April 6-12, 2005

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

Lectures and Events

Artist Lecture: James Luna The visual and performance artist talks about his photo triptych Half Indian/Half Mexican, one of 18 public works by nine artists of varied ethnic backgrounds recently installed at the University of Washington. 7 p.m. Thurs. April 7. UW Kane Hall (Room 220), free, 206-616-7116.

Artist Lecture: Sylvia Plachy The Hungarian photographer's documentary images, which range from elegant to whimsical, have appeared everywhere in The New Yorker and SFMOMA. And hell, she's Adrien Brody's mom, so she must be cool. 6:30 p.m. Thurs., April 7. Seattle Asian Art Museum, Volunteer Park, 1400 E. Prospect Ave., $5, 206-625-8900.

Artist Talk: Janet Marcavage The University of Puget Sound arts instructor talks about her work, in particular the room-size installation Embody, which incorporates paper, hair, and thread. 4 p.m. Thurs. April 7. University of Puget Sound campus, 1500 N. Lawrence (Tacoma), free, 253- 879-2806.

Lecture: Eric Frederickson on Doug Aitken The director of Western Bridge leads an informal discussion of Doug Aitken's video work (his magnificent Interiors is now on display at the Henry) and the L.A.–based artist's satisfying fusion of pop culture, contemporary music, and fragmented narrative. 7 p.m. Thurs. April 7. Henry Art Gallery, UW campus, free with admission, 206-543-2280.

Photography Lecture: Brenda Tharp Professional photographer Brenda Tharp advises budding nature photographers on how to develop a personal vision in order to compose more compelling images. 7 p.m. Thurs. April 14. The Mountaineers, 300 Third Ave. W., $25, 206-284-8484.

First Thursday

All City Coffee The coffee shop, frequented by Georgetown artists, opens a new outpost near the Tashiro-Kaplan art complex in Pioneer Square—and brings with it a sampling of artists living and working in Georgetown. Reception: 6-10 p.m. 125 Prefontaine Pl. S., 206-652-8331. 6 a.m.-11 p.m. Mon.-Fri.; 7 a.m.-11 p.m. Sat.; 8 a.m.-9 p.m. Sun.

Artists' Gallery of Seattle Candy-colored abstract acrylics on canvas by local painter Shango Los. Reception: 6-10 p.m. 902 First Ave. S., 206-340-0830. 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Tues.-Sat.; noon- 5 p.m. Sun.

ArtsWorks "Cartoonists Take Up Smoking" is a group show of more than 300 editorial cartoons by 60 artists, all taking aim at Big Tobacco. Reception: 7-10 p.m. 1914 Fourth Ave., 206-292-4142. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Fri.; noon- 5 p.m. Sat.

Benham Compare two photo-reproduction techniques side by side—platinum palladium and modern digital pigment—and see how they affect the work of Craig J. Barber and Roger Ricco. Reception: 6-8 p.m. 1216 First Ave., 206-622-2480. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Wed.-Sat.

Billy King In "Lay Up Lay Over Move In Move Out," artist Anjali Grant marks up photographs of Portland's industrial district to create whimsical studies of structure and machinery. Reception: 6-8 p.m. 95 Union St., 206-264-6263. Noon-5 p.m. Wed.-Sat. (or by appointment).

D'Adamo/Woltz This gallery's second annual showcase of work by students at Cornish College and Pratt Fine Arts Center features work by Chad Downward, Renee Cowan, and others. Most notable among them is Timea Tihanyi, whose disturbing hybrid sculptures allude to bodily functions and incorporate fleshy rubber and bone-dry porcelain. Reception: 5-8:30 p.m. 303/307 Occidental Ave. S., 206-652-4414. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Sat.; noon- 5 p.m. Sun.

Davidson Francesca Sundsten's painstakingly rendered surrealism, which has a weird, freak-show quality to it, now extends to the natural world, where she envisions a peaceable kingdom that would never happen in nature: steam-breathing crocodiles, leaves heavy with hundreds of lady bugs. Also on display: oh-so-sunny houses and abstraction by Marlene Bauer, and impressionist sketches of horses and other scenes of nomad life by Mongolian artist Shagdarjavin Chimeddorj. Reception: 6-8 p.m. 313 Occidental Ave. S., 206-624-7684. 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Tues.-Sat.

G. Gibson In "Artificial Nature," John Divola collects found movie stills from the 1930s to the 1960s to create faux landscapes, while Andria Modica shows a variety of photographs including "Hundreds of Skeletons Found at State Hospital," images of skulls of mental patients from the previous century. Reception: 6-8 p.m. 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 "Marine Layers" features Judy Blanco's virtuoso drawings of water reflecting and refracting light. Reception: 6-8 p.m. 506 Second Ave., Suite 200 (Smith Tower), 206-296-7580. 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Mon.-Fri.

Gallery 110 In "Fools, Jesters, and Clowns," David Traylor's urnlike sculptures—which have more than a hint of sadomasochism to them—incorporate ceramic, fur, and barbed wire. They're said to be inspired by the fools of Shakespeare's comedies. Also on display: Yvette Franz's surreal paintings inspired by childhood memories of horses. Reception: 6-8 p.m. 110 S. Washington St., 206-624-9336. Noon-5 p.m. Wed.-Sat.

Garde Rail Kevin Titzer's figurines of down-and- out characters made from wood, metal, and other debris. Reception: 6-8 p.m. 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 Margie Livingston's gorgeous abstract canvases threaded with a delicate, architectural latticework of narrow stripes, plus Reuben Lorch-Miller's text-based neon signs, digital prints, and collections of pixilated images pulled from the Internet. (See SW This Week, p. 33.) Artist lecture: Noon on Sat. April 9. Reception: 6-8 p.m. Sat. April 9. 212 Third Ave., 206-624-0770. 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Tues.-Sat.