Crawl Space An Artist-run Cooperative Gallery

Crawl Space was an artist-run cooperative gallery working to further the creation and exhibition of new and innovative artwork by emerging artists and to incite community interest in the visual arts. Since opening in 2003, they have provided curatorial and installation opportunities for over 100 emerging artists in monthly public exhibitions. At one point they were granted sponsorship by the Allied Arts Foundation, who also provided their 501(c)3 identification.

This was their website.

Content is from the site's 2005 archived pages offering just a glimpse of the type of exhibitions presented at the gallery.

Crawl Space
504 E. Denny Way #1
Seattle, WA 98105
*entrance on Summit Ave E, behind a wooden fence
(Where Olive and Denny converge there is a small island in the road. Look for our wooden fence next to the Hillcrest Market.)

An aside: It's nice that there is now another gallery is this space which is tucked away behind a wooden fence and a beautiful door. Reviewers have stated that its a pleasantly cozy space, packed top to bottom with jewelry, trinkets, and various artworks by local artists. Love it! They have a small, rotating selection of vintage apparel and beautiful jewelry. And I agree. According to my new neighbor, in it's former iteration as Crawl Space also offered paintings, photography, some sculptures, making it a great place to shop, and buy. I'm a recent arrival here, and I miss the Big Apple - even miss the noise and crowds. My most famous friend, Queens assistant district attorney Benjamin Pred warned me what would happen when I moved away from NYC and that I'd even miss his empty threats to lock me up every time I fouled out in our cherished Ultimate Frisbee matches. Seriously, it did take a while to get used to the peace and quiet - which I now love. So now that I am finally settled in Seattle, have adjusted to my new job, I have started to explore my neighborhood and the rest of the city. My neighbor has been here for over twenty years and I get all the latest scoop, plus a lot of back history about the area. Thus my learning about how the Crawl Space gallery location is now the Ghost gallery also offering paintings, photography, some sculptures, lots of jewelry, fun frames, and a wide range of prices. Next time I am there I am going to ask about the Crawl Space and if the present owner is in any way connected to the former Crawl Space. And I'm determined to get Ben out here to see what he's missing.

ISAAC LAYMAN: "PORTRAITS"
April 16, 2005 - May 15, 2005
			Crawl Space Gallery is pleased to present Isaac Layman in his first solo show since returning from a year of intensive studio work in New York City. In "Portraits," Mr. Layman presents a series of large-scale photographs of personal household objects. In these works, he combines the techniques of drawing and three-dimensional collage and through the photographic process collapses these spaces into the surface of the print. Viewers will find the objects immediately recognizable but may be confronted with the challenge of discerning what exactly they are looking at. This intersection of drawing, collage, and photography brings an opportunity to revisit the nature and iconography of these everyday possessions. Isaac Layman received his BFA in Photography from the University of Washington in 2002. Since 1997 his work has been shown in Seattle, New Zealand, Rome, and New York. He recently returned from a year in Brooklyn and lives in Wallingford with his wife. They are expecting their first child this summer.

SID INC: INTERACTIVE INSTALLATION
September 17th - October 2nd, 2005
			Crawl Space is pleased to present an interactive installation looking at the artistic process of Sound Industrial Design Inc., the collaborative duo Cathy McClure and Seth Sexton. Using the gallery as a temporary studio space prior to the show, SID Inc. creates an overwhelming and chaotic immersion into their dissection and reconstruction of mechanical plush toys. Unlike circuit benders who may use circuit boards and sound cards pulled from a variety of electronic instruments to make novel and synthetic sounds, SID Inc. purchases discarded electronic plush toys from local thrift stores and pares them down. The plush toys and their reconstructions are based on recurrent action sustained through consumer whimsy. All of the mechanisms selected by SID Inc. are activated by motion, sound, or touch that stress the importance of education through entertainment. The marketing, purchase, and speedy donation of these toys allude to a consumptive market characterized by buying escapism and frenzy. Toys have a very short shelf life that leads to an even shorter home life. SID Inc. believes that consumer involvement in this repetition is a blazing sign of its success.

TODD SIMEONE "FROM A TO A"
May 21 – June 12, 2005
	Click Image to view show		Crawl Space Gallery is pleased to present From A to A, an exhibition of large-scale digital photographs and installation by Seattle artist Todd Simeone. In his first solo show Mr. Simeone presents selected work from a series created during his past two years as an undergraduate photography student at the University of Washington. Recognizing the first solo show as a notable event in the artist's life, he found it of the utmost importance to create one single artwork that reflected everything he has come to know and understand over the years as a smooth and confident progression; in short, he sought to complete the trip from point A to point B. In search of the B Simeone found another A. This show presents this discovery by revealing that life's big moments can be found in the most obvious places. In this carefully selected suite of images, common yet significant objects such as games, charts and chairs are taken from the artist's personal settings then photographed and digitally manipulated to reflect underlying concepts. Using a combination of digital erasures and additions as symbolic gestures, Simeone's photographs offer a unique take on his own experience and environment and create an entirely new experience for their viewers. Confronted with the transfiguration of something familiar, the willing participant can find that Simeone expresses himself in spaces in between: the strange and familiar, truth and fiction, the poetic and the prosaic, and most notably for this exhibition, in between what things were and what they have become

KRISTEN T. RAMIREZ "IRRATIONAL EXUBERANCE"
January 5 -18, 2005
	.		IRRATIONAL EXUBERANCE Kristen T. Ramirez presents her first solo exhibition at Crawl Space Gallery. Irrational Exuberance is a celebration of high and low art, fueled by political traditions in printmaking, modern packaging design, contemporary installation art, and crude street graphics all over the planet. This exhibit includes drawing, collage, screen-printing, letterpress, and a large multi-media installation. Irrational Exuberance is work about place. More specifically, it is nostalgia-laden work that Ramirez has created about the disorienting, urban, American experience in her own attempt to understand what “America” is. Ramirez aims to bring beauty and dignity to a place where messages create a noisy collision of textures, colors, stylistic and cultural contrasts. She knows there is no way to perceive at once our contemporary chaos of gigantic, lurid signs, big box dollar stores, red-and-white striped chicken buckets, seas of asphalt parking lots, and horizons punctuated by utility poles. Instead, Ramirez embraces the exuberance of icons, signage, and visual clutter, imbuing it with dignity and no small amount of good, old-fashioned TLC. Kristen Ramirez is an artist and arts educator from San Francisco, California who now calls Seattle home. She completed her MFA in printmaking from the University of Washington in 2004 and works in all types of print processes, but especially loves letterpress, silkscreen and relief printing.

More Background on Crawl Space Gallery: A Glimpse into Seattle's Alternative Art Scene

Crawl Space Gallery, an artist-run cooperative located in Seattle, played a pivotal role in the city’s art scene from its inception in 2003 until its closure in 2009. This gallery was more than just a space to display art; it was a dynamic hub that fostered innovation, collaboration, and community engagement among emerging artists. Its legacy continues to be felt in the broader context of Seattle's vibrant and diverse art culture.

The Origin and Mission of Crawl Space

Crawl Space was established with a clear mission: to create a platform for emerging artists to showcase new and experimental works. The founders, all artists themselves, were driven by the desire to cultivate a space that was artist-centered and artist-driven. This cooperative approach not only gave the artists full control over the curatorial process but also allowed for a greater diversity of voices and perspectives in the exhibitions presented.

From its beginning, Crawl Space was located in a modest, somewhat hidden spot on Capitol Hill, an area known for its eclectic and creative community. The gallery's location, tucked away behind a wooden fence and a cozy storefront, became a metaphor for the type of art it championed—understated, yet profound, challenging the norms of commercial galleries.

The Artistic Impact and Exhibitions

Over its six-year existence, Crawl Space hosted numerous exhibitions that pushed the boundaries of contemporary art. The gallery became known for its emphasis on innovative installations and multimedia art, often featuring works that were as thought-provoking as they were visually engaging.

One of the standout exhibitions was "Portraits" by Isaac Layman in 2005, which showcased large-scale photographs of household objects. Layman’s work was notable for its meticulous detail and the way it blurred the lines between photography, drawing, and collage, challenging viewers to reconsider the everyday objects depicted. Another significant show was “SID INC: Interactive Installation,” which involved the dissection and reconstruction of mechanical plush toys by the collaborative duo Cathy McClure and Seth Sexton. This installation was not just about the end product but also about the process, as the gallery space itself became a workshop where the artists created their pieces in real-time.

Reviews and Reception

Crawl Space was well-received by both critics and the community. Reviews often highlighted the gallery's role in nurturing young talent and providing a space for works that might not find a home in more commercial galleries. The Seattle Post-Intelligencer described the gallery as a place where divergent artistic voices came together to form a cohesive and satisfying whole. The press coverage also noted the gallery’s commitment to maintaining a non-commercial, artist-first ethos, which was a breath of fresh air in an increasingly market-driven art world.

The gallery's commitment to emerging artists was further evidenced by its rotating exhibitions, which featured a wide array of artistic styles and mediums. Each show was a new exploration, with no two exhibitions looking or feeling the same, thus keeping the audience engaged and often surprised by what they found behind the gallery's unassuming exterior.

Cultural and Social Significance

Crawl Space was more than just a gallery; it was a cultural beacon that highlighted the importance of artist-run spaces in Seattle's broader cultural landscape. The gallery’s existence underscored the need for spaces that prioritize artistic expression over commercial success. In a city where the arts have often had to fight for recognition and support, Crawl Space stood as a testament to what can be achieved when artists take control of their own narratives.

The gallery also contributed to the social fabric of Seattle by fostering a sense of community among artists and art lovers alike. It was a place where conversations about art, culture, and society could take place in a relaxed, informal setting, free from the pressures of the commercial art world. This community aspect was crucial to Crawl Space’s success and lasting impact.

The End of an Era and Lasting Legacy

In 2009, Crawl Space announced that it would be disbanding. The decision was driven by the desire of the gallery’s founders to pursue independent projects, a natural progression for an initiative that had always been about pushing boundaries and exploring new possibilities. The gallery’s final exhibition, “Stranger Circumstances,” was a fitting end to its six-year run, encapsulating the spirit of experimentation and community that had defined Crawl Space from the start.

Though Crawl Space no longer exists as a physical space, its influence can still be seen in Seattle’s art scene today. The gallery paved the way for other artist-run initiatives and demonstrated the importance of such spaces in cultivating a vibrant, diverse, and inclusive arts community. It remains a model of what can be achieved when artists come together to create something that is truly their own.

Crawl Space Gallery was a vital part of Seattle's art community during its years of operation. It provided a unique platform for emerging artists to experiment and grow, free from the constraints of the commercial art world. Its legacy lives on in the continued vibrancy of Seattle’s artist-run spaces and the ongoing conversation about the role of art in society. For anyone looking to understand the development of Seattle’s contemporary art scene, the story of Crawl Space is an essential chapter.