Seattle artists Annie Han and Daniel Mihalyo of Lead Pencil Studio and California artist Ned Kahn will be members of the design team for Seattle City Light‘s (SCL) proposed Denny Substation project in Seattle’s Cascade neighborhood, near Denny Way and Stewart Street. The artists will develop permanent artwork that connects the new substation to the surrounding neighborhood to create a strong presence and reinforce the public nature and essential function of the station.
SCL is designing its first new electrical power substation in 30 years to support and serve the future expansion and anticipated growth of the area. The new substation will serve businesses and residents in the South Lake Union, Cascade, Denny Triangle, Uptown, Belltown and First Hill areas, as well as address system-wide needs for power flow. The project is scheduled to be complete in late 2016.
Han and Mihalyo of Lead Pencil Studio have worked collaboratively since 2002. They create interdisciplinary works that explore architecture, scale and social aspects of the man-made environment. They have exhibited their work at the Boise Art Museum in Boise, Idaho; Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art in Scotsdale, Ariz.; and the Henry Art Gallery and Suyama Space in Seattle.
Kahn’s artworks frequently incorporate flowing water, fog, sand and light to create complex and continually changing systems. Many of these works can be seen as “observatories” — they frame and enhance our perception of natural phenomena. Kahn’s recent artwork commissions include the Brisbane Airport, Australia; NOAA Headquarters, Silver Springs, Md.; and Public Utility Commission Headquarters, San Francisco, Calif.
Lead Pencil Studio and Kahn were selected by a panel of artists, design professionals, Cascade community representatives, and SCL staff. The artwork is commissioned with SCL % for Art funds.
IMAGE: Lead Pencil Studio; Non-Sign II; 2010; welded, blackened, stainless rod; 34′ x 4′ x 26′. Located at the U.S./Canada border crossing in Blaine, Wash. Photo by Lead Pencil Studio.
