Michael Cooper's Sculpture Odyssey at the Bellevue Arts Museum

Written by Anthony Thwaites Monday, 16 May 2011 02:11

Seattle, WA - The Bellevue Arts Museum is presenting "Michael Cooper: A Sculptural Odyssey, 1968 - 2010" from July 12th until October 9th. Michael Cooper transforms commonplace objects into fantastical, thought-provoking vehicles. Pistol-packing tricycles and curiously mobile forms of "furniture" underscore Cooper's role as one of the most innovative sculptors working today. Tracing over 40 years of this artist's explorations, the exhibition is anchored by a monumental, kinetic, computer-driven work entitled "How the West Was Won, How the West Was Lost", a sculptural treatise on conquest, greed and lust for oil and power: concepts as topical today as they were when the artist began the work in 1977.



Michael Cooper completed his MFA in Sculpture at the University of California at Berkeley in 1969. He taught art and design for 34 years at De Anza and Foothill Colleges, and the California College of Art in San Francisco. He is the recipient of numerous grants and awards, and has exhibited widely in the United States, Australia and England.

Bellevue Arts Museum has grown alongside the city of Bellevue to become the Pacific Northwest's center for the exploration of art, craft and design. With a long history of community outreach, the Museum today is home to innovative exhibitions, dynamic educational programs and special events that engage their audiences in new conversations about art. In 1947, a group of extraordinary volunteers founded the Pacific Northwest Arts and Crafts Association, BAM's parent organization. They had two goals in mind: to promote the artists of the region, and to establish a cultural and educational center serving Bellevue and the greater Eastside. In July of 1947, the Pacific Northwest Arts and Crafts Association hosted their first event, an outdoor arts fair held at the Bellevue Square regional shopping center. Over more than 60 years, this annual celebration has evolved into a much-treasured Bellevue tradition.

The Bellevue Arts Museum artsfair today is one of the largest and most prominent festivals in the Pacific Northwest, featuring more than 300 leading artists and attracting an average of 320,000 art enthusiasts every year. The Museum itself was established in 1975. Since that time the Museum has undergone a series of transitions and experienced an extraordinary amount of growth. It was initially housed in a former schoolhouse, followed by a former funeral home and later was established on the third floor of the Bellevue Square shopping center. On December 31st, 2001, the Museum at last opened the doors of its first purpose-built home; a stunning, red building in the heart of downtown Bellevue designed by renowned architect Steven Holl. Bellevue Arts Museum is a place that ignites the mind and fuels creativity. With its unique focus on art, craft and design, BAM connects people of all ages with extraordinary works by Northwest artists while bringing national and international exhibitions to our community. We are dedicated to conversation and helping you connect with art and artists; past or present, experimental or established. Join us in our explorations and enjoy one of the nation's foremost institutions in our field. visit the museum's website at ... http://www.bellevuearts.org

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