Beyond Mysticism: The Modern Northwest
Thursday, March 5, 2026
Inspired by the region’s natural beauty and rapidly changing city, this exhibition showcases artists who told the raw story of Seattle in the 20th century. By sharing the Pacific Northwest’s perspective through trending art styles—including Social Realism, Surrealism, and Abstract Expressionism—these artists offered a unique take on Modernist art and challenged the “mystic” label ascribed to their works.
Spearheading the movement were local icons Mark Tobey, Kenneth Callahan, Guy Anderson, and Morris Graves—but the range and breadth of Pacific Northwest art goes beyond the “Big Four” of the Northwest School. Featuring more than 150 pieces, this exhibition showcases works that investigate the complexities of daily life in the region. Whether applying an ecocritical lens or producing dreamy and uncanny visuals, these artists expressed the duality of the natural world and city life to warn of the environmental and social impacts of industrialization.
From Malcolm Roberts to Kenjiro Nomura, learn how Northwest artists applied their regional perspective to broader artistic developments to create a new form of American Modernism.
The exhibition is accompanied by a fully illustrated catalogue authored by Theresa Papanikolas, SAM’s Ann M. Barwick Curator of American Art.
Upcoming Dates
- Tue, May 12, 2026 All Day
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