The Frye Art Museum continues to strategically build its collection through purchases and gifts, both deepening existing areas of strength and diversifying holdings to reflect the museum’s expansive curatorial program and Seattle’s globalized present.
Acquisitions of the last five years demonstrate the Museum’s commitment to growing and contextualizing its distinctive historical collections of late nineteenth and twentieth-century European and American art while broadening its holdings of contemporary works to embrace previously underrepresented identities, perspectives, and forms of expression. To some extent, acquisitions mirror the Museum’s exhibition history, creating a material record of the institution’s engagement with local, national, and international artists and commemorating the special audience connection formed through temporary presentations. Contemporary artworks chosen for the collection often respond to or complicate the narratives around mediums and genres traditionally associated with the Frye, like painting, landscape, and portraiture.
Recent Acquisitions
Self Portrait in 2023Clyde Petersen
Peter And David, For Peter Hujar and David WojnarowiczClyde Petersen
My Y2K Bingo CardClyde Petersen
My GraveClyde Petersen
TigersClyde Petersen
HorsesClyde Petersen
Our Forbidden CountryClyde Petersen
Torrey Pines, Del Mar, CaliforniaClyde Petersen
Kyle's Secret Surfing Spot, Malibu, CaliforniaClyde Petersen
Del Mar SunsetClyde Petersen
Blacklight Back RoomClyde Petersen
1993Clyde Petersen
Turtle and vulture gathered the bones to awaken margay, tapirus and human iguanaPriscilla Dobler Dzul
Nuestros cielos una vez estuvieron llenos de estrellas / Our skies were once filled with starsPriscilla Dobler Dzul
Flowers 4 RodJeffry Mitchell
SupperNikki Maloof
Postcards from Nowhere: WaterskiingVik Muniz
BC (4011)Sterling Ruby
Government Bureau (after Tooker)Robyn O’Neil
pulling back aroundWoody De Othello
FormationKelly Akashi
shadow swingJessica Jackson Hutchins
Gingko bilobaGretchen Frances Bennett
Sister TotemMarita Dingus
Solid CitizenJessica Jackson Hutchins
We are the Gentle Angry Women and We Are Singing for Our LivesEllen Lesperance
Study for 2x4 with yellow fillMargie Livingston
Fu DogsJeffry Mitchell
Pickle Jar with Elephants, Bow and Mottled Grey BallsJeffry Mitchell
FeastDan Webb
Venus Jar 4: My MothersHanako O’Leary
FryeTracy and the Plastics
The Edith Wharton you can affordDawn Cerny
untitledEva Koťátková
untitledEva Koťátková
untitledEva Koťátková
Silent Clusterfuck (Pyrite –fake gold)Jennie C. Jones
Breathless #6Jennie C. Jones
Single CabinetLiz Magor
BabyNatalie Ball
Pink on Black GroupKatherine Bradford
ButterflyBony Ramirez
Madrone + MullanSadie Wechsler
Three SlicesAmoako Boafo
Mangahufo' I famaguonGisela McDaniel
Black Face Red Bone with Black BobTschabalala Self
Night ForestAnn Leda Shapiro
Black Face with Wide ChestTschabalala Self
Becoming MineralClarissa Tossin
The UnknownOtis Kwame Kye Quaicoe
Portrait of Erwin WurmJoseph Park
Allegory of the Raging SunKat Lyons
After Boucher: UntitledMolly Jae Vaughan
Ear (Good)Srijon Chowdhury
Stylite AltarpieceEden Seifu
Ground of GroundHarry Gould Harvey IV
For FunKhari Johnson-Ricks
Disaster KitchenMolly Zuckerman-Hartung
Baby BlueAmoako Boafo
