Over the weekend, a community art project transformed the former Firestone Tire in Ballard.
On Saturday, a group of artists and community members descended on the former mechanic shop for The Firestone: An Artist Takeover. Organizers and Seattle artists Aaron Asis and Brady Black, in partnership with the City of Seattle and the One Seattle Graffiti Team, hosted the Firestone project at 1145 NW Market Street.
Below is the result of their efforts:
Black, known for his large-scale murals in Beirut and recent work on the SPARK BLOCK in downtown Seattle, was approached by the Firestone building’s owner after his window-only mural technique inspired her.
“This activation is about bringing established studio artists outdoors,” said Black. “It’s a whole different ballgame outside, and I hope they fall in love with it. It’s also about challenging the city’s idea of what public art and murals can be.”
Following the exterior mural work, the project will shift indoors, with plans to open an immersive public space by mid-July. Black and Asis—whose background includes projects in New York City, the Midwest, and Seattle—see this as the beginning of a larger vision for transforming underused urban structures through art.
The Firestone building, which was constructed in 1973, is slated for demolition to make way for a new apartment complex. Plans call for a 7-story, 122-unit apartment building with ground-floor retail and parking for 73 vehicles.
Video courtesy Akira Ohiso
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