Until Sunday, Aug 21
A sexy, fun energy was palpable as soon as I stepped off the elevator at XO Seattle, an ephemeral indie art experience featuring over 70 artists from around the Pacific Northwest. Housed on the top two floors of a renovated historic building in Pioneer Square, high ceilings and a wide staircase open up the sun-lit space to one of two loungey rooftop decks with impressive views of the city and Puget Sound.
Curators Julianne Johnson and Austin Bellamy Hicks collaborated with co-curators Erik Molano of Photon Factory and Moses Sun of Vivid Matter Collective—the group behind the Black Lives Matter street mural on Capitol Hill—to bring to life this love letter to their creative community.
I stopped by La Dive’s pop-up natural wine bar for a glass of crisp rosé before wandering between rooms as the DJ spun dreamy beats a la Girl by The Internet. An electric mix of mediums is on display. Becca Furhman’s upcycled cloth banners gave me mod rapunzel vibes, and Adrienne Matthews’ acrylic professional portraits of Black women (one aptly named “She runs a gauntlet between two worlds”) drew me in with their powerful eye contact. The translucent rain suit accompanying Luis Guillermo Velez’s movement-based concept piece A New Skin spoke to my unexplainable dislike for umbrellas. Before you go, wind down with color therapy in Double Rainbow, an experimental environment well-stocked with pillows for your head.
Pro tip: Take this opportunity to wear the coolest shoes in your closet. I spotted orange clogs, silver Birkenstocks, and tan cowboy boots. On Fridays, XO Seattle is throwing Summer Art Parties ($22) from 5 pm – 10 pm, featuring rotating musical talent. On the weekends: Saturdays 1 pm – 8 pm and Sundays 12 pm – 6 pm.
