Amazon Understory

Amazon’s Understory Artist in Residence program explores the intersection of art, technology, and nature while fostering community engagement. Each residency and activation has been curated by NINE dot ARTS and has allowed local creatives to spend over two months in the space, honing their craft while engaging with the community and displaying and/or selling their work. These activations included immersive art installations, artist-led workshops, rotating exhibitions, and public programming.

At this ever-changing space of connection and collectivity beneath the Seattle Spheres, artists directly engage with visitors in the creative process to showcase how the practice of art breaks down barriers and builds community. Learn more about the artists featured below.

Stay tuned for future artist announcements throughout 2024-25.

Katie Todaro – The Fabric of Our Community
Katie Todaro’s activation, “The Fabric of Our Community” invited people to make their mark on various canvases, which were then transformed into life-sized cut-outs of the human form. With contributions from both locals and visitors, the art project reflects Seattle’s diversity and creative spirit through hundreds of unique doodles, drawings, and quotes. 

• Artist Katie Todaro completed 5 installations with 10 layered canvases
• 6,644 total attendees (an average of 316 attendees per day)

Alexandra Nason – Welcome to the Hive
Artist Alexandra Nason developed an experimental art project as part of our ongoing activations for Understory, resulting in a honeycomb-inspired art piece that celebrates the “pollination” of new ideas, the “buzz” of community, and the beauty that’s born when we let our creativity “bloom.”  The final “beehive” is a reflection of the innovative spirit of Seattle and the joy of creating art in community with others. 

• Artist Alexandra Nason completed 12 honeycomb installations 
• 25,693 total attendees (an average of 338 attendees per day)

Jane Richlovsky – Megapixels
“Megapixels” by local artist Jane Richlovsky was our most tech-forward activation for Understory. Highlighting intersections among the mechanical, the hand-made, and the organic, visitors were invited to create their own patterns from colorful “pixels” which were photographed for use in a crowd-sourced film. As more patterns were created and more photographs were taken, Jane’s animated films were cast upon a widescreen in the space to give participants further appreciation for both handmade and digital art.

“The juxtaposition plays with the differences and highlights the similarities between handmade and digital; tactile and virtual; stillness and motion.” – Jane Richlovsky

Barry Johnson and Moses Sun – Diaspora Landscapes
Through their public activation, “Diaspora Landscapes,” artists Barry Johnson and Moses Sun asked visitors to share stories, memories, and artistic expressions related to the human experience. From doodles and drawings to family stories or cultural traditions, these contributions informed the artists’ multimedia case-study underscoring the importance of nurturing art and art-making for collective empathy, understanding, and wellbeing. Additionally, the artists hosted several on-site workdays, offering visitors a unique opportunity to experience the intricate process of bringing large-scale installations to life.

Mokedo – Our Apophenia
Local artist Mokedo’s community art project, “Our Apophenia,” encouraged visitors to express their gratitude and see it come together in a dynamic tapestry of collective connectivity. Each week, the installation was brought to life through projections of captivating video and digital art that Mokedo captured around the Pacific Northwest.