An Evocation
Burien Town Square Park, Commissioned by the City of Burien, WA
A sequential environmental installation referencing Mt Rainier and Puget Sound, 2009
The viewer experiences the work by journeying through the park. He encounters three primary events: the view point, referencing Mt. Rainier; the interactive water feature, referencing Puget Sound, and the source stone, a small bubbling water feature that relates to both. These nodes are tied together through crushed rock walkways and a runnel that carries water from the source stone to the water feature.
The primary media are igneous rock and granite, both native to the Cascade Mountains, and water. Stylized bronze survey monuments and facts about the mountain and the City of Burien, sandblasted into stone, interpret the site. Using the power of single words, their dictionary definitions, and selected facts, the artwork creates a portrait of place while evoking an emotional connection between the viewer and the site.
Ellen collaborated with GGLO in the park design and developed the Art Master Plan that resulted in the commissioning of two additional artists for other projects in the park.
