Accreted Terrane

The Pacific Northwest was formed through dynamic geologic processes. One process, called accretion, describes rocks traveling great distances before attaching to very different material, forming diverse layers which built up the coast. 


Accreted Terrane: Island Arcs & Suture Zones, published in conjunction with an exhibition at the Museum of Northwest Art, features forty-two Northwest artists exploring the metaphor of geologic accretion through the mediums of painting, collage, glass, video, sculpture and installation work. 


This edition of the catalogue includes an introductory essay by exhibition curator David Francis, and an interview conducted by Shin Yu Pai, providing an overview of contemporary Northwest artists’ relationship to the landscape. Artist statements, biographies, videos, and audio interviews are also included, along with a description of the education program accompanying the exhibition. The catalogue captures the diversity of artistic responses to this unique landscape.