Songbird

2009
89’H x 35’W x 35’D
Painted Steel

5th & Yesler
Seattle, Washington

Commissioned by Martin Selig Real Estate, Mr. Henry was asked to design an iconic piece for a brand new building under construction at 5th & Yesler in downtown Seattle. The sculpture titled “Songbird” will sit in a prominent position at the site’s unique bend in the 5th Avenue street grid. “Songbird” rises 89′ from the public space/seating area at the base of the site and compete as one of Seattle’s largest public works of art.

Henry explains, “After visiting the site at 5th and Yesler, the challenge became clear. The work would have to interact with the sight lines available, yield to the physical demands of the Yesler overpass and still compliment the architectural design of the building. It would be an exercise of creating a piece with enough strength to command the site yet subtle enough not to overpower its surroundings. I made two trips to Seattle and visited the site seven times, each providing new material for the eventual solution to the challenge.”

John has professional ties to the city from his early years as a painter and remembers selling his works outside the World’s Fair in 1962. He recalls his Lake City apartment as the creation site of his first significant sculpture. With a sentimental fondness for the city and respect for the role of Seattle in the Art in Public Places movement, John Henry eagerly took on this proposed challenge.