Waiting for the Interurban
| Artist | Richard Beyer |
|---|---|
| Year | 1979 |
| Type | Cast aluminum sculpture |
| Location | Seattle |
Waiting for the Interurban is a 1979 cast aluminum sculpture collection in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle. It is located on the southeast corner of N. 34th Street and Fremont Avenue N., just east of the northern end of the Fremont Bridge. It consists of six people and a dog standing under a shelter and waiting for public transportation — specifically, the Seattle-Everett Interurban. The six figures would have waited for a long time, as the mock stop faces 34th, rather than Fremont Ave where the real Interurban ran.[1]
The sculptor, local resident Richard Beyer, included several subtleties in the sculpture which reward close viewing. There is also some needling of a local Fremont political leader and pioneer in municipal recycling, Armen Napoleon Stepanian.[2] People living and working in the Fremont neighborhood often dress the characters in apparel appropriate to the season (termed "art attacks" by some), to the extent that those unfamiliar with the sculpture may not find it immediately obvious that those under the 'shelter' are actually statues.
During the repairs of the Fremont Bridge in 2006-2007, the sculpture was moved about 100 meters east of its original location to History House, at the corner of N. 34th Street and Troll Avenue N., which runs up a hill to the Fremont Troll. History House also has exhibits showing some of the most imaginative displays by people who have decorated the statues over the years. The sculpture was returned to its original site following the completion of the Bridge repairs.
In 2008, another sculpture was added down the street, known as Late for the Interurban. The statue portrays the 1970s Seattle TV clown J. P. Patches and his sidekick Gertrude.
Critique
Andy Rooney included "Waiting for the Interurban" in a 60 Minutes piece he did criticizing modern art.[3]
References
- ↑ Frederick Bird (May 2000), "The Seattle-Everett Interurban Railway, 1910-1939", Snohomish County History Series (Snohomish County, Washington), retrieved 2012-04-07
- ↑ The Interurban Sculpture — Guidelines For Decorating The Interurban, Fremont Chamber of Commerce, retrieved 2012-04-07
- ↑ When Did This Become Art?
External links
Coordinates: 47°38′58″N 122°20′58″W / 47.649467°N 122.349455°W