June Art Walk shows peer into perception

Peer into the perceptions of man this month, starting with tonight's First Thursday free gallery walk in downtown Seattle in Pioneer Square and Pike Place.

Also on exhibition in June you will find art exhibits on stereotypes, cultures and relationships. And at the Monarch Studio, you can make your own exhibit art by adding your Polaroid picture.

Monarch Studio

"The Human Factor Project": While multimedia artist Jojo Corväiá was coming to terms with the suicide of his partner, he brainstormed this collection of pieces that explores how people are alike in their feelings and experiences.

In the exhibit, Corväiá captures the essence of 70 individuals of different backgrounds and ethnicities through portraits, interviews, portraits, recordings and video. Gallery guests can also add to the exhibit on "The Wall" with Polaroid portraits of their own — all to demonstrate human commonality.

Reception: 6-8 p.m. tonight at 312 S. Washington St., Suite A (in the Tashiro-Kaplan Building), Seattle (206-682-1710 or www.monarchartstudio.com).

Gallery4Culture

"100 years; for better or worse ": Artists Dawn Cerny and Patrick Holderfield re-examine the legacy of the regions's first world fair, in light of 2009's Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition Centennial. They focus on the fair's premier attraction, "Igorrote Village." For the attraction, men and women were relocated from a remote village in the Philippine Islands to be on display, presenting a skewed view on indigenous life.

Cerner updates the exhibit by presenting a series of mixed-media fair flags with politically charged text. For his part, Holderfield collaborated with seven local artists and graphic designers to design protest posters for the fair.

Reception: 6 to 8 p.m. today at 101 Prefontaine Place S., Seattle (206-296-8674 or www.4culture.org/publicart/gallery/index.htm).

Traver Gallery

"Along With Flow": Seattle-based artist Masami Koda uses mixed media to express man's relationship with nature. Her works in glass, bronze and steel were inspired by the region's rainfall and rhythm.

Reception: 5 to 8 p.m. today at 110 Union St., No. 200, Seattle (206-587-6501or www.travergallery.com).

Marni Muir Gallery

"Buried Treasure": Edmonds mixed-media artist Kate Steiger gives her impression of the past and present with symbols, artifacts and ornaments of ancient cultures. She blends the contours of the amphorae from Crete and Turkey with carved Egyptian panels, Assyrian friezes, Byzantine icons and Asian scrolls, creating a beautiful amalgamation of memory and imagination.

Reception: 6 to 8 p.m. today at 112 S. Washington St., Seattle (206-624-9336 or www.marnimuirgallery.com).

Lisa Harris Gallery

re:ply: As a child, Seattle artist David W. Simpson would collect all sorts of wood from construction sites, barns on his grandparents' farm and fallen limbs from old trees. He transformed the pieces to a clubhouse, hand-built furniture and sculptures. Now Simpson returns to his roots, creating relief prints from plywood he finds washed ashore at his Puget Sound home. These prints represent the passage of time across life's journey.

Reception: 6 to 8 p.m. today at 1922 Pike Place, Seattle (206-443-3315 or www.lisaharrisgallery.com).

Marian Liu: 206-464-3825 or mliu@seattletimes.com