Send listings two weeks in advance to visualarts@seattleweekly.com.

Lectures and Events

Lecture: Isamu Noguchi SAM curator Susan Rosenberg talks about the life and work of the 20th-century sculptor and designer at a local design and furnishings store—so if you’re inspired enough by Noguchi’s work, you can purchase an Akari lamp or a coffee table on the spot. 6 p.m. Thurs. July 21. Design Within Reach, 1918 First Ave., free, 206-443-9900.

Openings

Howard House Local artist Juniper Shuey’s debut solo show, “Mystery in Which We All Participate,” involves five video installations and one sculpture all exploring notions of perception, the body, and religious transformation. Reception: 604 Second Ave., 206-256-6399. 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat.

Last Chance

CoCA Tokyo-based architect and artist Yumi Kori’s absorbing installation “Infinitation” transforms the interior of CoCA into a deceptively vast space punctuated by bands of light—a trippy illusion in light and distance reminiscent of James Turrell. 410 Dexter Ave. N., 206-728-1980. 2-8 p.m. Tues.-Thurs.; noon-5 p.m. Fri.-Sun. Ends Sat. July 23.

Winston Wächter New work by eight abstract painters, including locals Jaq Chartier (whose paintings are the results of meticulous tests of materials) and Susan Dory, who creates lovely studies in pattern and rhythm. 203 Dexter Ave. N., 206-652-5855. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat. Ends Sat. July 23.

Galleries

Ballard/Fetherston “Summer Salon,” a sampler of this gallery’s artists, includes regulars Deborah Bell, Gary Komarin, and Michael Schultheis, plus new additions Carolyn Cole, Melissa Furness, and others. 818 E. Pike St., 206-322-9440. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat.

Bluebottle “Letting Go of Holding On,” new paintings examining love, conflict, and relationships by self-taught SoCal artist Tim McCormick. 415 E. Pine St., 206-325-1592. 1-7 p.m. Tues.-Fri.; noon-6 p.m. Sat.-Sun.

Carolyn Staley Eleven prints depicting nude, frolicking, self-confident Buddhist goddesses, all by late-20th-century Japanese artist Mayumi Oda. 314 Occidental Ave., 206-621-1888. 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat.

Crawl Space University of Washington MFA graduate Jason Wood’s new photographs explore the origins of everyday objects we take for granted. 504 E. Denny Way #1, 206-240-6015. Noon-5 p.m. Sat.-Sun.

Davidson Ghostly female figures emerging from marble by Oregon sculptor M.J. Anderson. 313 Occidental Ave. S., 206-624-7684. 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Tues.-Sat.

Foster/White Bulbous, globular glass sculptures by David Schwarz. Reception: 6-8 p.m. 123 S. Jackson St., 206-622-2833. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon.-Sat.; noon-5 p.m. Sun.

Francine Seders For the past several years, local photographer Spike Mafford has been trying to figure out how to bring the aesthetic experience of visual art to both the blind and sighted. The results of his experiments are on display in a new show, “Braille.” Mafford has incorporated tactile elements, including Braille lettering and raised forms, into his printed photos with the goal of discovering how a printed photograph changes after being touched by arts “viewers.” 6701 Greenwood Ave. N., 206-782-0355. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.- Sat.; 1-5 p.m. Sun.

G. Gibson Eight artists taking a peek at nature are part of “You Can’t See the Forest,” a group show of photographs, collage, and mixed-media constructions. Included: a forest collage by Seattle photographer Paul Berger, and lovely skyscapes by Scotland’s Iain Stewart. 300 S. Washington St., 206-587-4033. 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Wed.-Fri.; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat.

Gallery 4 Culture A sampling of abstract paintings from King County’s public art collection that reaches back to the ’80s with a symphony of paint squiggles by Alden Mason, plus a grab bag of contemporary work by Susan Dory, Patricia Hagen, and others. 506 Second Ave., Suite 200 (Smith Tower), 206-296-7580. 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Mon-Fri.

Gallery 110 Two artists, each with a compelling, disturbing vision: James Cicatko (see spotlight) and Carl Jackson, who creates gothic, near-abstract surrealism. 110 S. Washington St., 206-624-9336. Noon-5 p.m. Wed.-Sat.

Garde Rail “Four X Northwest” brings together the work of four self-taught, outsider artists from these parts: Anne Grgich’s painted ladies on panel, Ree Brown’s watercolors of birds, cats, and people (“no one in particular,” he admits), Tim Fowler’s cartoony figures carved from wood, and Gregory Blackstock’s meticulous and addictive “list” paintings. 110 Third Ave. S., 206-621-1055. 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Wed.-Fri.; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat.

Greg Kucera New work by Montana artist Deborah Butterfield, who does clever, larger-than-life sculptures of horses from bronze, found wood, and scrap metal. 212 Third Ave., 206-624-0770. 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Tues.-Sat.

Grover/Thurston Vashon Island–based artist Joanne Hammer’s new paintings are intentionally naive and folksy and offer a menagerie of vaguely spiritual animals and human figures. 309 Occidental Ave. S., 206-223-0816. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat.

Jack Straw New Media Gallery Rene Yung’s installation “Four Dignities” uses fabric screens and quiet audio to encourage viewers to experience the Buddhist concept of mindfulness in four states: sitting, walking, standing, and lying down. 4261 Roosevelt Way N.E., 206-634-0919. 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon.-Fri.

James Harris Claude Zervas’ new work “The County” obliquely approaches the nature and landscape of the Northwest via technologically sophisticated sculpture. Rivers, forests, and the environment are alluded to through fluorescent lights, cascading wire, LEDs, and video projection. 309A Third Ave., 206-903-6220. 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Wed.-Sat.

Joe Bar “Images of the Floating World” features Maija Fiejbig’s peacefully trippy paintings inspired by Japanese decorative art. 810 E. Roy St., 206-324-0407. 7:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Mon.-Fri.; 8:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Sat.-Sun.

Kirkland Arts Center Iowa-based artist Tim Dooley’s car-crash of graphic design, cartoon- influenced prints, fake campfire, and appropriated media images. 620 N.W. Market St., 425-822-7161. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon.-Fri.; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat. Every third Thurs. open until 8 p.m.

Lisa Harris Realist, O’Keeffe-like landscapes of the arid inland Northwest by local painter Emily Wood. 1922 Pike Pl., 206-443-3315. 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Mon.-Sat.; 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sun.

Platform New paintings by five artists: Jaq Chartier (Seattle), James Gudat (Portland), Patte Loper (New York), Daniel Rushton (New York), and Kim Squaglia (Sacramento). 114 Third Ave. S., 206-323-2808. 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Thurs.-Sat.

Photographic Center Northwest “Focused” presents the results of PCNW’s 10th annual photo contest, this year judged by Mary Virginia Swanson. 900 12th Ave., 206-720-7222. Noon-9:30 p.m. Mon.; 9 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Tues.-Fri.; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat.; noon-5 p.m. Sun.

Priceless Works “Underneath Style” is a showcase of experimental noise/sound art by local artists and musicians. Also on display: “Vernacular,” an oral history of HIV/AIDS survivors by Joe Plotts and Dan Weisser, and new drawings and sculpture by Matt Sellars. 619 N. 35th St., Suite 100, 206-349-9943. Noon-6 p.m. Thurs.-Sun.

Roq La Rue A satiric look at the stereotypes and folk art of the rural South and West, “Big Rock Candy Mountain,” features paintings and drawings by Gary Monroe, Thomas Huck, Jon Langford, Fred Stonehouse, Daniel Martin Diaz, and Ryan Greis. 2316 Second Ave., 206-374-8977. 2-6 p.m. Tues.-Sat.; noon-4 p.m. Sun.

SOIL “History and Prophecy: A Bestiary for the 21st Century” is a group show of off-kilter drawings and sculpture inspired by the odd creatures of the earth. Includes work by Jessica Balsam, Howard Barlow, Shannon Eakins, and Justin Gibbens. Also on display: modified Polaroids of typewriters and antiquated technology by Robin Dupuy. 112 Third Ave. S., 206-264-8061. Noon-5 p.m. Thurs.-Sun.

Solomon Fine Art Jeffrey Sarmiento’s “In a Matter of Speaking” offers glass art that’s a refreshing antidote to the decorative banalities of Seattle’s glass glut. In his first solo show, the work ranges from small to over 5 feet high, incorporating a dense network of halftone screens and text. 215 First Ave., 206-297-1400. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon.-Sat.

Suyama Space In Utah-based artist Paul Stout’s oddly compelling installation “Second Nature,” huge blades of “grass” grow up from assorted Victorian coffee tables. Don’t miss Stout’s virtuoso mechanical bugs under glass in the adjacent space. 2324 Second Ave., 206-256-0809. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Fri.

Vain “Soles in the Mist,” new paintings on screen prints by local artist Iosufatu Sua. Sua’s bold, ironic graphic designs draw on influences as disparate as Polynesian iconography, Japanese woodcuts, and urban street art. 2018 First Ave., 206-441-3441. Noon-7 p.m. Sun.-Tues.; 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Wed.-Thurs.; 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Fri.-Sat.

Western Bridge German artist Daniel Roth’s strange and subtle installation River Styx presents “evidence”—in drawings, sculpture, and photography—of an underground river running west from Seattle, below the Olympic Peninsula, and out to a burial island off the coast. Also on display is Rodney Graham’s clever second look at an old oak tree, Roni Horn’s obsessive 100-photo installation You Are the Weather, and a justly famous series of portraits of four sisters taken over a span of 30 years by Nicholas Nixon. And speaking of the River Styx, you’ll feel like you’ve been to hell and back after experiencing Gary Hill’s numbing video Wall Piece, a study in frustration, artistic struggle, and the failure of language. 3412 Fourth Ave. S., 206-838-7444. Noon-6 p.m. Thurs.-Sat.

William Traver Delicate vessels carved from madrona and other woods by Lopez Island sculptor Michael Peterson, plus overly sleek glass fish and other art baubles by Nick Wirdnam. 110 Union St., second floor, 206-587-6501. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon.-Fri.; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat.; noon-5 p.m. Sun.

Wright Exhibition Space “Aboriginal Vision” offers selections of contemporary Australian Aboriginal art from the expansive collection of UW international studies professor Margaret Levi and her husband, Robert Kaplan. 407 Dexter Ave. N., 206-264-8200. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Thurs.-Fri.

Museums

Bellevue Arts Museum BAM is back with a retooled mission as an accessible (read: noncontroversial) place for art, craft, and design. Executive Director Michael Monroe launches the resurrection with “The Artful Teapot,” an impressive but safe collection of 250 teapots-as- sculpture. Albert Paley’s new–Art Nouveau iron work is nice and intricate, kind of like a Chihuly is nice and intricate (fans of the Tacoma glassmeister can see one of his newly commissioned works in BAM’s lobby). And for those who just can’t get enough glass, there’s an exhibit of art and posters from the early days of the Pilchuck Glass School. 510 Bellevue Way N.E., 425-519-0770. 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Tues.-Sat. (until 9 p.m. Thurs.), 11 a.m-5:30 p.m. Sun.

Burke Museum Subhankar Banerjee’s magnificent photos of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge are the result of a two-year expedition among caribou and tundra. Savor these images, before ExxonMobil and BP bring their “low impact” drilling apparatus to ANWR. Also on display: traditional and contemporary Native American art depicting arctic animals. UW campus, Northeast 45th Street and 17th Avenue Northeast, 206-543-5590. 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. daily (until 8 p.m. Thurs.).

Frye Art Museum “The Retrofuturistic World of NSK” collects 20 years’ worth of painting, prints, and other media by Slovenia’s Neue Slowenische Kunst art movement. Challenging the whole idea of authorship, nationality, and avant-garde, the artists in NSK create theater, music, and visual art that appropriates communist and capitalist kitsch in an effort to subvert authority. “Taking and Making” features recent work by Oliver Herring, the German-born artist whose experiments in photography, video, and sculpture take novel turns, including a life-sized self-portrait sculpture made from snapshots. “Spectatorship and Desire: Lust” rehangs some of the Frye’s permanent collection in a salon-style jumble. 704 Terry Ave., 206-622-9250. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat.; noon-5 p.m. Sun.; 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Thurs.

Henry Art Gallery Trimpin, born in Germany but based in Seattle since 1979, does amazing things combining technological gizmos with more analog stuff like typewriters, player pianos, and other musical instruments. (His best-known work is the immense Roots and Branches sculpture of robotically controlled guitars at EMP). The next year or so is going to be something of a Trimpin celebration, with local galleries and museums showcasing the artist’s various kinetic sculptures. At the Henry, the wonderfully titled installation Phfftt involves some 200 electronically controlled woodwind instruments you can play with a series of two dials. Or you can listen to one of 12 manic, lighthearted, or sinister works by the composer. Also on display: Do not miss the magnificent Francis Bacon painting Study for a Pope IV, on display in its own room. The 1961 work is a late piece in Bacon’s startling series of popes; this one conveys a haunting combination of authority and impotence. The skull-like head seems to shift and shimmer before your eyes, and the feeble hands make the pontiff seem very fallible indeed. Also: “Seeing the Unseen,” a fascinating collection prints of X-ray, microscopic, time-lapse, and other 19th- and 20th-century photographic novelties. UW campus, 206-543-2280. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sun.; 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Thurs.

Seattle Art Museum “Isamu Noguchi—Sculptural Design” is an unorthodox and splashy exploration of the eclectic 20th-century sculptor-designer. The exhibit is a visual and sonic extravaganza designed by theater experimentalist Robert Wilson. Various rooms evoke different themes in Noguchi’s long career: His work in the theater with the likes of Martha Graham takes the shape of a brooding theatrical space; intensely material sculptural works are set in a Zen rock garden complete with several tons of raked gravel. Other rooms suggest Noguchi’s mission to popularize art through mass-produced design. There are moments when the whole project goes over the top—the canned thunder and lightning accompanying a model of a monument to Benjamin Franklin, complete with kite and key, is just a bit much. Still, this is a fascinating look at an artist who managed to span divides between cultures and artistic disciplines. Also on display: “Africa in America” is a varied and complex exploration of slavery, displacement, and ethnic culture as portrayed in African-American art of the late 20th century. 100 University St., 206-654-3100. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sun.; 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Thurs.

Tacoma Art Museum Jewelry doesn’t have to make the diamond barons at DeBeers rich. Case in point: “Zero Karat,” a touring collection of jewelry made from such nonprecious materials as aluminum and Chinese newspapers. Also on display: “Carving a Legacy,” contemporary interpretations of traditional Native American art by Shaun Peterson, Greg Colfax, Karen Reed, and others. 1701 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253-272-4258. Every third Thursday free and open until 8 p.m. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat.; noon-5 p.m. Sun.