{"id":1574,"date":"2010-02-21T19:34:19","date_gmt":"2010-02-22T03:34:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/anotherbb\/wp\/2010\/02\/artist_teams_-_rare_in_seattle\/"},"modified":"2010-02-21T19:34:19","modified_gmt":"2010-02-22T03:34:19","slug":"artist_teams_-_rare_in_seattle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/anotherbb\/2010\/02\/artist_teams_-_rare_in_seattle.html","title":{"rendered":"Artist teams – rare in Seattle but gaining ground"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the West, even artists are rugged individuals who tend to go it alone. Although those who find strength in numbers are especially rare in Seattle, they’re gaining ground.<\/p>\n

Here’s a history of who stands out. <\/p>\n

1. Buster Simpson<\/a>: In the late 1970s, he was key to coming up with the public art concept of the design team<\/a>. Now that the concept is ubiquitous, it generates more than its share of  timid art, but Simpson’s version continues to stand out. He changes partners with nearly every job and makes the process of collaboration part of his performance.

Vertical Planters. (Image via<\/a>)<\/i><\/p>\n

\"bustersimpsonvertplant.jpg\"2. The studio glass movement is nothing but teamwork, yet a single star almost always tops the credit line. Not in Flora Mace\/ Joey Kirkpatrick<\/a>‘s studio. Life and art mates, they have made it work for more than 30 years.<\/p>\n

\"JoeyandFlorabirds.jpg\"After the debut of Mace and Kirkpatrick, years went by. Not a peep from anything close to a successful team. Then, in 2002, a couple appeared who named themselves after a tool known for its usefulness in first drafts.<\/p>\n

3. Lead Pencil<\/a>. (Annie Han and Daniel Mihalyo) Skating on the line edge of art & architecture and claiming both. Like Mace and Kirkpatrick, life partners.

Under the Surface, 2008, charcoal\/paper, 72 x 60 inches<\/i><\/p>\n

\"leadpencildrawing.jpg\"Since 2005, more good collaborators have been making their mark than at any time in the city’s art history. Aside from two artists who joined forces briefly<\/a>, these new group thinkers are all male. Not a female in the bunch, or even a female on a team.<\/p>\n

4. Sutton\/Beres\/Culler<\/a>: (John Sutton, Ben Beres and Zac Culler) Comedy from the heart, formalism from the brain: Their performances, documentary photos and installations are moving them onto the national stage.

Dumanish 1 2009 – rowing on a local river that makes non-musical use of the term, heavy metal.<\/i><\/p>\n

\"suttonberescullerriver.jpg\"5. Eli Hansen<\/a>. Because Hansen made his Seattle debut working with his already famous brother, Oscar Tuazon<\/a>, many felt he was little more than Tuazon’s assistant. Two Seattle galleries (Howard House and Ambach & Rice), offered to represent him, but only if he brought his brother along. <\/p>\n

Here is where Scott Lawrimore (Lawrimore Projects<\/a>) shines. He is not distracted by resume. He could see right past Tuazon’s glow to Hansen’s gold. Lawrimore offered Hansen representation by himself and with any partners he wants to take on. So far, these partners have included childhood
\nfriends Joey Piecuch and Herman Beans. <\/p>\n

Notes Hansen on the LP Web site: <\/p>\n

We are
\nbrothers and friends first, artists second…We know each other’s
\nweaknesses, sadness, and confusion…We work in the same way we have
\nalways worked together–as a community and as a family.  <\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Hansen and Piecuch, I’m not paranoid because I’m high, 2009<\/i><\/p>\n

\"elihansenhigh.jpg\"6. Fred Muram<\/a> and Mike Simi<\/a>: They want to be art partners, but it’s hard when they each do their best work alone. Unlike its members, this team has yet to prove itself. If they do, it will have to be by long distance, as Muram has moved to Chicago.<\/p>\n

(Muram left, Simi on ladder. Image via<\/a>)<\/p>\n

\"fredmurammikesimi.jpg\"7. Sol Hashemi<\/a> and Jason Hirata<\/a>: Brilliant both alone and together. The James Harris Gallery<\/a> recently picked both up, but as individuals. Harris said he isn’t interested in collaborations, which leaves the pair free to work together wherever else they choose. <\/p>\n

Hirata & Hashemi, The Dirty Shed Project<\/i><\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"jasonsolshed.jpg\"Know others I’ve forgotten and\/or missed? Please note them in the comments.
\nThanks!<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In the West, even artists are rugged individuals who tend to go it alone. Although those who find strength in numbers are especially rare in Seattle, they’re gaining ground. Here’s a history of who stands out. 1. Buster Simpson: In the late 1970s, he was key to coming up with the public art concept of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-1574","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-uncategorized","7":"entry"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/anotherbb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1574","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/anotherbb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/anotherbb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/anotherbb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/anotherbb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1574"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/anotherbb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1574\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/anotherbb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1574"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/anotherbb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1574"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/anotherbb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1574"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}