Olympic Sculpture Park - Love and Loss

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.