NEWLY OPENED: RECENT ACQUISITIONS AT THE FRYE ART MUSEUM

Ass is front and center in Seattle artist Anthony White's "To a Flame," which is currently up over at the Frye Art Museum as part of its Recent Acquisitions in Contemporary Art exhibition. As with many of White's plastic-composed "paintings," the cheeks belong to a lithe figure whose face is turned away from us, his attention ensnared by whatever is on the white-bright screen of his phone—like a moth, um, to a flame. While White references our contemporary ways of viewing images (and ourselves) by overlaying photo-editing elements on the portrait, the rest of the Baroque-ish composition alludes to the distant past: ornate wallpaper, plush tapestries, a warm golden light source. The piece is on view alongside other works acquired by the Frye in 2019 as part of an effort to expand their holdings of "contemporary art to include previously underrepresented identities, perspectives, and forms of expression," according to a press release. "To a Flame" is among their most sensual.

Recent Acquisitions in Contemporary Art at the Frye Art Museum is up until January 23, 2022. Admission to the Frye is free, from Wednesday thru Sunday, 11 am to 5 pm.

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STARTING THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 16: LOCAL SIGHTINGS AT NORTHWEST FILM FORUM

Can you smell the scent of decayed leaves on the ground? Feel that crisp chill in the air? Hear the annoying group of tourists slurping down their PSLs in the middle of the goddamn sidewalk? That's right—fall is here. And with it comes Northwest Film Forum's 24th Annual Local Sightings Film Festival, which runs September 16-26. After going totally virtual last year, the fest highlighting local PNW filmmakers will take the hybrid route this year, blending virtual and in-person experiences for its 10-day long event.

The Stranger's own Charles Mudede will make his directorial debut at the fest by opening it with Thin Skin, an adaptation of Ahamefule J. Oluo's off-Broadway hit Now I'm Fine and also a This American Life episode about his real life. The closing film is Manifest Destiny Jesus, a Seattle-set documentary dedicated to the "future memory of white supremacy" and directed by Josh Aaseng, Daemond Arrindell, and T. Geronimo Johnson. Sandwiched between these two movies are nine other feature films, 15 short film blocks, and several special events and workshops to choose from. For a full listing, check out NWFF's site. Everout also has a curated guide here.

Northwest Film Forum's Local Sightings Festival starts this Thursday, September 16 and runs through Sunday, September 26. Virtual and hybrid passes are available here.

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 16 TO SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 19: KREMFEST AT KREMWERK

The pandemic has brought about a kind of body awareness undergirded by extreme anxiety. To the perennially anxious—such as myself—every sniffle, cough, headache, belch, weird poop, or bead of sweat could be a sign their time has come. While this type of self-surveillance is needed (to an extent), it's important to remind yourself of other things your body can do: sway, bob, shuffle, one-two-step, swivel, roll, act as a vessel for joy.

Starting tomorrow, you'll have a chance to do so at Kremfest, Kremwerk's fourth annual celebration of some the best electronic music and talent the scene has to offer. For four jam-packed nights, Seattle's premiere club has stacked lineup after lineup with incredible DJs that will facilitate music and body euphoria. Get a head start on the weekend with Flammable's extensive house music showcase on Thursday. Shake off your 9 to 5 at House Party's night, featuring NSO, Arel, and Euse on Friday. If anything, I suggest ending your weekend with Sunday night's Bloom, a techno-infused showcase in Timbre Room, headed by resident DJ Gag Reflex and featuring Reverend Dollars and Bored Lord. Dancefloor bliss is just around the corner—make it yours!

Kremfest runs from Thursday, September 14 thru Sunday, September 19. Both 4-day passes and day passes are available to purchase here. Masks and proof of vaccination are required for entry.

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SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 18 TO SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 19: INTIMAN'S THEATRE'S HOMECOMING ON CAPITOL HILL

Every arts and culture space that has remained open through the past year-and-a-half should be celebrated. And celebrate we shall. This weekend, Intiman Theatre will herald their new digs at Seattle Central College with HOMECOMING Performing Arts Festival, a giant-ass fest that will go down rain or shine (and rain is looking like the more likely option of those two). On both days you can expect food trucks, a Life on Mars beer garden, children's storytelling, artist installations, vendors, and more.

There's literally 100 artists performing on the fest's mainstage, all of whom I will refrain from listing in these pages—you can peruse for yourself here. A quick taste includes two Cafe Racer-curated music lineups; local comedy from the likes of Howie Echohawk, El Sánchez, alyssa yeoman, and Burl Dirkman; drag and burlesque numbers courtesy of BeautyBoiz, and a Kiki with The Royal House of Noir. Most notably, Sunday evening's lineup is all Black, headlined by musician Ahamefule J. Oluo and featuring performances by dani tirrell and friends, as well as a Black Pride Celebration from BeautyBoiz. This is gonna be a big one!

HOMECOMING Performing Arts Festival will be held on Harvard Avenue between Pike and Pine on Saturday, September 18, and Sunday, September 19. Masks are required. Festival passes are $105 suggested while single-day passes are $65 suggested. Snag one here.