Seattle Art Fair 2025 Highlights: Contemporary Art and Sculptures

Launched in 2015 by the late Microsoft co-founder Paul G. Allen, Seattle Art Fair provides an annual platform for the vibrant art scene of the Pacific Northwest. 2025 marked the fair’s 9th edition, which took place last weekend from July 17 through 20. More than 85 art galleries participated, with an exciting mix of over 30 local galleries from Washington state and a strong presence of international galleries hailing from Argentina, China, France, Greece, Italy, South Africa, South Korea and more.

This year, the mood seemed bright as crowds wandered through the booths, and the fair certainly delivered top-tier art. Let’s take a look at the artworks that stood out!

Rising Stars and Leading Artists at Seattle Art Fair 2025

Seattle Art Fair always offers an incredible diversity of art, with something for every collector’s taste and budget. Mediums and styles ranged widely from bold abstract paintings to hyperrealistic portraits, from ceramics to neon sculpture. Mixed media works seemed particularly popular, like American artist Ted Collier’s minimal paintings that combine acrylic with resin for a striking visual impact.

Even the artists themselves came from all walks of life, from all around the world — one of the exhibiting artists was only 12 years old! Drawn to art as a young child, Korean painter EVAN launched his public career at the age of 8, when he collaborated with the famous Chinese artist Yue Minjun on a large-scale exhibition. His mixed media canvases are whimsical and playful, rendering fantastical scenes of horses, birds and starry skies in pastel hues and glitter. In his own words (shared with us via Google translate), EVAN says, “This is a painting of my imagination and dreams. [It] shows my feelings, such as nightmares, happiness and unhappiness.”

A Spotlight on Contemporary Glass Art

This year, Seattle Art Fair shone a spotlight on the Pacific Northwest’s rich history of glassmaking. There were live glassblowing demonstrations in partnership with two local institutions dedicated to the medium, the Museum of Glass in Tacoma and Pilchuck Glass School, and there were numerous glass artists on view throughout the fair.

Niyoko Ikuta, who is considered one of Japan’s leading glass artists, certainly stood out in this medium. Her sculptures comprise layered sheets of glass, which reflect and refract light to create a mesmerizing dance. Each sculpture offers the viewer a different experience from every angle, mirroring the Buddhist concept of reality as being different yet “true” to all individuals. Each sheet is hand cut and attached one-by-one with a special glue; in fact, these sculptures are so meticulously crafted that Ikuta only produces three per year!

Sculptures Steal the Show

In addition to the breathtaking glass sculptures on display, the medium of sculpture made a splash at the fair overall, particularly with large-scale works.

American artist Deborah Butterfield is known for her life-size sculptures of horses that capture their strength and beauty. Although they appear to be made out of driftwood, her sculptures are actually bronze. Butterfield collects branches and sticks on walks, constructs the horses in her studio, and then creates a unique cast for the final sculpture.

We were also highly impressed by the bronze works of West Coast artist Mike Szabo. His abstract sculptures are sleek and modern, yet at the same time they feel organic and delicate. The sculptures twist and spiral upwards, evoking the graceful movements of wind and water.

Traditional Art at a Contemporary Art Fair

While contemporary art is the main focus at Seattle Art Fair, one booth went against the grain and caught our eye. Fotovat Atelier, founded in 1940 by generational artists from Isfahan, promotes and preserves the ancient art of Persian miniature painting. These exquisite paintings are done with a very fine brush, depicting culturally significant subjects — like peacocks and phoenixes — in extraordinary detail. Even the frames feature ornate designs, produced through a demanding process of inlaying strings of brass, camel bone and colored wood.

The Seattle Art Fair successfully highlights the unique arts scene of the Pacific Northwest while connecting with global trends and practices. If you’re based on the West Coast or able to travel to Seattle, this is a fantastic fair for discovering a blend of regional and international artists.

— Sonia Patwardhan