Lectures

Join us for lectures from artists, experts, and other compelling voices on wide-ranging topics. Check back for upcoming events and purchase tickets online.

Beneath the Surface – Exploring Seattle’s Historical Shipwrecks

Wednesday, September 9th, 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Over one hundred targets of interest (including barges, shipwrecks, and cars) lie at the bottom of Lake Union. Gaps remain in this chapter of Seattle’s maritime history, and the newly-founded Shipwreck City project is working to film never-before-seen wrecks with the help of Finn, a blue remote-controlled robot the size of a microwave. Hear stories from the Shipwreck City team as they build the most up-to-date Seattle shipwreck archive and work to uncover what lies just beneath the surface of our city’s beloved central lake.

About the Speaker

Phil Parisi, founder of ShipwreckCity.org, is an ocean researcher and robotics specialist passionate about using robots to benefit humanity. He has worked for two US National Laboratories and now leads a company that tests robots. Libbie Barnes, Community Outreach Specialist for ShipwreckCity.org, is the associate curator of exhibits and engagement lead at the Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI). She brings a background in maritime studies and key historical perspectives to build context around the ever-growing Seattle shipwreck archive.

 

Cascadia’s Curator Presents at

Smithsonian American Art Museum

David Martin, curator at Cascadia, discussed his work recovering histories of Asian American Artists of the Pacific Northwest as part of a panel discussion at the Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM) on March 14, 2025. The program, Rediscovering Asian American Art Panel Conversation, brought together three scholars who have worked to illuminate the contributions of twentieth-century Asian American artists.

More About David Martin
Martin is the leading authority on early Washington state art and artists. Many of the artists he has chosen to highlight are women, Japanese and Chinese Americans, gay, lesbian and other minorities who had established national and international reputations during the period 1890-1960.

Rediscovering Asian American Art Panel Conversation video courtesy of Smithsonian American Art Museum (March 14, 2025)