October 2005

SOIL 1995-2005: A Retrospective
October 6-30, 2005
Opening Reception, First Thursday, October 6, 6-9pm

The growth and success of SOIL continues to rely on a constantly evolving roster of artists. Through encouraging new memberships, collaborations with artists beyond the group, and offering curatorial opportunities to a diverse spectrum of shows, SOIL has evolved organically into a unique hybrid organization that fills the gap between a commercial gallery and museum.

SOIL is an artist-run gallery with a mission to act as a venue for emerging artists and challenging new art. Since its inception in 1995, the group has showcased more than 140 exhibitions involving over 600 artists, ranging from provocative group shows, strong solo shows, and events outside gallery walls, including such innovative shows as Goods and Collections & Creations, both featured at the Bumbershoot Arts Festival.

“Undaunted by change and shifting locales, this collective has managed to sustain its operations without losing sight of its mission. With its recent relocation to the Tashiro-Kaplan Building near Pioneer Square, SOIL continues to be at the forefront of vanguard art, reinvigorating the city with a creative critical conscience…”
—Jill Conner

This exhibition opens concurrently with the release of SOIL Artist-Run Gallery 1995 > 2005, a full-color 130 page book (designed by SOIL member Thom Heileson) that includes critical essays by local and national writers, features on selected past exhibitions, profiles of SOIL members, and much more. Contributing writers to this image-rich publication include Fionn Meade, Katie Kurtz, Jill Conner, Stefano Catalani, Anna Fahey, founding SOIL member Sean Miller, and longtime artist member Yuki Nakamura.

To order a copy of the book or for more information, click here.

The SOIL Gallery is open Thursday – Sunday, 12-5pm.