Published July 22 2016
The Bellwether Sculpture Exhibition, a biannual event here, returns to downtown Bellevue this summer. The exhibition, featuring sculptures and installations from 32 artists from around the world, opens on Friday, July 29.
New this year are a series of exciting art walks that will add dozens of performances and new voices to the Bellwether experience.
Bellwether is a juried exhibition that features a variety of artworks presented in public places from City Hall to Downtown Park. The exhibition got its start in 1992 as an initiative to create an art walk experience through the center of the city. Now in its 13th incarnation, the exhibition has evolved into an event that promotes Bellevue's reputation as a destination for people to experience art and culture.
Bellwether will help kick off arts fair weekend, a combination of three arts fairs that draws 300,000 people downtown. A free exhibition opening reception will be 6-8 p.m., Friday at City Hall, 450 110th Ave. NE. Many of the participating artists will be present to discuss their work.
The art walks will be on the first Friday of each of the three months of the exhibition -- Aug. 5, Sept. 2 and Oct. 7. These walks will coincide with the Bellevue Arts Museum's Free First Friday program, and will include curated lunchtime performances including dance, music and poetry. Art walks begin at 11:30 a.m. at the City Hall Plaza.
Free guided tours are available for groups of eight or more. To make a request at least two weeks in advance, email cross@bellevuewa.gov, with "Tour" in the subject line. Take a self-guided tour with a free mobile app called STQRY that provides easy access to the stories behind the art.
Bellwether will be on view through Oct. 9.
Bellwether artists are: Cameron Anne Mason (Seattle); David Middlebrook (Los Gatos, Calif.); Jae Hyo Lee (Gyeonggi-do, Korea); Lisa Chen (Surrey, B.C.); Ruth Beer (Vancouver, B.C.); Carol Gouthro (Seattle); Michael Johnson (Seattle); Leah Gerrard (Vashon Island); Elizabeth Groth (Tyler, Texas); Nicole Shaver (Iowa City, Iowa); Jorge Mansilla (Darlinghurst, Australia); Victoria Heuston (Gainesville, Fla); Brian Narus (Port Orchard, Wash.); Tom Gormally (Seattle); Margery Amdur (Philadelphia); Amanda Salov (Corvallis, Ore.); Barry Scharf (Redmond); James Ellingboe (Seattle); Fabrizio Constanza (Arvada, Colo.); Chico Santos (Londrina, Brazil); Barbara De Pirro (Allyn, Wash.); Elizabeth Harvey (Alameda, Calif.); Danielle Foushee (Phoenix, Ariz.); Anthony Heinz May (Brooklyn, N.Y.); Alan Fulle (Seattle); John Zylstra (Bellingham); Quintín Rivera-Toro (Caguas, Puerto Rico); and John Fleming (Seattle)