Artist Gary Simmons draws upon cultural forces like music, sports, film and cartoons as he explores the idea of erasure of African American history and culture. For his Henry Art Gallery exhibit, “Gary Simmons: The Engine Room,” he created an interactive space that calls to mind the suburban garage as a site for invention and experimentation, particularly for bands.
“The B-Side,” a large-scale wall painting, is one of Simmons’ “erasure drawings.” He uses chalk on a blackboard to create ghostly images. In this case, the focus is lyrics from the b-sides of albums by Seattle native Jimi Hendrix, including “Electric Ladyland” and “Axis: Bold as Love.” The exhibit runs through Aug. 22.