A Seattle Center Arts Walking Tour

[SeattleCruiselover]

Today's piece of Seattle, gentle readers, will be a walking tour of some of the 70+ pieces of public art contained in the grounds of Seattle Center. A photo gallery of the items in question is available.

 

Our first stop will be the Olympic Iliad. Entering the Seattle Center grounds from the corner of Broad Street and Denny Way, the first piece of art that you will notice is the bright orange sculpture Olympic Iliad, by Alexander Lieberman, placed into the Sculpture Garden southwest of the Space Needle in 1984.

 

This is a very large and distinctive piece, and people have been known to climb up inside of it for a closer look and/or to have their pictures taken.

 

Our next stop will be the Seattle Mural. Follow the walking path to its first major offbranching, which you will follow to the left around the end of the Pacific Science Center. At the first opportunity, make a right turn behind the indoor portion of the Fun Forest and into a grassy ampitheatre, called the Mural Ampitheatre.

 

This is because of the large, multicolored Venetian glass tile mural ahead on the right hand side, called simply the Seattle Mural by its creator Paul Horiuchi. It was placed in 1962 for the World's Fair, and had a pool of water beneath it. The pool is now beneath the stage that currently resides in this place.

 

Our next stop is the International Fountain. Continue down the walkway from the Mural Ampitheatre past the Center House on the right side and the Fisher Pavilion on your left, until you come to the large International Fountain.

 

If you happen to be making your walking tour in the summertime and the weather is warm, you are sure to see many people down in the bowl of the fountain, soaking themselves in its cool waters.

 

The fountain was known as one of the centerpieces of the 1962 Seattle World's Fair, being at the center of the area known as the Boulevards of the World, which ran down either side of the fountain. Today, the fountain is capable of computer coordination shows consisting of water, light and sound which are quite a sight to see.

 

Next we will see the nearby Neototems sculpture. Make a compolete loop around the International Fountain, just for viewing's sake, until you come upon Gloria Bornheim's bronze sculpture titled Neototems directly across the walkway from the Key Arena, on the same side as the International Fountain.

 

The sculpture consists of the backs of two whales, which children find appealing to climb on and slide down, as can be seen in the picture below. The sculpture was placed in 1995.

 

Make your way next to Ronald Bladen's Black Lightning. Wander now past the Fun Forest amusement area and the Experience Music Project Complex, in the direction of the Space Needle, where you will find the Sculpture Garden.

 

One of the more noticeable highlights of the Sculpture Garden is Ronald Bladen's black painted steel sculpture, Black Lightning. As you can see its picture, this is an apt name for this piece.

 

Also located in the Sculpture Garden is another bronze sculpture, by Doris Chase, called the Moon Gates, which was installed in 1999. This particular piece is directly at the base of the Space Needle.

 

Finally, spend a few moments with somewhat controversial artist Tony Smith's black painted steel sculpture Moses, also in the Sculpture Garden near the base of the Space Needle.

 

The piece, which is multi-angular, has been in place since 1975.

[katybird]

Very nice! Thanks for posting this!

[SeattleCruiselover]

You're welcome. Trying to give our visitors some ideas of things to see while here.