David Boyer installed Flyers in Westcrest Park in the Highland Park neighborhood this week. The piece consists of 15 bird- and airplane-like kinetic sculptures mounted on steel poles. Grouped in three locations around the park, the sculptures will move to face the wind and the articulating tails will pivot as the wind blows. The artist’s inspiration for Flyers comes from airplanes in the SeaTac flight path overhead and birds in the Duwamish Greenbelt nearby.

Boyer placed the artwork in the new park space created in Westcrest Park by the covering of the West Seattle Reservoir. The artist worked with Seattle Public Utilities, Seattle Parks and Recreation and local community members to develop the wind-driven artwork. Boyer has been creating this type of dynamic sculpture since 1998, and lives in Reno, Nevada.

Flyers was commissioned with Seattle Public Utilities 1% for Art funds and Seattle Parks and Recreation’s Parks and Green Spaces Levy 1% for Art funds.

Please note: SPU is currently on site working to enforce the reservoir, so construction fencing surrounds the area making it inaccessible to the public. The fencing will remain until early summer to allow turf to establish.  However, you should be able to see the kinetic sculptures through the fencing. 

Image: “Flyers” by David Boyer. Photo by Jason Huff.