'Golden Harvest: Flour Sacks from the Permanent Collection’ at the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture

Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture

Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture

Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture

Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture

Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture

For those interested in local, Spokane history, you’ll like this show. It was an exhibit I never would of thought about seeing, but I was pleasantly surprised with how great it was. Anytime you can combine a history lesson with visual artifacts, that help bring the story to life, that’s a win! I also appreciate graphic design, old and new, so this was treat. Some of the flour sack designs were striking and colorful and the show was put together in a way, with photos and information about the industry so it gave an historical context to the flour sacks. An interesting tidbit about the show is that the wheat/flour trade in Eastern Washington contributes millions to the state’s economy. It’s known for it’s high quality and is sold world-wide (Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture).

What I also like about the exhibit is that it shows how design can be functional (provide information/descriptions), practical (brand identity), and also be aesthetically pleasing at the same time! It would have been a great addition to see some photos showing the process of making the flour sacks, such as the the tools/machinery/inks that were used. Other than that, this was an exhibit about an over-looked and under-appreciated part of Spokane’s history, that was brought to life in a decent, small show. I’d recommend see it especially if you are interested in local history.

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Copyright 2022 Tim Bovey.