SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.- The Henry Art Gallery presents WOW (The Work of the Work), through February 6, 2005. How does a compelling work of art work on us? Henry Art Gallery Chief Curator Elizabeth Brown has been developing The Work of the Work over the last two years to explore the variety of ways in which works of art can engage a viewer. A person’s response to artwork may be intellectual, visceral, purely aesthetic, or emotional – often it is a combination of these things. Such responses are critical to the effectiveness of most, if not all, works of art. WOW intends to be an investigation of both our immediate and our lasting responses to contemporary art.

WOW presents significant work by an international group of prominent artists — Anne Appleby, Candice Breitz, Olafur Eliasson, Callum Innes, Carsten Höller, Gary Hill, Mike Kelley, Kimsooja, Wolfgang Laib, Steve McQueen, Juan Munoz, James Turrell, Hannah Villiger, and Catherine Yass — working in painting, sculpture, video, installation, and photography. Their works represent many different points on the spectrum of artistic affect. The works of Anne Appleby, Callum Innes, Wolfgang Laib, Kimsooja, and James Turrell draw a viewer toward meditation and contemplation. Candice Breitz, Mike Kelley, Carsten Höller, and Steve McQueen make work that is emphatically destabilizing. Olafur Eliasson, Gary Hill, Juan Muñoz, and Catherine Yass seemingly alternate between the serene and the wild. WOW evokes this full range of moods.

WOW invites viewers simply to focus on their own responses. As with responses to the greatest literature, affective reactions to works of visual art help one to embrace the endless variety and richness of the human experience. The best contemporary art functions within shifting realms of sensation and interpretation. It can embrace both mystery and comprehension. Come see (and feel, and think) for yourself.

The Henry is pleased to be collaborating with Western Bridge in the presentation
of WOW. Western Bridge, Seattle’s newest art space, will host a significant
portion of this innovative exhibition.

WOW is organized for the Henry Art Gallery by Chief Curator Elizabeth A. Brown. Support for this exhibition has been provided by the Allen Foundation for the Arts, PONCHO, William and Ruth True, John and Shari Behnke, Amy and Joseph Morel, Mr. and Mrs. Furman C. Moseley, H.S. Wright III and Katherine Ann Janeway, Liz and Anders Hejlsberg, Beverly and George Martin, Rebecca and Alexander Stewart, Lynn J. Loacker, April and James A. Allison, Michele and Steve Heller and donors to the Contemporary Art Fund. In-kind support provided by the Grand Hyatt Seattle, Western Bridge, Producing Future, The Stranger and KEXP 90.3 FM. Public support provided by Pro Helvetia, Arts Council of Switzerland and 4Culture/King County Lodging Tax Fund.