 You can play the guessing game at “Pseudononymous,” a show of work done under assumed names. Some "nom de plumes" are quite easy to figure out if you have any familiarity with the Seattle Art's Scene. Mark Park's "Lark", an acrylic on canvas, 16" x 20", gives us another aspect of the traditional studio self portrait. The critical eye of Curator Sarah Bergmann serves up a delightful romp through the Visual History of Art. At 1506 Projects, 1506 E. Olive, 206-329-5400. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sat-Sun.
 Working under an assumed name has been a device used by many artists. Mary Cassat exhibited in the salon under the name Mary Stevenson, while in the twentieth century the names of Man Ray, Marcel Duchamp, and even Andy Warhol were all names created by their artistic users. Brad Landon, presents the piece "Please Like Me", a sculpture consisting of a model airplane, vinyl, and aluminum. Evoking the image frequently seen during a game, we see an airplane towing an ad banner. Rather than selling something as banal as Lite Beer, the banner is selling the self. The lighting gives a dramatic shadow drawing on the wall.
Hamilton Stumpford, gives us an industrial landscape entitled, "Duwamish River", an oil on canvas measuring 16" x 20". The ghost like appearance of the industrial buildings is perhaps a prescient comment on the disappearing manufacturing sector in the US or even about the ephemeral quality of the economy. What makes this piece work, is the little red dot on the horizon line suggesting a Duchampian quotation of the work "Pharmacy". This petite homage gives the work added depth and meaning while reliving it of any preachy qualities.
Frederic Halifax, produces a sculpture entitled, "Stimulation Capable of Two Ideas", a mixed media sculpture which invites the viewer to interact by pushing the button. When this happens the static become kinetic and the little blue and pink image traverses through the petals like a hyper Judy Chicago. The structure of the piece reminds us of those old Victorian wind up toys which would provide endless hours of entertainment.
Hermann Drei, has installed three plastic vinyl panels entitled, "Homage to the Industry". with each panel sporting a phrase. Words like "there is more to this than i thought charlie...a lot more" and, "hey... i'm the hero of this film" and the Yiddish phrase, schelepping" gives us the identity of the industry in question. The red, white and blue panels are also an indication of our self-satisfied ethos. Echoing the concrete work of Kosuth, Herr Drei has nothing to fear about the viewer getting the point.
Tank Star Records, provides us with a manipulated AC/DC album entitled R============on set next to a personal CD player. This mixed media piece has the gift of stating the obvious in a playful way. Gone are the days of Vinyl Albums to be replaced by the CD, which in turn is being replaced by the mp3 player and the PC. It is as if you are seeing a rectified readymade that doubles for a slice of technological evolution. The starkness of the presentation only adds to the message.
Finally, Fine Arts Consulting Service, presents a portfolio of works in an Digital Archival Pigment Print entitled, "Examples of Corporate Art". In the eight panels we are given a wide range of styles from Cubist to abstract, Neo/Geo to faux Pop. Each panel gives the viewer an insight into the epic banality of these works. Set into a radial composition, we can see the Corporate Aesthetic as an equivalent to the concentric circles of Dante's vision of Purgatory.
By adopting an assumed name, the artist gains a new face to present the public. Each artist wrote a short biography which will be added to the end of this article when it becomes available. Biting and amusing, these works allow the viewer to see another aspect of an artist's mind. You do not need to know who is who but rather enjoy what is what. A capital idea in these capitalist times.
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