TAXPAYER TIME MACHINE
How can public art be a bridge? The demolition of Seattle’s viaduct and all its nostalgia ushers a new $3.3 billion waterfront.
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DISCUSSION
The viaduct was built with a utilitarian function, yet over time it became powerfully symbolic of Seattle. Many interviews recall the beloved experience of driving the viaduct with the panoramic views of the Olympic Mountains, the Puget Sound, and epic sunsets. The viaduct was not necessarily built as a cultural experience but it became one that would be sorely missed. As one guest said, “We won’t miss the view of the viaduct, but we’ll miss the view from the viaduct.” It seems absurd that we would project these emotions onto a simple, concrete bridge, but the felt impact is a real relationship.
Q: Have you ever been surprised by the relationship between your creation and your audience? What happened?
The main interview guest in the story, Richie tells us his emotional story of when he moved to Seattle. Richie missed the cultural vibrancy and pedestrian feel of the city from the 1970s, and the parade of 70,000 people brought forth emotions he didn’t know he had. He calls the Mobile Incubator a “time machine” and as the parade passes by him he says “the Seattle I know and love is right outside these doors”. The interviews reveal that Seattleites pine for “simpler times” and many miss Seattle "before it was a world-class city”.
The value of cultural industries is very tied up in history. Creators have a way of referencing the past, or playing on the current zeitgeist, and in some cases they can catalyze a new future.
Q: How can your creations bridge the past, present, and the future?