COMPLEXITY

COMPLEXITY

June 6, 2024 - July 20, 2024

Reception: June 6, 2024

The Seattle Office of Arts and& Culture (ARTS) in partnership with The American Graffiti & Urban Art Conservation Project (AMGRAF) and APEX Art & Cultural Center is honored to bring the legendary DogTown Collection to ARTS at King Street Station. COMPLEXITY is a celebration of graffiti art and culture, presented in all its forms.

Curated by Sire One (ARTS) and Baby-G Carswell (AMGRAF), COMPLEXITY demonstrates what graffiti is and can be, offering local examples of the art style and its history.

The DogTown Collection is an epic collection of masterpieces created by some of the most influential graffiti writers to have painted over the last 50 years. Over 20 pieces from it will be on display along with additional works from local writers contributing pieces from their personal collections, including black-books, magazines (pre-Instagram), jackets, stickers, and more.

With this exhibition, the curators hope to foster a deeper understanding of the complexity of graffiti and aerosol expressionism.

Events

Party on July 11

Come through the gallery before COMPLEXITY leaves on July 20. With the Independance Day holiday, July 11 is Pioneer Square's "First Thursday" Art Walk.

4 - 8 p.m. - DJ Surreal will spin in the plaza while four artists paint canvases live. Upstairs in the gallery is the legendary Dogtown Collection and screenings of Prophets Teachers and Kings. Light refreshments, FREE.

Opening Events

Join us for an activation in the plaza of King Street Station on First Thursday, June 6:

4 - 6 p.m. - Four artists painting canvases live
5 - 8 p.m. - DJ Supreme La Rock spins
6 p.m. - Remarks in the gallery

Catering provided by Natoncks Metsu.

Attendees can form a genuine connection between what they see being painted and the works on display in the gallery. 

About APEX and AMGRAF

APEX Art & Culture Center is a cultural oasis nestled within the heart of historic downtown Everett.

The AMGRAF museum is their 501(c)(3) non-profit museum dedicated to preserving the legacy of the artists who risked life, limb and freedom to find their voices and be seen and heard. It features The DogTown Collection, the world’s largest collection of graffiti and urban art on canvas.

What to Expect

COMPLEXITY contains 2D and 3D works featuring graffiti writing, stickers, portraits, and fictional characters engaged in skateboarding, huffing paint, and listening to music.

Media

See a recap of the opening, along with pictures, on our blog.

• The Facts - "ARTS at King Street Station Hosts Graffiti Exhibition", 6/3/24
• Seattle's Child - "David the Docent: ‘COMPLEXITY’ at King Street Station", 6/19/24
• Real Change - "The complex future of graffiti art", 7/3/24

Youth in Focus Showcase

June 6, 2024 - June 22, 2024

Youth in Focus' Creative Career Cohort is a 6-month internship program for BIPOC youth in grades 10-12. Students learn digital photography, graphic design, styling, and editing.

Ten youth were selected for the 2024 program, following a competitive interview process. Each participant selected their two favorite photographs for display in ARTS at King Street Station. Photography projects centered on the theme of “the change you want to see in the world.”

Image courtesy of Youth in Focus.

What to Expect

The Youth in Focus Creative Career Cohort Showcase features photographs depicting human subjects in various daily activities or posing, abstract composition, and local locations.