Wandering the west coast and love art? Here’s what’s been going on at museums from Seattle to San Francisco!
Seattle
Seattle Art Museum
Following Space: Thaddeus Mosley & Alexander Calder
The Seattle Art Museum’s Thaddeus Mosley & Alexander Calder exhibition is an exceptional pairing of two sculptors whose works, though separated by generations, share a profound exploration of form, space, and movement. The show offers visitors an immersive experience into the world of modern sculpture, highlighting how both artists pushed the boundaries of material and abstract expression to redefine sculpture for their times. On through June 1, 2025.
Portland
Psychedelic Rock Posters and Fashion of the 1960s
Portland’s vibrant art scene has long been a hub for creativity and expression, but its latest exhibition, Psychedelic Rock Posters and Fashion of the 1960s, brings an exhilarating dose of nostalgia for those who love both the colorful chaos of the era and its enduring cultural influence. For anyone with a soft spot for the transformative years of the 1960s, this showcase delivers a fantastic, immersive experience that blends visual art with countercultural style. On through June 15, 2025.
San Francisco
de Young
Tamara de Lempicka
Step into the glamorous world of Tamara de Lempicka, one of the most iconic and avant-garde artists of the 20th century, at the de Young Museum in San Francisco. This exclusive exhibition offers a rare opportunity to explore the seductive elegance and technical mastery of de Lempicka’s signature style, from her famous portraits to her sleek, modernist nudes.
The exhibit also explores the artist’s life journey, tracing her migration from Poland to Paris, where she gained fame within the artistic circles of the 1920s and 1930s. Through her brushstrokes, de Lempicka not only immortalized the women of her time but also presented herself as a bold, independent figure in a world that was still finding space for women in the arts
Exhibit ends February 9. After its presentation at the de Young, the exhibition will travel to Houston and be on display at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, March 9 through May 26, 2025.
MOMA
Amy Sherald: American Sublime
The exhibition, titled American Sublime, showcases Sherald’s masterful skill in both portraiture and abstraction, with each piece serving as a meditation on the beauty, dignity, and complexity of Black identity. Her signature style—using a grayscale palette for skin tones, which contrasts with vivid, often surreal colors for the clothing and backgrounds—creates a sense of otherworldliness. This visual approach, as Sherald herself has noted, allows the viewer to focus more on the subject’s internal life and individuality rather than reducing them to the conventional trappings of identity. On through March 9, 2025.
Yayoi Kusama: Dreaming of Earth’s Sphericity, I Would Offer My Love
Yayoi Kusama: Dreaming of Earth’s Sphericity, I Would Offer My Love is an evocative exploration of Kusama’s ongoing obsession with infinity, repetition, and the cosmos. This exhibition delves into her unique perspective on the interconnectedness of the universe, with Kusama offering her personal vision of Earth as a spherical entity through immersive installations, vibrant polka dots, and hypnotic patterns. The phrase “I Would Offer My Love” reflects her lifelong journey of merging the internal with the external, offering her art as a form of emotional release and connection to the cosmos. Kusama’s works, often rooted in her experiences with mental health, invite viewers into a transformative space that blurs the lines between the physical and the infinite. On through Fall 2025.
