Public Art

Chaac

Chaac is the Maya god of rain. This piece emulates the great carved stone masks that can be found on the pyramids in the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. The masks were made of stone carved into intricate shapes which were assembled together to form the powerful visage of the god. Chaac had both human and animal characteristics, showing the interdependence of all living things and their relationship to life-giving water. It illustrates the natural cycle of the flow of water, as it originates in the clouds, where Chaac strikes his jade axe and causes thunder and rain, to where it falls on the land, is crucial. Water infrastructure will safeguard our environment for future generations.

MMIW

Elevating awareness of Missing Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) is the key goal of this temporary installation that includes a large-scale mural featuring traditional formline design of orcas. Kalee Nelson is an Alaskan Native from the Tsimshian Tribe and Crystal Christopherson is Alaskan native from the Tlingit tribe.

Crossing

Crossing is inspired by Seattle’s maritime industry, the nearby ship canal, and our relationship to water. Crossing alludes to a journey moving through or along water and serves as a metaphor for our individual experiences, personal connections to, and reflections on water.

TATTARRATTAT

Honoring the waterway connecting Lake Union and the Puget Sound, the phrase “TATTARRATTAT” is spelled out using the International Code of Signals for water vessels moving in either direction of the canal. The repetition of the palindrome serves as a visual interpretation of the “knock, knock” emanating from a construction site for months to come.

Rain activated art by RYAN! Feddersen

In 2019, RYAN! Feddersen installed a series of rain activated medallions based on community input and ideas exploring the idea of how we use water. The temporary series could be seen at various locations along the storage tunnel alignment. She is currently developing a concept for her permanent artwork.

If only I could

This work is about duality and the constant role changing that's forced upon Black people. We have to navigate many of our public situations differently from everyone else. Something as simple as turning without using a signal can result in death or any other small act that can easily be glossed over. We're forced to change and constantly adapt our images to exist without threat of punishment. This work reflects the constant change that is forced upon us.

Watergates

The addition of this tunnel to our infrastructure is a testament to our community’s commitment to protect the beautiful Salish Sea. We must also endeavor to eliminate, or greatly reduce our individual carbon footprint, specially where single-use plastics are concerned. This work is constructed from plastic generated over a year by a family of two.

Wine-Dark See

Wine-Dark Seee is a series of narrative backdrops; a non-linear sequence of collaged public domain images combined with text drawn from Homer’s Odyssey, an epic poem describing a circuitous journey home, across stormy seas, after a prolonged series of difficult events.

The Future Needs you NOW You Need the Future

The Future Needs You NOW You Need the Future is a temporary art installation that brings awareness to the impact of climate change on mental health in light of current trends of overconsumption. Artist Janelle Abbott invited community members to send her their well-worn t-shirts in order to recontextualized potential waste into art. The t-shirts were cut into strips, wrapped around wire, then attached to the fencing adjacent to the North Transfer Station in order to spell out this important message that invites everyone to pause and take action for the future of our planet.

Salmon FLOW

Dozfy is a Seattle-based artist who explores stories, histories and connectedness through his public artworks. Reflecting a balance of yin and yang, his art embodies planning and effortlessness, precision and flexibility. Dozfy has a degree in studio art from the University of Texas, and his artistic style is influenced by Chinese calligraphy, Japanese and American art, realism, comic books, Ansel Adams and Jackson Pollock.

As part of the FLOW ship canal project, Dozfy has chosen to spotlight three local salmon species that have shaped history and culture in Seattle and the Pacific Northwest for thousands of years. Sockeye, Chinook and Coho salmon are intrinsically linked to Ballard—roughly 75,000 pass through the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks. Ballard itself, home to an industrial working waterfront and strong maritime heritage, also reflects some of the defining characteristics of salmon. Like the keystone species, Ballard and the people who call it home are hardworking, determined, tough and willing to meet challenges head on.