The Modern Youth Identity

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A show by young artists, curated by Student Art Spaces

Sponsored by the Seattle Artist League

Opening Reception: Saturday August 31 6:30-8:30

Show open:
Aug 31 6:30-8:30
Sept 1 9:00-5:00
Sept 2 9:00-5:00

Seattle Artist League
10219 Aurora Ave North

[/vc_column_text][image_with_animation image_url=”15726″ alignment=”center” animation=”None” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”][vc_column_text]Last January, Alice Mao (17) and Taylor Wang (15) had a vision to form a creative space for marginalized communities to express themselves and their unique perspectives through a medium where they are largely underrepresented. The result is a diverse show of youth voices expressing with clarity and subtlety the complicated issues of their time.

In February, Mao and Wang reached out to local galleries and museums, and of course, Mao’s teacher (me!) at the Seattle Artist League, looking for advice. After learning the steps to put on a show – including website, call for art, theme, and fundraising – the two felt ready to launch. They called their project Student Art Spaces, and The Modern Youth Identity was scheduled at the League. Instagram was the vehicle for their invitations to young artists, and their post quickly spread across the globe. In the next few months, Student Art Spaces received over 250 art submissions, and juried the lot down to 53 artworks from Seattle to New York, Brazil, Europe, and China.

The savvy duo jumped through all hoops and hurdles of both art and finances as smoothly as high octane agility champions, and created a show that is simultaneously so impressive as to be off-putting, and so incredibly sincere and welcoming it wins you over anyway. I hope all students at the League are able to come see this work in person. The Modern Youth Identity is flavored wonderfully with the creative wellsprings of youth and cultivated talent. There are in this show: charming video animations, quirky digital illustrations and paintings, a bold tapestry, subtle collage, poetic and elegant political commentary, creative photographs, exquisite colored pencil drawings, and a use of multi-conversational text integrated with pictures that is very specific to this generation.

Entering the show, the first piece seen from the doorway is a richly threaded tapestry by Nickolas Horcer, a textured and personal work made within the tropism of skin deep beauty. 

“I was born with a hemangioma tumor under my nose, which has left permanent scars, and this has allowed me to come to terms with a less conventional appearance by coming to the conclusion that its what’s inside that counts. Underneath the layer of skin that we let define us, we are all the same, and we are all beautiful.” – Nickolas Horcer

Nickolas Horcer

Beside Horcer’s piece, a triptych of sparrows titled “Slaughter of the Songbirds” by Autumn “Mussey” Blaylock confronts the tragedy of school shootings. 

“The slaughter of the song birds: Red, White, and Blue is very different from what I usually do, as it is my first and so far only political piece. I began planning this piece shortly after the Parkland school shooting in February of 2018. However, it wasn’t until I was actually in Washington, D.C. when March for our lives was happening that I really began working on it. The threat of school shootings is something that’s all too prevalent in children’s lives.  It’s something that I’ve grown up with (even the earliest major news broadcast I can remember was Sandy Hook). As students we feel helpless, most of us aren’t eligible to vote so most of us can’t do anything about it. In this piece I’ve represented students as sparrows, which are very delicate creatures, and put them in a tragically metaphorical scenario in which they are trapped. As students we do feel trapped, as students we are quite literally targets.” – Autumn “Mussey” Blaylock

Several works discuss issues around race and gender.

With funds raised in Kickstarter, Mao and Wang were able to cover shipping and framing costs for low income or non-local artists, so no one was restricted by location or finances, and many works were submitted digitally, so they could be printed and shown. Video works were also submitted, along with personal stories of what showing their work has meant to these artists. 

The show as a whole is diverse, inclusive, and fresh. While the emotions and expressions of self are similar to what all of us experienced as we were growing into the world, the experiences and perspectives are purely of their time. The subtle, adventurous and adept translation of these experiences presents a new and inspiring vision for all of us. 

It has been my honor and pleasure to help facilitate this show curated by Student Art Spaces. The Modern Youth Identity is up for one weekend only. Come see.

Opening Reception: Saturday August 31 6:30-8:30

Show open:
Aug 31 6:30-8:30
Sept 1 9:00-5:00
Sept 2 9:00-5:00

Seattle Artist League
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