Like Life, 1993

Barbara Noah
(American, born 1949)

Location: University of Washington, Seattle

ABOUT THE ARTWORK

Like Life by artist Barbara Noah is part of her series of composite faces. The two images suggest the faces of tragedy and comedy, commonly used as a symbol for theatrical arts. Noah notes, "These images are like symbolic mirrors. We gaze at them and they gaze back. They represent cycles of life, the bad and the good, the positive and the negative." Noah's images were temporarily installed in two lightboxes at the bus stop outside of UW's Meany Hall.

This artwork was part of a group of rotating installations on the University of Washington campus. The artists were selected in a competitive process to create images for existing lightboxes at bus stops outside of the UW's School of Art and Meany Hall. The images were reproduced as large-scale transparencies to fit the lightboxes. The bus stops featured the artworks for several months.

This artwork was acquired for the State Art Collection in partnership with University of Washington.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Seattle-based mixed-media artist Barbara Noah creates conceptual artworks, including photographs, sculptures and paintings.
Noah has taught art at national colleges and universities, including Cornish College of the Arts and the University of Washington, both in Seattle. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Art from Mills College in Oakland, California and a Master of Fine Arts degree from the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York. Noah received the 2011 Twining Humber Award for lifetime artistic achievement.

ARTWORK DETAILS
MediumCibatrans and mixed media lightbox installation
DimensionsTwo panels, 50 in x 30 in each
ID NumberWSAC1993.080.00A-B
Acquisition MethodCurated Selection
Artist LocationWashington, United States
Location Information
AgencyUniversity of Washington
Artwork LocationUniversity of Washington
Temporarily not on display.
WA CountyKing
PlacementExterior
Site TypeUniversity
Address15th Ave. NE, between NE Pacific St. and NE 45th St.
Seattle, WA 98195
Geo. Coordinates47.660661, -122.315170
Before VisitingSome artworks may be located in areas not accessible to the general public (especially in K-12 public schools). Consider contacting the site prior to a visit to ensure access.
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