SEATTLE, WA.- Spirit House investigates how contemporary artists of Asian descent challenge the boundary between life and death through art. A thematic exploration of the work of thirty-three Asian American and Asian diasporic artists, Spirit House asks the question, what does it mean to speak to ghosts, inhabit haunted spaces, be reincarnated, or enter different dimensions? Inspired by spirit houses, small devotional structures found throughout Thailand that provide shelter for the supernatural, this exhibition considers how art can bridge the gap between this world and the next.

Through the work in the exhibition, contemporary artists connect fragmented family narratives shaped by war, migration, and generational trauma to broader global contexts, creating new narratives that transform their difficult origins. With these artists as guides, Spirit House invites you to commune with your ancestors, reflect on significant memories, and journey through time and space.

Participating artists include: Kelly Akashi, Korakrit Arunanondchai, James Clar, Maia Cruz Palileo, Binh Danh, Dominique Fung, Pao Hua Her, Greg Ito, Tommy Kha, Heesoo Kwon, Timothy Lai, An-My Lê, Dinh Q. Lê, Kang Seung Lee, Tidawhitney Lek, Jarod Lew, Reagan Louie, Cathy Lu, Nina Molloy, Tammy Nguyen, Tuan Andrew Nguyen, Catalina Ouyang, Namita Paul, Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya, Kour Pour, Jiab Prachakul, Stephanie H. Shih, Do Ho Suh, Masami Teraoka, Salman Toor, Lien Truong, Apichatpong Weerasethakul, and Wanxin Zhang.

Charlene Liu: Scallion
Sculpture Court Mural
July 2025 — January 2026

Charlene Liu (b. 1975, Taiwan; based in Eugene, OR) creates paintings, prints, and mixed media installations that blend family histories, cultural references, and decorative patterns. Liu incorporates wide-ranging traditions into her imagery, drawing from nature, food, still life painting, and European and East Asian art and design. When combined, these references explore memory, heritage, and identity, challenging linear ideas of art history and resisting fixed categories.

For this inaugural mural presentation in the Henry’s Sculpture Court, Liu presents a lush, imagined landscape built from food-inspired forms. This work builds on her ongoing engagement with food as a means to locate culture and heritage amidst diaspora. Rendered in a fluid, multi-layered, visual language, this fantastical landscape offers a portal to reflect on how culinary traditions build belonging in place and playfully celebrates the importance of shared food experiences.