September 27, 2007
UW Press teams up with Frye Art Museum on reading series, book
This fall the Frye Art Museum and the UW Press are initiating a series of quarterly readings by writers who will explore the stylistic relationships between visual art — both in the Frye Collection and in special exhibitions — and the literary arts. These free New Works Reading Performances begin with a presentation by Frances McCue and Stacey Levine at 7 p.m. Sept. 27 at the museum.
McCue, a poet, essayist, reviewer and founding director of Seattle’s Richard Hugo House, will reflect on Franz von Stuck’s Sin, one of the Frye’s most intriguing works, which is on view through Oct. 14 in a contemporary altarpiece made of gold Mylar and pins by Seattle artist Victoria Haven. McCue’s book of poems, The Stenographer’s Breakfast, was published by Beacon Press in 1992, and she is currently working on a nonfiction book, Chasing Richard Hugo.
Levine, winner of the 1994 PEN/West fiction award and author of two novels, will present new prose inspired by the art of Patricia Piccinini, whose hyper-realistic sculptures of customized life forms are featured in the special exhibition Hug (on view through Jan. 6). In addition to her award-winning 1994 collection, My Horse and Other, Levine has published two novels, Dra—, and Frances Johnson; short stories; and criticism in numerous international venues.
The New Works Reading Performance series developed from a 2006 reading in the Frye galleries by writer and educator Rebecca Brown (internationally published author of 11 books of prose), who discussed the dark tale in Western literature, then read her short story “The Brothers,” a fable she wrote in response to artist Robyn O’Neil’s drawings.
Pat Soden, director of UW Press, called the series “an exciting collaboration between two of our region’s major cultural institutions,” and said it supports the press’ mission to “publish the finest work in the literary and visual arts.”
Other New Works Reading Performance events will be announced soon. Following the series, the Frye will co-publish a book with the UW Press, pairing the work of 12 visual artists — including Gabriel Max, Franz von Stuck, Tim Eitel, Robyn O’Neil and Sigrid Sandström — with writings by Northwest authors such as Ryan Boudinot, McCue, Levine, Jack Nisbet and others. Co-edited by writer Rebecca Brown and Mary Jane Knecht, Frye manager of adult programs and publications, the anthology is slated for publication in spring 2009.
