BELLEVUE, Wash. — You can see the work of Kehinde Wiley and find yourself in the eye of a storm at Bellevue Arts Museum’s latest exhibition.
“Strange Weather: From the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundation” features contemporary works of art spanning five decades.
"When we think of weather we usually think of walking outside and experiencing the cold or drizzle. But the curators of this exhibition at the University of Santa Cruz were thinking about weather in a much broader context,” said E. Michael Whittington, Executive Director of BAM. “Not only climatic phenomenon, but what happened with COVID. What about social phenomenon such as colonialism, racism. So they were looking at weather in its broadest possible context, which is a bit unusual for us. But then when you come into this magnificent exhibition, you get to experience exactly what the curators were thinking."
Perhaps the most vibrant piece is by Kehinde Wiley, who famously painted President Obama's portrait.
"He is using individuals he finds in the everyday community and elevating them into these monumental characters and his work is really magnificent,” Whittington said.
Artist Leonardo Drew’s piece is a massive wall installation resembling the eye of a storm. It greets visitors as soon as they step off an elevator and enter the exhibition.
“I feel like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, in the tornado. So you're in the middle of the storm. In fact, that's what Drew wants you to experience. He wants you to be part of the weather,” Whittington said. "Drew is an individual who's interested in the process of decay. In fact, you'll see some detritus on the floor. The work is slowly disintegrating, and that's the process the artist wants to capture."
This weekend is also "BAM in Bloom,” a four-day event where ten floral designers create displays inspired by art throughout the museum. Their works will be shown alongside the exhibition pieces.
“I want (guests) to leave with a sense of awe, of wow, and I want them to come back,” Whittington said.
“Strange Weather” runs through August 20.
Bellevue Arts Museum is located at 510 Bellevue Way NE and is open Wednesday – Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Parking is free in the museum’s underground garage.
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