Driving past Burien’s Interim Art Space Friday afternoon, we noticed something was amiss.
No, nobody had cleaned up the chunks of asphalt that everyone complains about, nor had anyone covered up the nekkid lady sculpture.
Rather, a large portion of the colorful, big graffiti-styled painted mural had fallen over. This large piece was created by Sam “Sneke†Swanson and Iosefatu Sua at the 2008 Strawberry Festival, as an on-the-street “competition,” and was installed at B/ IAS in late July.
On Friday afternoon, about half of it was laying on its side.
Was this an act of vandalism?
Or merely from a recent windstorm?
Regardless, we just had to stop and take these pics:
We also sent an email query to Kathy Justin, who served along with Dane Johnson as Co-Curator for Burien’s innovative temporary art space, which will be taken apart over the next three weeks.
Kathy had this to say after we asked her what caused the mural to break:
It is from the wind. We are de-installing it tomorrow.
Kathy
So, the mural will be de-installed on Saturday, Dec. 5th, and we’re sure that if you’re up for helping, they could use some volunteer labor.
In the meantime, we’re going to sit in our cars nearby and cry…
PREVIOUS COVERAGE:
- Mural Created At Last Year’s Strawberry Festival Installed At B/ IAS
- Photos of the Mural Being Painted at the 2008 Strawberry Festival
Whats going to happen to the pcs? Are they available for purchase?
I think the art pieces will go on to other venues. But once again, the citizens of Burien need to Thank Dane and Kathy for the wonderful job of the BIAS- and for arranging for art that makes us happy, mad, think and discuss.
I’ll thank Dane and Kathy for finally taking it down for sure. Perhaps Bellevue would be interested in the chunks of concrete displays.
What an eyesore that whole thing has been.
Good riddance!
So what Peter, would you have wanted that parking lot to sit unused with nothing in it for this whole time?
I am thrilled we got to experience this temporary art space and sad to see it go.
If more people would have participated and not just sat there and complained perhaps they could have come up with something more interesting to do with the concrete. There was no money to remove it so what would you have done?
Too bad about the piece. I will be happy to do another one at a new location whenever you are ready.