User:Stevenarntson/The Commons/Art Walk

Today we'll go on a field trip that will take us through downtown Seattle.

Here it is on the Gmap pedometer. If you want, you can type in your weight to learn how many calories you'll burn.

The Art Walk
Originally trekked & created by Becker. Retraced and modified by Arntson.

Directions: Trek the art trek. At the end, answer the questions I have for you. From in front of AIS SC, turn right (south) and walk west across the footbridge to the stairs descending to the waterfront. Walk down the stairs to see two freestanding 3-D objects:
 * 1) “Oushi Zokei – Madoka” by Keizo Ushio and
 * 2) The figure 66 at the foot of the stairs.

Walk south along the waterfront. Two blocks south of Bell St. (just past the enormous marina entrance pole on the dock) cross to the east side of Alaskan Way and look at the sculpture in front of 1950 Alaskan Way.
 * 3) “Welcoming Spirits” (1997) by Melvin Schuler.

At the foot of the Pike (not Pine! Keep going...) Street Hill climb, observe a
 * 4) Whale carving by Pat M. Vay (1998) 

Continue south. Just north of the university St. Trolley stop is
 * 5) Another whale, painted on a wall, just under the Alaskan Way Viaduct.

Go south on Alaskan way to University St. and turn left (east) to observe
 * 6) A final whale, on the south side of the same building.

In front of you is
 * 7) the Harbor Steps. The Harbor Steps is a public right-of-way, a series of fountains, a public

space, a place for public art; it is also a sculptural form. Go up the steps to 1st avenue and cross to the east side, observing
 * 8 "Hammering Man” by Jonathan Borofsky (1992) which stands in front of the Seattle Art

Museum. Continue east on University St. to 2nd Ave. On the Northeast corner of 2nd Ave and University 3rd Ave. you will see, outside Benaroya Hall,
 * 9) the Garden of Remembrance, dedicated to “Hounor our Sons and Daughters from the State of

Washington killed in the service of our nation since 1941” Here also is the entrance to the University St. Bus Tunnel. Go inside. See some flashing lights?
 * 10) “The Northern Lights” by Bill Bell. Look carefully.

Go back out the way you went in, and continue east on University St. to 3rd Ave. On 3rd Ave., turn to your left (north) and go into the foyer of Benaroya Hall. Inside, observe
 * 11) “Crystal Cascade” by Dale Chihuly—two glass chandeliers (1998)

Go south on 3rd Ave to Spring St, and turn left (East) and walk to 4th Ave. On the corner of Spring and 4th Ave, turn south and see, on the east side of the street,
 * 12) The Seattle Central Library, designed by Rem Koolhas, (completed 2004). If you have your

AIS ID or other Seattle-resident ID, you should walk in and get a library card. While you’re inside, go up to the top floor and look around. On the west side of Spring and 4th, notice,
 * 13) Henery Moore’s “Vertebrae”.

In the lobby of 1001 4th Ave, behind “Vertebrae” you will see
 * 14) Sam Francis’ untitled canvas (1979).

Continue to Madison St., and turn right (West) back to 3rd Ave. on the west side of 3rd Ave, see
 * 15) Tom Wesselman’s Seattle Tulip (1989)

Continue south on 3rd Ave to the Northwest corner of 3rd Ave and Columbia. Look down at
 * 16) the manhole cover, created in the Northwest Coast First Peoples style (Haida and Tlingit

influence). What animal do you think is represented? Continue south to the Artic Building on the corner of 3rd and Cherry St. and observe
 * 17) The terra cotta walrus heads by A, Warren Gould (1917) on the building facade.

Turn left (east) on Cherry and walk to the east side of 4th Ave. Turn south, and walk along the back side of the new City Hall building. Take a look at
 * 18) The “red wall” and the small reflecting pond/fountain; then ascend the stairs to observe the

terraced gardens and lookouts. Return to 4th Ave. and continue south and to James St., turn left (East) and walk to 5th Ave. On the east side of 5th Ave, observe
 * 19) Martha Schwartz’s “Jail House Garden” (1987) outside King County’s Jail.

On the west side of 5th Ave, in front of the King County Administrative Building, is
 * 20) “Sandworm” by George Tsutakawa (1985).

Continue south on 5th Ave to the end of the block and turn right (west) on Jefferson St. Carry on west through the park to intersect the diagonally running Yesler Way. Follow Yesler to 2nd, and then proceed south on 2nd to S Main (Make sure you stay on 2nd Ave South, and not “2nd Ave EXT”. Hear the sound of running water? Enter
 * 21) Waterfall Garden Park

Exit on S Main, and continue West to Occidental Park, where you may observe
 * 22) The firefighter sculpture and

as you walk north through the park,
 * 23) 3 totem poles.

Emerge on from the north side of the mall on S. Washington St. Proceed west to 1st Ave, and head north along 1st to Yesler, to view
 * 24) The “pergola”. The original structure, which dated back to 1909, was knocked down by a

delivery truck driver in 2001. The pergola was rebuilt as an exact replica that same year. Continue half a block north and see, also,
 * 25) A northwest coast tribes totem pole—this was Seattle’s first piece of “public art.” The

original was in fact stolen from a Tlingit village in 1899. When that pole burned down in 1938, the descendants of the original carvers created a new one and gave it to the city as a gift.
 * 26) The stone arch above Elmer Fisher’s Pioneer Building,

and
 * 27) A bust of Chief Seattle.

behind the bust, see
 * 28) Two signs (1991) by Hachivi Edgar Heap of Birds (one side is in English, the other in

Lushootseed, the language spoken by Chief Seattle).

Discussion Questions
We'll discuss your answers next week.
 * What was the least “public” piece of art you saw today, and why?
 * Did you see anything you would not define as art? Why?
 * What was something interesting you saw that was not officially on the tour?