Zoom In: Why You Can’t Miss Takiyah Ward’s "The RETROspective"
For most of us, a pair of Air Jordans is either a fresh fit, a nostalgic flex, or a holy grail locked behind glass. But for legendary Seattle artist Takiyah "TDUB" Ward, they are a masterclass in modern design, cultural gravity, and raw material storytelling.
If you are anywhere near Pioneer Square during Seattle Art Fair week (July 23–26, 2026), you need to pull up to Colman Commons. Ward, the visionary behind Seattle’s iconic 2020 Black Lives Matter street mural and the founder of the Pacific Northwest's premier sneaker care facility, The Re-Sole 206, is debuting her first-ever solo exhibition: The RETROspective.
Here is exactly why this isn't just another gallery show, and why you need to participate.
Flipping the Hype on Its Head
We’ve all seen the marketing campaigns and the collector culture, but The RETROspective looks at the Air Jordan line (specifically models 1 through 13) through a completely fresh lens. This collection features 13 original physical artworks focusing strictly on the materials and lines that made these silhouettes an obsession in the first place.
Think tumbled leather meeting foam midsoles, and python embossing crashing into rubber outsoles. Ward isn’t handing you commercial hype; she’s handing you a magnifying glass based on thousands of hours spent inches away from these shoes at her restoration workbench. She has spent years cleaning, restoring, and customizing kicks for the city's top athletes and collectors, meaning she sees the beauty in the seams where everyone else just sees a shoe.
"When you've spent thousands of hours inches from a shoe, re-stitching a seam, matching a factory dye, bringing a yellowed sole back to life, you start to see what's actually there. The beauty is in the lines, and how they meet to form some of the most revolutionary pieces of clothing our society has ever seen,” Ward said.
Take her piece ELEVEN, for example. Instead of a standard sneaker rendering, the iconic patent leather and ballistic mesh dissolve into a black-and-white landscape of rolling hills, rays of sunlight, and rows of vegetation. It's a striking reminder of how popular culture can be flipped to ask deeper questions about our world.
WATCH: Takiyah Ward discusses her piece “Eleven”
Four Days, Four Ways to Stand Witness
This isn't a passive gallery experience. Ward has curated a full four-day activation that lets you engage with the community, the conversation, and the art in real-time.
Here is the breakdown of the weekend lineup at Colman Commons:
Thursday, July 23
(5:00 PM – 8:00 PM)
Public Opening
The exhibition officially opens to the public. Come check out the 13 original pieces first and soak in the energy.
Friday, July 24
(By Appointment)
Private Gallery Tours
Book an intimate walkthrough directly with Takiyah Ward to hear the technical and cultural stories behind the art.
Saturday, July 25
(4:00 PM – 7:00 PM)
SOLE STORY Panel
A heavy-hitting panel on the state of the sneaker game hosted by Ward, featuring Holiday Black, style authority Jordan Knox, business strategist Brandie Henry, and customizer Rex Prasad.
Sunday, July 26
(12:00 PM – 4:00 PM)
SOLE SWAP
Bring your heat! A clothing and sneaker exchange happening in collaboration with AFROsaphix.
The Essential Details
What: The RETROspective — A Solo Exhibition by Takiyah Ward.
When: July 23–26, 2026.
Where: Colman Commons, 811 1st Ave, Suite 91M, Seattle, WA 98104 (Pioneer Square).
Admission: Free and open to the public.
How to Book Friday Tours: Email theresole206@gmail.com or visit colmancommons.com.
Whether you are a die-hard sneakerhead who knows every factory dye by heart, or an art lover looking for work that speaks to the actual heartbeat and history of Seattle, The RETROspective is where you need to be this weekend.
Grab your crew, clean up your favorite kicks, and come witness local history in the making.
Looking to book a space for your upcoming event? Check out Colman Commons for all your event space needs at colmancommons.com
