Mouth Open, Teeth Showing: Major Works from the True Collection
STROUM GALLERY
June 23 – September 23, 2007

Doug Aitken. i am in you. 2000. 5-channel video installation.
Courtesy of 303 Gallery, New York; Galerie Eva Presenhuber, Zürich; and Victoria Miro Gallery, London.


Mouth Open, Teeth Showing reveals the unique personality of the contemporary art collection created over the past dozen years by William and Ruth True, with its emphasis on younger artists, experimental formats, and new work. The exhibition features 13 major works, most of which have never been shown in Seattle. This exhibition includes video installations and video sculptures by Doug Aitken, Maria Marshall, Stephen Dean, Gary Hill, Jim Campbell, Bjørn Melhus, and Ann Hamilton, as well as a suite of prints by Australian artist Tracey Moffatt. Among these, Doug Aitken’s i am in you will have its U.S. premiere. Zoe Leonard’s monumental found doll installation inhabits the center of the exhibition – and also provides its provocative title.




Maria Marshall. President Bill Clinton, Memphis November 13, 1993. 2000. DVD.
Collection of William and Ruth True, Seattle. Courtesy of Team Gallery, Inc., New York.

In May 2004, the Trues opened Western Bridge, an exhibition space welcoming the public to thematic shows and special projects featuring large-scale works they had acquired. With the founding of Western Bridge, they announced a plan to donate a major work from each exhibition to the Henry Art Gallery. This generous promise ensures that oversize works could continue to speak to a broader audience. William and Ruth True are an important part of the Henry Art Gallery’s community and central contributors to Seattle’s overall cultural landscape. As part of our 80th Anniversary Year, the Henry is delighted to showcase this extraordinary collection of contemporary art.