The 16-foot bronze welcome statue is being installed today at the Salmon Bay Natural Area, in time for Saturday’s dedication.
The sculpture at the Salmon Bay Natural Area still wrapped in plastic.
Groundswell NW and the City of Seattle commissioned Seattle artist Marvin Oliver to create the welcome sculpture. The figure will serve to identify Salmon Bay Natural Area while offering an aesthetic reminder to protect vulnerable watersheds. A glass disc depicting the salmon life cycle is oriented to face upstream, giving thanks to the salmon as they migrate out to sea and creating a visual connection to the waterway with color and light.
The dedication ceremony will be held from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, July 17 at the Salmon Bay Natural Area, which sits at the 34th Ave NW shoreline west of the Ballard Locks. Duwamish tribal leader Cecile Hansen will be there to honor the unique artistry of the Salish people and our connection with the landscape.
The artwork is funded by the Department of Neighborhoods’ Neighborhood Matching Fund and Seattle Public Utilities 1% for Arts program. (Thank you Dan for the photo!)