Artists offer their visions of what may come to be by Marty Griswold

When Mayor Bruce Harrell delivered his 2023 State of the City speech from Seattle Center this past February, I was intrigued. While I had tuned in to hear what he had to say — and for those who missed it, he addressed issues that are on the minds of so many of us — homelessness, the environment, transportation, the skyrocketing cost of housing, public safety, the decline of our downtown core and briefly touched on the subject I was most anxiously to hear, Seattle’s cultural landscape — it was his choice of venue that struck a chord.

Seattle Center, the site of the 1962 World’s Fair, an exhibition that explored the wonders of the future and interjected lofty expectations for what was to come, was a bold choice for a speech intended to lay out a recovery plan to address Seattle’s civic failures. However, it was a shrewd marketing ploy to deliver this news against the backdrop of the Space Needle, a symbol of a more hopeful era that has towered over the city for 60 years as a reminder that Seattle would one day become the city of the future.

That future is now. And while we haven’t lived up to the idealistic visions of the future presented at the Seattle World’s Fair, we now understand those ideas were an archaic veil of innocence that masked the smoldering cauldron of social injustice and divisive morality raging beneath the perfect, impeccable façade. What followed the Seattle World Fair was an explosive decade of political unrest, protests, drugs, sexual exploration, war, and, most importantly, the civil rights movement — Issues that we continue to grapple with to this day.

If this sounds daunting, it is, and it isn’t.

No one in 1962 could have predicted the volatile social changes or technological marvels that were to come, yet the sentiment of looking toward a better tomorrow and the creation of a path forward to become Seattle: City of the Future inspired hope.

Seattle has evolved into a rare, politically progressive, relatively safe, and culturally rich city with lots of green space, public art that peppers the landscape of every neighborhood, a strong sense of community, and an above-average quality of life. In some ways, we live in a bubble alongside a highly educated population that offers a safer haven for LGBTQ+ residents. This place is slowly working toward addressing issues of racism that vex most cities in America. Is it a harmonious landscape of love and generosity? No. Is it plagued by economic disparity while demanding a higher cost of living from residents? Without a doubt. Yet, placed next to most cities in the US of A, Seattle presents a picture of hope, a beacon for creativity, and much less hate.

Seattle: City of the Future is an exhibit that revisits the question posed sixty years ago: “What will the city of the future look like tomorrow?” It’s an opportunity to dream, a place to inspire, and a chance to think about what we want Seattle to become. It is also an opportunity to address concerns and a cautionary warning of what could transpire should we ignore the challenges that plague our day-to-day existence.

“Thought is energy. Energy invokes reality. Reality is what we make of it,” explains Jordan Christianson, a member of the artist collective FUTUREWTCH. “The more we believe we are careening toward a hopeless future, the stronger we globally manifest it, creating a Hell on Earth. We look to the future to inspire us, to acknowledge and earnestly forgive the sins of the past, to collectively raise the vibration and invoke a better tomorrow for everyone.”

FUTUREWTCH is just one of the contributing 43 artists, technologists, and arts groups that have chosen to bring their forward-minded aspirations to life through 27 art installations on display at Seattle: City of the Future. The exhibit entertains audiences with far-flung glimpses of what may come. It aims to spark conversation and raise questions at a moment in history when Seattle residents must choose a path forward. A time when decisive action is required, and neighbors must work together to create a city where we want to live today and every day that follows, a place we can embrace six decades from now and proudly call home.

Art has the power to drive essential and inspiring conversations with peers that can be more influential than news reports and political speeches. So, the exhibit organizers (which, full disclosure, includes the publishers of the magazine you are reading right now) thought it a good time to tap the creative thoughts of artists to explore a topic that echoes in the minds of many residents.

From the volume of submissions received through the initial call-to-artists, this was a subject that resonated heavily within the arts community, many of whom mentioned questioning whether Seattle had begun to turn a blind eye to arts engagement or cited waning public interest in the arts as a grave concern for Seattle’s future. This is particularly troubling given that the creative community fuels our economy, and artists infuse Seattle with a dis-

tinctive culture. Art and culture are key contributors to the desirability of city dwelling.

Seattle: City of the Future does not attempt to unpack the myriad factors influencing public opinion regarding the arts. Instead, it asks residents to prove these voices wrong. The exhibit offers attendees an opportunity to learn the impact art can have in pushing forward thoughts and ideas that profoundly impact conversations and drivepublic policy.

That said, the exhibit presents a surprisingly hopeful message wrapped up in a fun, irreverent, sometimes cynical, and always entertaining point of view. Despite the heaviness of such weighty topics, it will not hurt your brain after viewing it. In fact, at first glance, it offers visitors a fun-filled excursion into the unknown, created by visionaries of Seattle’s art and tech scene.

Behind the Scenes

It took a small village to bring SEATTLE: CITY OF THE FUTURE to Capitol Hill's iconic Teal Building

The artists include: Bailey Ambrose Heller, Ben Flaster, Brandon Traynoff, Carolyn Hitt, Casey Curran, Chain Plate (Chan Plett), DAZZLE CAMOUFLAGE DUO (Maryann B. Cole & Dylan M.R. Davis), Duane Georges, FUTUREWTCH (Jordan Christianson, lead, Anouk Rawkson, & Kerstin Graudins), Griff Tucker, GROUP 6 (Nichol Devoy, lead, and Group 6), Heidi Grace Acuña, J. Adam Brinson, Jean Bradbury, Jeffrey Larson, Jeremy Rise, Joseph Gray, Josh Lind, Julie Conway, Lesley Bain, Mary Anne Carter, MIRROR MAZE CIRCLE (Hann Chebeleu, lead, Emma Siple, & Carmen Woodson), Nathan DiPietro, Ray Song, Ruben David Rodriguez, SEATTLE DESIGN NERDS (Trevor Dykstra, lead, Grayson Hay, Kai Curtis and Simon Vincini), Sepia Katsoolis, Sylwia Tur, and TOTALLY LEGIT (David Hull, lead, James Robinson, Shelly Farnham, Andrew Cole, & Jeff Brice).

Third Place Technologies, a group of innovative artists and imaginative technologists, who made this production possible. From theme selection to onsite management, they handled the heavy lifting required to bring Seattle: City of the Future to fruition. Shelly Farnham and Jeff Larson, in particular, devoted an extraordinary amount of time and knowledge to this project, keeping all the balls in the air all the time.

Tamarind Tree Restaurant, who recently purchased the Teal Building (and I cannot wait to see what they have in store for revitalizing this landmark property to serve Capitol Hill’s residents and visitors), proved to be an inspired choice for providing a home to Seattle: City of the Future. The owner, Tam Young, is an enthusiastic champion for the arts and a prominent member of the LGBTQ+ community, who fully embraced the conceptual themes of the exhibit and was instrumental in infusing the exhibit with PRIDE.

Given the timing of this exhibit and the rich history of the location to the gay community, we are proud to count over half of the artists involved in Seattle: City of the Future as LGBTQ+. And that’s important. Because you cannot look to the future of Seattle without acknowledging the individ- ual contributions that lesbians, gays, bisexuals, queers, and trans/non-binary persons have had on Seattle’s present day.

The strength of Seattle’s future lies in the hearts of its residents. I, for one, am fortunate to live in a city that has continuously proven to value diversity. Back in 1962, I doubt that such broad acceptance was on the minds of World’s Fair attendees when they looked ahead. Yet, despite a cluttered list of common grievances among those who call Seattle home, I believe this city is a shining example of what can be accomplished when a population agrees to celebrate our neighbors' differences and value each citizen's contributions. Because come what may, we are united in our hope for the future.