Modernism in the Pacific Northwest: The Mythic and the Mystical

Few regions of the country produced such a distinctive group of artists with such a particular view on the modern world as did the Pacific Northwest in the 1930s and 1940s. Capitalizing on their particular geographical position at what was a modern art outpost ― working free from the strong influences of New York and Europe, and sitting at the portal to the Far East ― a close-knit group of artists sought to address the global political, social, and economic ills of their time.

The seminal figures in this group ― Mark Tobey and Morris Graves especially ― quickly garnered critical attention in New York for their uncommon imagery and expressive technique, which drew upon spiritual tenents ranging from Zen Buddhism to the Persian Baha’i faith and their mastery of Asian calligraphy. Modernism in the Pacific Northwest presents an overview drawn from SAM’s unparalleled collection of the key figures of this generation: Mark Tobey, Morris Graves, Guy Anderson, Kenneth Callahan, Leo Kenney, Paul Horiuchi, George Tsutakawa, Phil McCracken, James Washington Jr., and Tony Angell.