Henry Art Gallery

University of Washington

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15th Ave NE & 41st St
Seattle, WA 98195
(206)543-2280

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Exhibitions:

2003 Exhibitions:

Brian Jungen: Cetology

East Gallery

January 24, 2003May 25, 2003


Image 1 / 2: Brian Jungen. Brian Jungen: Cetology.

Image 2 / 2: Brian Jungen. Brian Jungen: Cetology.

The first solo presentation in the U.S. of Vancouver-based artist Brian Jungen, this East Gallery exhibition at first glance might have appeared to be more suited to a natural history museum than a contemporary art institution. “Cetology” is a giant sculpture in the form of a whale’s skeleton fashioned from plastic patio-chairs. The metaphor of the endangered Bowhead whale crafted from mass-produced, globally-ubiquitous consumer items provided many associations, enriched by the artist’s own First Nations ancestry. Jungen’s work is transformative; common store-bought commodities become evocative media. Also on view was one in a series of Nike Air Jordans re-fashioned into replicas of North West Coast First Nations’ masks. First Nations iconography, global economies, and art worlds collide in Jungen’s work, creating dialogues ripe with humor and allusion.

Elizabeth Brown and Pamela Meredith
PONCHO provides support for the Henry Art Gallery’s artist-in-residence program. In-Kind Support provided by Grand Hyatt Seattle.
Featured artists: Brian Jungen
Image 1: Brian Jungen. Brian Jungen: Cetology. (installation view). 2003. Henry Art Gallery.
Image 2: Brian Jungen. Brian Jungen: Cetology. (installation view). 2003. Henry Art Gallery.