Beyond Mysticism: The Modern Northwest
Monday, June 22, 2026, All Day; additional 29 dates below.
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
All Day
- Mon, Jun 22, 2026
- Tue, Jun 23, 2026
- Wed, Jun 24, 2026
- Thu, Jun 25, 2026
- Fri, Jun 26, 2026
- Sat, Jun 27, 2026
- Sun, Jun 28, 2026
- Mon, Jun 29, 2026
- Tue, Jun 30, 2026
- Wed, Jul 1, 2026
- Thu, Jul 2, 2026
- Fri, Jul 3, 2026
- Sat, Jul 4, 2026
- Sun, Jul 5, 2026
- Mon, Jul 6, 2026
- Tue, Jul 7, 2026
- Wed, Jul 8, 2026
- Thu, Jul 9, 2026
- Fri, Jul 10, 2026
- Sat, Jul 11, 2026
- Sun, Jul 12, 2026
- Mon, Jul 13, 2026
- Tue, Jul 14, 2026
- Wed, Jul 15, 2026
- Thu, Jul 16, 2026
- Fri, Jul 17, 2026
- Sat, Jul 18, 2026
- Sun, Jul 19, 2026
- Mon, Jul 20, 2026
- Tue, Jul 21, 2026
- …and 12 more
Hours
SAM Downtown- Free on the First Thursday of Each Month!
Thursday: 10am-5pm
Asian Art Museum- Free on the Last Friday of Each Month!
Friday: 10am-5pm
Olympic Sculpture Park- Free Always!
Open daily
Opens 30 minutes prior to sunrise
Closes 30 minutes after sunset