by Kirby Lindsay, posted 26 May 2014
For four years, Fremocentrist.com has been conducting an inventory of the public art of Fremont. This month, the inventory reached the ninth installment, and giving details on 41 art pieces.
For those who want a quicker, visual perusal of the art, Fremocentrist.com now offers a photo index of pieces inventoried in the first five installments, with links to them.
The photos are listed in alphabetical order by the name of each installation, as best known:
The 46th Street Mural
Deliberately planned by a group of concerned community members, this mural also gets regular maintenance funded by money set aside from the original grant, and from annual community cleanups.
The Aurora Bridge Mural
This huge, panoramic mural covers a retaining wall along the north side of the Aurora Avenue underpass. While considered temporary by some, including the artist, the neighborhood has taken the piece to heart, fought for its continued presence and maintained it with community painting parties.
Blue Plate Special
Located on the second floor of the Epi Building, this piece is rarely noticed. It is one of the pieces around Fremont created by local glass artist Rodman Miller.
Bogart & Bergman
From the first installment of the inventory, ‘Bogart & Bergman’ were created for the 2005 Fremont Outdoor Movie season by Scott Jonas of Fremont Studios.
The Bug
From the first installment of the inventory, ‘The Bug’ continues to have no firm installation date (although 2006 is the standing guess,) and no artist name. This piece is an example of an ‘art attack’ – art installed anonymously and without process or permit.
The Dinos
The mama and baby dinosaur topiaries came to Fremont in 1999 after their original installation at the Pacific Science Center. The identity of the artist who created the wire frames remains unknown.
See more in Inventory Part I (and in the ‘More Advice From ‘The People Waiting…’ column.)
Evanston Avenue Plaza
This installation often gets overlooked, and it took quite a bit of planning and work – by artist Carolyn Law, and the planners and contractors for the development project around the Plaza. According to recent comments by Fremont artist Barbara Luecke, the steps that lead down to the Lake Washington Ship Canal took serious effort to mold and pour to create the elaborate scalloped edges.
Fish Totem
This odd, vertical art work was created by local artist and landlord Mike Peck, who tucked it into a back corner of one of the properties he owns.
See more in Inventory Part III
The Fremont Mural
This mural by artist unknown and installed at an unknown date continues to shrink. Due to the hideous work of vandals, the bottom portion of the mural has had to be painted out, to cover the graffiti, until the most recent ‘repair’ took off the very bottom of the letters of ‘Fremont.’
See more in Inventory Part V and the column ‘Brian Regan’s Contributions To Fremont’s Public Art.’
Gods Of Fremont
This art installation consists of six pieces, hung on the alley side of the Epi Building. Completed in 2004 and created by Alexei Kazantsev, the pieces can be seen most easily in the winter/spring before ivy on the building obscures the view.
[The Fremont] Guidepost
This much loved, iconic art work has become a symbol of Fremont, with both the Fremont Chamber of Commerce and the Fremont Neighborhood Council taking it as part of their logo.
Lenin Statue
This statue came to Fremont in 1995, and has generated all kinds of conversations, discussions and debate – and even some boycotts. Unfortunately, the bronze sculpture has also suffered vandalism.
Shortly after its original installation someone threw eggs on the dictator’s chest, which has left a white patch on the metal. More recently someone has taken to painting, and repainting, the outstretched hand of the tyrant red, permanently damaging the sculpture – which may be the point.
Mended Boulders
This art piece, created by John Hoge, became the first public fountain in Fremont. The second, at Fremont Coffee Company, is also made of Hoge’s rocks.
See more in Inventory Part IV, and the column ‘John Hoge Is A Genuine Fremont Artist’
Monsuang
This art piece is the visual center to the Epi Building development, and one of the most visible installations of Fremont since its arrival in 2004. What many people often miss are the variety of smaller details the artist, Mark A. Stevens, also installed around the central part of Monsuang.
PCC Art
When the PCC Fremont grocery store opened in the Epi Building in 2004, it already had a few art pieces to install – ones collected at its previous location down the street at 701 N 34th St – and added others inside and outside the store.
Peet’s Railing
This art piece is one of the installations in the Epi Building development, and may be ready for a name change. The artists named this after the business that the railing wrapped around, Peet’s Coffee & Tea, which left Fremont in 2013.
[The Fremont] Rocket
The Fremont Rocket has become central to community discussions on how to fund maintenance of public art around the neighborhood. This piece, installed in 1994, has been showing wear and tear, and needs a paint job.
See more in Inventory Part III
Reynard The Fox
This piece existed when featured in the first inventory, but was painted out in 2012. Based on drawings by Rich Beyer, the piece was sand-blasted on to the wall and was painted by Quinton Lickliter in 1984.
Sidewalk Art Project
This decoration installation was led by Jessica Randall, but designed by students at B.F. Day Elementary School. Due to City regulations, Randall still pays a permit fee for the art work to remain in what the City considers public-right-of-way.
See more in Inventory Part III
SPACE In Fremont
Installed in 2007, project manager Jessica Randall has taken personal responsibility for maintenance of this installation. In 2012, she led the effort to do maintenance on this complex collection of art pieces, doing sidewalk painting, light repair, post painting, etc.
See more in Inventory Part III
Still Life In Fremont mural
This piece was most likely commissioned by the owners of the Still Life In Fremont coffee shop, formerly located in the restaurant site nearest the mural. The signature on the piece – Parris – and the date – 1994 – are the only other clues to its origins.
Witch’s Boots/Afternoon Whimsy
This installation, from 1979, may have been the first ‘art attack’ in Fremont. Created by local artists John Hoge and Rich Beyer from items discarded around their studios, this is another of Fremont’s public art pieces in need of maintenance – and funding to get the work done.
Fremont has more than 60 pieces of public art, at most recent count, with more pieces being added to the collection each year. For more information on Fremont’s art, stay tuned here – and check the related articles list below for those already completed.
Related Articles
- Brian Regan’s Contributions To Fremont’s Public Art
- by Kirby Lindsay, September 25, 2013
- Fremont Public Art Inventory, Part IX: Practical Pieces
- by Kirby Lindsay, May 7, 2014
- Fremont Public Art Inventory, Part VIII: Tiles & Mosaics
- by Kirby Lindsay, May 10, 2013
- Fremont Public Art Inventory, Part VII: On The Hunt
- by Kirby Lindsay, February 20, 2012
- Fremont Public Art Inventory, Part VI: The Big Ones
- by Kirby Lindsay, January 13, 2012
- Fremont Public Art Inventory, Part V: Murals
- by Kirby Lindsay, September 9, 2011
- Fremont Public Art Inventory, Part IV: At The Center
- by Kirby Lindsay, March 23, 2011
- Fremont Public Art Inventory, Part III: Evanston
- by Kirby Lindsay, January 21, 2011
- Fremont Public Art Inventory, Part II: Epi
- by Kirby Lindsay, December 27, 2010
- Fremont Public Art Inventory, Part I
- by Kirby Lindsay, October 15, 2010
©2014 Kirby Lindsay. This column is protected by intellectual property laws, including U.S. copyright laws. Reproduction, adaptation or distribution without permission is prohibited.