Arts in the South End: November 2023
by Jas Keimig
As the year begins to wind down, events in Seattle are only winding up. You can spend November picking up some DIY zines at Short Run Comix & Arts Festival, listening to carefully collected oral histories of Seattle's Black community at Wa Na Wari, and catching a free screening of the excellent 2020 documentary Crip Camp at Town Hall.
Think we missed something? Let us know at Arts@SeattleEmerald.org.
Nov. 2—19
RailSpur
419 Occidental Ave. S.
Saina Heshmati and Amirhossein Amini, the organizers of ANTiPODE, describe Seattle and Tehran as being cities with "opposite imperfections." They see Tehran as "an unintentional aimless train, often cruel and always late," and Seattle as "an intentional healthy high-tech canoe, sometimes naive and always in motion." With that oppositionality in mind, ANTiPODE at RailSpur is a giant exhibition of video art, experimental music, film, and visual art meditating on the two cities and creating a dialogue between Tehran and Seattle. The show stretches over two weeks, so make sure to check out the list of events on its website.
Nov. 4, 11 a.m—6 p.m.
Fisher Pavilion at Seattle Center
305 Harrison St.
I'm not kidding when I say that Short Run's annual comics festival is the best Saturday of the year. Hundreds of people file into Fisher Pavilion to peruse the offerings of dozens of comics from all over the world. You can buy weird zines, bespoke calendars, excellent comics, funny pins, and tons of vibrant prints at Short Run, all while bumping into some of the coolest people in town. It's an excellent place to pick up holiday gifts while getting to know the artists who made them. Don't miss out — and be sure to bring a tote for all your precious new wares!
Nov. 4-Jan 20, 2024
Wa Na Wari
911 24th Ave.
The first cohort of Wa Na Wari's Seattle Black Spatial Histories Institute has spent the past two years talking with oral historians, archivists, librarians, geographers, and artists to learn how to ethically conduct community-based oral history and Black memory work. Now, they are ready to present their research and recorded oral histories in Honored to Tell, the latest installation at Wa Na Wari. There will be zines, textile art, dance, film, and listening stations that tell the stories of Black dancers, Black barbers, Black waterfront workers, Black educators, and more around the arts space. Come through to the exhibition's official opening on Nov. at 4 to 6 p.m. to hear from the artists and watch a dance performance by Akoiya Harris and Nia-Amina Minor.
Art Market Fundraiser for Gaza
Nov. 5, 12—4 p.m.
Y-WE Building
5623 Rainier Ave. S.
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza as a result of Israel's unrelenting bombing campaign is unlike anything we've witnessed in a long time. While watching the violence unfold on social media can feel paralyzing, Seattle artists have mobilized to support Palestinian liberation in the best way they can — by making art and rallying the community to help Palestinians in need in Gaza. At the Young Women Empowered building, there will be locally made art, jackets, candles, jewelry, plants, books, and soaps, as well as food and henna. All proceeds will be donated to the Palestine Children's Relief Fund and Medical Aid for Palestinians. Show up in support of Palestine.
Nov. 6, 8 p.m.
Showbox SoDo
1700 1st Ave. S.
Earl Sweatshirt is a rap prophet, and we are simply here to take in what he has to say. The LA-based rapper got his start as one of the pillars of the highly influential rap collective Odd Future and has since broken out to form his own boundary-pushing solo career. His latest release, Voir Dire, is a collaboration with producer The Alchemist, dropping with no announcement on the streaming site Gala Music. Pitchfork described the album as "some kind of prophecy being fulfilled by the universe. It's a record that was meant to be: simple, elegant, and always true." Go get that knowledge!
Nov. 11, 12—6 p.m.
Armory Food & Event Hall
305 Harrison St.
Diwali is a celebration observed all throughout India, honoring the triumph of light over dark and knowledge over ignorance. Traditionally, this holiday is celebrated by lighting up businesses and homes with lamps, diyas, and candles, with people worshiping Lakshmi for prosperity. At Diwali: Lights of India in the Armory, visitors are encouraged to wear new clothes, eat tons of food, share gifts, and light off firecrackers. This celebration is presented in partnership with Seattle Center Festl.
Nov. 11, 5—7 p.m.
Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery
1201 S. Vale St.
Seattle Civic Poet Shin Yu Pai has teamed up with illustrator Justin Ruff to create Less Desolate: Haiku Comics, a comic book that speaks to the beauty of the Pacific Northwest and the anxieties of pandemic life. The project was fully funded via Kickstarter and a grant from the Tacoma Arts Commission. Join Pai and Ruff at Fantagraphics, where there will be light refreshments, music, and an author/artist discussion about making this interdisciplinary book.
'Keepers of the Dream: Seattle Women Black Panthers'
Nov. 11, 7 p.m.
Madrona Grace Presbyterian Church
832 32nd Ave.
Presented by The Talking About Race at Madrona Grace film and discussion series, this free screening of Keepers of the Dream: Seattle Women Black Panthers by local filmmaker Patricia Boiko explores the lives and contributions of Frances Dixon, Vanetta Molson-Turner, Phyllis Noble Mobley, Yolanda Givens, and Winona Hollins-Hauge. The screening is free, but you'll want to register to reserve your seat by heading to Eventbrite.com and searching Keepers of the Dream.
Nov. 15, 7—9 p.m.
Columbia City Theatre
4916 Rainier Ave. S.
Who's your fave, MJ or Prince? Fans of either will have a blast at this event, with hits by the King of Pop and The Purple One played in all their glory by an eight-piece tribute band. Before that, Tim Davis (drums) and Owuar Arunga (trumpet) will kick the night off right.
Nov. 16, 7—9 p.m.
Columbia City Theatre
4916 Rainier Ave. S.
Part of the Cloudbreak Music Fest, enjoy the soulful stylings of vocalist Josephine Howell and Thaddillac, aka Taddeus Turner, one of the most respected guitar players on the West Coast.
Nov. 16, 7—9 p.m.
Hugo House
Lapis Theater, 1634 11th Ave.
Presented in collaboration with Snoqualmie Casino, Hugo House is celebrating regional Indigenous talent with Gravity From the Moon: A Night of Native Voices. Beginning with a land acknowledgement from Ken Workman, attendees will listen to readings by Sasha LaPointe (Upper Skagit and Nooksack Indian Tribes) and Iz White (Snoqualmie Tribe), music from Nikki Suyama (Inupiaq), and a ceremonial dance from Peter White (Yaqan Nukiy Tribe of the Ktunaxa Nation). Afterward, there will be a Q&A with LaPointe, and you can pick up some of her work at the event courtesy of Elliott Bay Books.
Nov. 17, 5—8 p.m
SAM Olympic Sculpture Park
2901 Western Ave.
Mark your calendars — it's time for Legendary Children! The party is a celebration of queer trans BIPOC communities, specifically highlighting Seattle's house-and-ball community. Your hosts will be CarLarans, Goddess Briq House, and Aleksa Manila, and a sneak peek of performers at the event include Pixie Mattel, D'Mon, Ariyah Albert, Lchi, and Viper Fengz, with more to be announced. Come through to the Olympic Sculpture Park to cheer on live performances, DJs, a public runway, and much more!
Nov. 18, 1 p.m.
The Wyncote NW Forum
1119 8th Ave.
In the early 1970s, Camp Jened in New York began hosting a summer camp for teens with disabilities, and those campers eventually became disability rights activists, fighting for adequate access and resources for their community. The 2020 documentary Crip Camp follows these campers' stories, and on Nov. 18, there will be a free screening of the film in honor of both the 33rd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the late disability rights activist/icon Judy Heumann. After, President and CEO of ArtsFund Michael Greer will host a Q&A with film co-director James LeBrecht. Hosted in the Wyncote NW Forum, which has accessible restrooms and at-grade entrances, there will be live captioning, ASL interpretation, and open audio description at this event.
Transgender Day of Remembrance
Nov. 20, 7—9 p.m.
Auburn Performing Arts Center
702 4th St. NE
Honor Transgender Day of Remembrance with UTOPIA Washington, a Kent-based organization that works to cultivate safety and growth for 2SLGBTQIA+ communities through Black and Brown organizing. Pay respects to trans and gender-diverse people whose lives were cut short due to transphobic violence, and celebrate trans excellence with song, dance, spoken word, and more. RSVP at UTOPIA's official form.
Nov. 21, 7—8:30 p.m.
Elliott Bay Books
1521 10th Ave.
The day after Transgender Day of Remembrance, come through to Elliott Bay's event space to hear poet Subhaga Crystal Bacon read from her new collection of poems, Transitory. The collection tells the stories of the trans and gender non-conforming people murdered in 2020, with Bacon weaving in her own personal journey as a queer person. Joining her will be local poets Luther Hughes, Jourdan Imani Keith, and Cindy Veach.
Jas Keimig is a writer and critic based in Seattle. They previously worked on staff at The Stranger, covering visual art, film, music, and stickers. Their work has also appeared in Crosscut, South Seattle Emerald, i-D, Netflix, and The Ticket. They also co-write Unstreamable for Scarecrow Video, a column and screening series highlighting films you can't find on streaming services. They won a game show once.
📸 Featured Image: Kylie Mooncakes 007 dances at Legendary Children. (Photo: Alex Garland)
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