Sharing the square footage with Arte Noir is Gallery Onyx, a Black-art-focused collective that already has a space in Pacific Place mall.

At the opposite end of the room, guest services associate Cole Abram was busy painting a design in the entrance vestibule. She wasn’t yet sure about two new yellow chairs that guest services manager Marcus Mitchell was unwrapping from packaging. Executive Director Jazmyn Scott was also on the premises (“Oh, I’m always here,” she said), making final furniture arrangements and writing out a few more of her signature sticky notes. Inside, the vibe is crisp and modern, with a long expanse of floor-to-ceiling windows and sleek blond-wood display cases. This abstract timeline of the Central District is rendered in 200 wooden slats - painted in vibrant colors and carved with Eritrean symbols - and hangs from the building façade like a peacock fringe.

One of them is visible from the windows: Yegizaw “Yeggy” Michael’s permanent installation Visual Rhythm. Located at 23rd and Union, on the ground floor of the Midtown Square development, Arte Noir is situated among many new public works by Black artists. “But we still don’t really know how to work the lights.” She laughed and showed me a mystifying panel of 24 individual controls. “We’re 95% there,” Arte Noir founder Vivian Phillips said, as she toured me around the high-ceilinged space. 17, 2-6 p.m), a ticketed fundraiser featuring a wealth of Black artists, dancers and live music. The event coincides (no coincidence) with Wa Na Wari’s second annual “ Walk the Block” art walk (Sept. The specialty shop began with the Arte Noir newsletter, launched just over a year ago, and is about to have its big reveal with a festive celebration on Sept. Handwriting on each Post-It foretold what would soon be loaded into this retail shop dedicated to Black makers: accessories, skin care, head wraps, clutches, apothecary items, bracelets, books and more.ĪrtSEA: Notes on Northwest Culture is Crosscut’s weekly arts & culture newsletter.

Vintage vinyl record players for sale