City Invests in New Public Art

Renton is looking ahead to two new public art pieces.

There are two new art projects moving forward in the city. The City of Renton has invested around $400,000 to create public art for Phase 2 of the Sunset Neighborhood Park as well as a gateway piece that will sit as the entrance to Downtown Renton.

The first project is being completed by Kirk Seese, and artist from Lutherville, Maryland. The City of Renton released a Request for Proposals (RFP) earlier this year to open the opportunity to an international array of artists to create art for the Sunset Neighborhood Park. After much deliberation by the Renton Municipal Arts Commission, local Sunset neighborhood residents, and City of Renton Staff, Seese was chosen to create larger than life “feathers” that will reflect light similarly to stained glass. The project is budgeted at $250,000, paid for with the density transfer fees the city received from the Sunset Terrace project.

The second project will be located on Second and Main, titled “The Renton Loop.” It symbolizes the history of Renton’s production industry through it’s material choices of coal, Core-Ten steel, aluminum, stainless steel and light. The idea of having lights on a sculpture may remind you of another Downtown Renton art project completed by Western Neon; Erasmus the Rooftop Dragon. Western Neon is using the imagery from a previously proposed project that was set to be placed at S Second and Main Ave S that was intended to pay homage to the Renton tradition of “cruising the Loop.”

“These two new projects will enhance our reputation and give both residents and visitors something to admire and talk about,” Mayor Denis Law stated in a city of Renton press release.