Visiting the Park Admission:
Free Park Hours:
Oct-Apr: 7 am - 6 pm
May-Sep: 7 am - 9 pm
Probably the most accessible of the Seattle Art Museum
sculptures appearing in the Olympic Park, this piece by
Roy McMakin is both obvious and nuanced, placed neatly
in the crossroads where architecture meets art. Sitting
in the shadow of Calder’s Eagle,
this Seattle sculpture (for Roy McMakin is one of the
local artists featured here), like Serra’s “Wake,”
and Fernandez’s “Seattle
Cloud Cover,” is an interactive piece, an example
of functional art, an exploration of the artistic aspects
of tables and chairs.
Using abstract letters that actually spell out the name of this Seattle sculpture, many of the components look like examples from an overly modern furniture catalog. The L’s that make up both words are curved to look like loveseats spreading equidistant from its focal point, the letter O. The ampersand and e of love are similar, appearing like a lamp (illuminated like one, even) and circular picnic table, respectively.
The most interesting and abstract letter is the V, a two-tone painted tree that has only a few, sparse branches near the top, marking the small addition of nature into the equation. Open-ended interpretations of this Seattle Art Museum sculpture will likely be as varied as the people who view it, and though it is not one of the most talked about sculptures in the park, this Roy McMakin piece is undoubtedly one of the most striking.