Seattle and is Seattle's biggest art museum. Though it cannot compare to the major metropolitan art museums that you find on the east coast the SAM does a good job keeping a rotation of good exhibits running through the museum while showing the pride they have in the museum itself. Last year there was a Van Gogh exhibit that drew a large crowd (line around the block most days). The museum pulled out all the stops including performance art to teach the museum goers more about Van Gogh. This level of pride for the museum is shown every time you visit the SAM.
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The most disappointing thing about SAM is its lack of artwork. It is a huge building with tons of space for exhibits, but the three times I've gone there, I've noticed the space is sorely lacking in... More

The most disappointing thing about SAM is its lack of artwork. It is a huge building with tons of space for exhibits, but the three times I've gone there, I've noticed the space is sorely lacking in artwork of any kind. The artwork that is there is choppy and not arranged in any particular order. It is my belief that putting paint on canvas does not make one an artist, although it seems that SAM does not not share this same opinion. Even local artists (whom I strongly support) need not have one whit of talent to be showcased at SAM. Their lack of discretion when choosing artwork is disconcerting to say the least. The first Thursday of every month provides free entrance to all art galleries in the city. Please, take advantage of this time and do not waste your money paying for admission.
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