A reinstallation of Buster Simpson’s 1978 Shared Clothesline: Banners of Human Reoccupation near Pike Place Market.
Before or after a trip to the Frye to see BUSTER SIMPSON//SURVEYOR, check out a reinstallation of one of his pieces in Post Alley, just north of Pike Place Market. White laundry hangs on lines strung between two buildings. When Simpson installed the original in 1978, his studio was nearby, and he created the piece to make a literal connection between the fixed income renters in one building and their new condominium-owning neighbors across the alley.
As well conceived as the Frye’s exhibition of Simpson’s work is, it’s wonderful to see the artist’s work in situ, relating directly to the urban issues and environments that inspired him. Don’t miss the plaque on the west side of the alley that details Simpson’s original motivations and how the piece was received.