– Going Below the Surface with Orca and Salmon

Greetings, thank you for receiving this message. I’m writing with an invitation to attend Submergence: Going Below the Surface with Orca and Salmon. Submergence is an innovative, multimedia arts exhibit featuring visual art, text, audio, and audio visual works, centering on the theme of southern resident orca and Chinook salmon co/recovery. Submergence will take place during Orca Month 2021, June 1st-July 2nd, 2021, at Jack Straw Cultural Center in Seattle, Washington. Please visit the Submergence webpage for current information about exhibition events and project details.

The Submergence exhibit is the culmination of a year-long workshop and event series, where artists and writers engaged with natural science and Pacific Northwest Indigenous perspectives to create works reflecting the biological and cultural significance of orca and salmon. This collaborative project is created and supported by the Endangered Species Coalition, Creature Conserve, and Jack Straw Cultural Center. We’re honored to include poems written and voiced by author Rena Priest, Lummi Nation Poet and the 2021 Washington State Poet Laureate, in the exhibition; many thanks to the Washington State Arts Commission and Humanities Washington for their support.

We welcome you to view the Submergence exhibition in-person, by scheduling the time and date of your visit with Jack Straw Cultural Center. Please note that currently, due to Covid-19, visits are by appointment only and can be scheduled Monday-Friday, between 10:00 am and 5:00 pm. Please call 206.634.0919 or email jsp@jackstraw.org to schedule your visit

The virtual show opening will take place on Friday, June 4th at 7:00 pm PST, featuring an introduction by curator and ESC Creative Engagement Director, Jeanne Dodds, and a virtual tour of the exhibit. The tour will include the opportunity to view the visual works in the show, hear the audio soundscape and see the video works included in the exhibition. To participate in the Friday, June 4th opening event, please visit Jack Straw Cultural Center’s Facebook page at 7:00 pm PST to view the livestream.

We’re currently planning other events during the exhibition month – event dates, details, and how to participate will be available soon at the Submergence webpage.

For the salmon and orca,

Jeanne Dodds
Creative Engagement Director
Endangered Species Coalition