Current Exhibitions
The Wyeths: Three Generations
Works from the Bank of America Collection
May 13-August 20, 2023
Drawing from the Bank of America Collection, The Wyeths: Three Generations provides a revealing survey of works by N.C. Wyeth, one of America’s finest illustrators; his son Andrew, an important realist painter; Andrew’s son Jamie, a popular portraitist; and members of the extended family. Visitors will explore 66 paintings and drawings by artists from three generations of the Wyeth family, all showcasing a commitment to realism, technical brilliance, and narrative sensibility.
This exhibition has been loaned through the Bank of America Art in Our Communities® program. © 2023 Bank of America Corporation.
The Wyeths: Three Generations Exhibition Info
Plateau Pictorial Beadwork: The Fred L. Mitchell Collection
Extended to June 11, 2023
Glass beads were first traded into the interior Pacific Northwest during the late 18th century, after coastal peoples acquired them from seagoing fur traders. The arrival of increasing quantities and colors of seed beads encouraged the creation of a regional style of decoration that adorned clothing, personal accessories, and horse gear. During a lifetime collecting Plateau floral, geometric, and pictorial beadwork, Walla Walla resident Fred L. Mitchell has amassed the premier collection of this material. His collection has become noteworthy, due not just to its size, but also because of its quality and diverse subject matter. The MAC is proud to present this survey of Plateau beadwork, which will include stunning beaded bags, cuffs, gauntlets, vests, cradleboards, and horse regalia.
Beaded bag (two elk and bird), Columbia River Plateau maker, c. 1920, 17¼” x 15¾”. Fred L. Mitchell Collection.
Frank S. Matsura: Portraits from the Borderland
April 29-November 26, 2023
Frank S. Matsura: Portraits from the Borderland features studio images by Washington-based Japanese photographer Frank Sakae Matsura (1873-1913) alongside period-specific American Indian regalia from the Columbia Plateau. Exploring Indigenous representation through a multi-dimensional lens, the photographs and objects on view detail some of Matsura’s most culturally significant work against a backdrop of regional transformation.
Frank Sakae Matsura (Japanese, 1873-1913), Wapato Smithins Family, c.1903 - c.1913, archival print from gelatin dry plate scan. Okanogan County Historical Society. OCH 6371. Image courtesy of OCHS.
Humaira Abid: Searching for Home
April 1-August 6, 2023
Humaira Abid: Searching for Home features the artwork of Seattle-based, Pakistan-born artist Humaira Abid. The beauty and mastery of Humaira’s woodcarvings of seemingly benign objects belie the upheaval and instability in society, especially that to which women are subject. Searching for Home presents a human-scaled look at the worldwide refugee crisis focusing on the plight of women and girls, who make up a disproportionate percentage of the millions who have fled their home countries as a result of political conflict and strife. The works demonstrate the artist’s ability to tread a narrow line between evocative (and often provocative) content and mastery in a material discipline.
Humaira Abid, Searching for Home, 2016-17, pine wood, carved; red wood stain. Photo: Adeel Ahmed.
Humaira Abid: Searching for Home Exhibition Info
Kienholz’s Spokane: The Jesus Corner
April 1-August 13, 2023
This life-size assemblage by Ed and Nancy Reddin Kienholz is based on a building at the corner of Sprague and Bernard in Spokane, created with salvaged elements from the former structure and featuring a display window containing objects that comprise a religious shrine by a local resident.
Edward and Nancy Reddin Kienholz, The Jesus Corner, 1984, Assemblage. Gift of the Artists, 1994; Museum Purchase, Works From The Heart Art Acquisition Fund, 1994-1998, with contributions from Sue Ellen Heflin, Betty Ostheller, Michael Meagher, Maxine Martell and Harold Balazs (3714.1)
Kienholz’s Spokane: The Jesus Corner Exhibition Info
Campbell House Originals
March 18-November 12, 2023
Take a tour of Spokane’s historic 1898 Campbell House and you will certainly hear someone ask, “is that original?” While Campbell House appears to be a pristine turn-of-the 20th Century residence, it hides another fascinating history. Since 1925, the house has been a public museum - almost four times longer than Spokane’s wealthy Campbell family called the mansion home!
Clues from the hunt for original furnishings and the ongoing restoration of its 1898-1924 residential character will lead you through this mini-exhibition that tells the other history of Campbell House’s ninety-eight years as a museum.
Psyche Revived by the Kiss of Eros statue, c.1903-1910, 2483.16 Campbell Family Collection