Photography classes create permanent installation for Macy's Seattle flagship store
Garth Amundson, Western Washington University associate professor of Art, and three of his photography classes collaborated to construct a three-panel display for Macy’s in downtown Seattle.
This quarter Amundson’s photography classes have taken on blurring the lines between fine art and commercial photography. The project explores creating commissioned work while simultaneously working in the fine-art realm. Working with Macy's Visual Manager Pierre Gour and using “flora” as a point of departure, the three WWU photography classes collaborated in compiling 64 images within three panels that are to be displayed permanently on the 4th floor of Seattle’s Macy’s flagship store. The two introductory black-and-white photography classes and the introductory color photography class worked together over a three-week period to actualize a visually provocative arrangement of black-and-white images with splashes of vivid color.
The classes contain not only Studio Art majors but also students from Industrial Design, Journalism and other concentrations and from other departments across campus. This exhibition of the work has created a phenomenal opportunity for the students to have their art permanently on display in the public arena. Working collaboratively between the three classes and with Macy’s, this project was truly a team effort, resulting in an exciting public display of Western students’ art.
Photography classes and students who participated in the project include:
Art 290: Introduction to Black and White Photography (8 a.m.): Ben Dekock, Seabeck; Lisa Deuse, Saarbrucken, Germany; Aly Hodges, Arlington; Laura Jones, Gig Harbor; Eiko Kato, Yuzawa-shi, Akita, Japan; Ashley Lynes, Chimacum; Cody Madison, Portland, Ore.; Joshua McDevitt , Graham; Bryce Moulton , Hailey, Idaho; Thomas Neher, Covington; Samantha O’Brochta, Feeland; Bridget O’Toole, Eastsound; Keely Peters, Port Townsend; Daniellle Peterson, Ferndale; Jamison Takao, Redmond; Quynh-Van Vu, Olympia
Art 290: Introduction to Black and White Photography (11 a.m.): Tessa Asato, Maple Valley; Robert Bench, Sammamish; Asa Bergman, Borlange, Sweeden; Grant Bowman, Bellevue; Michelle Breen, Sammamish; Kelly Byard, Lacey/Olympia; Michelle Flett, Grapeview/Mason County; Amy Hill, Fall City; Stefan Janisch, Graz, Austria; Angela Lindersmith, Battleground; Amber Miller, Olympia; Bradley O’Neal, Bothell; Michaela Patrick, Vancouver; Jake Reller, Walla Walla
Art 391: Introduction to Color Photography: Allison Avery, Seattle; Kai Caemmerer, Bellingham; Austin Chernich,Bellevue; Tyler Curtright, Redmond; Crista Dougherty, Poulsbo; Alecia Gaussoin, Tacoma; Heather Harris, Juneau, Alaska; Laurel Kam, Steilacoom; Mollie Mattsen, Tacoma; Adam McRae, Carnation; Elizabeth Ransom, Duvall; Fiona Shearer, Seattle; Anna Sparks, Seattle; Wendy Witsoe, Seattle; Amber Yandle, Kirkland; Alice Yankov, Renton; Anna Zuck, White Salmon
The WWU Photography website can be found at http://www.wwu.edu/artphotography. For more information contact Amundson at (360) 650-3436 or garth.amundson@wwu.edu.