Commuters crossing the platform at the Seattle Streetcar’s Westlake Hub station are likely to do a double take. SuttonBeresCuller just put the finishing touches on a new public artwork that’s embedded in the sidewalk at the stop at Westlake and Olive Way.
The neon sculpture – titled Sequence/Consequence – is twisted into the form of a double helix and sits just below the sidewalk’s surface. If you look down through the etched glass hatch cover, the animated light sculpture appears to spiral downward into the ground.
The double helix is a befitting symbol for the cluster of biotech and medical research centers in the nearby South Lake Union neighborhood. The artist team of John Sutton, Ben Beres, and Zac Culler—collectively known as SuttonBeresCuller—designed the artwork so that mirrors would “skew the perceptions of depth and size, creating a seemingly endless field of light.” Watch a time-lapse video of the installation in progress.
The artwork was commissioned with Seattle Department of Transportation 1% for Art funds.
Update: We listed the wrong neighborhood for the artwork. It’s located on the South Lake Union Streetcar line in the downtown retail core.
mj says
what happened to this? it stopped working, looked to be full of moisture, and now has a manhole cover over it…
Lori Patrick, Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs says
Unfortunately, heavy rains this fall flooded the artwork. We temporarily covered the piece to protect it until we can address the water issue and make the necessary repairs.
Mark Wasson says
I remember the construction work at the time of the installation, but began to wonder whether I mistook something as art when the manhole cover showed up. So it’s now a couple years later. Any word on when the repairs might be made?
Jeff Pierce says
Thank you for your interest in the artwork. The artists have made adjustments to the artwork and we are awaiting permit approvals from Seattle Department of Transportation. Once we receive approval, we will move forward with repairs.
Mark Wasson says
Now it’s been a couple more years. Any update?
Calandra Childers says
Thank you for patiently waiting for the return of SuttonBeresCuller’s ‘Sequence/Consequence’ artwork. We are happy to report that the artists are in the process of redesigning and rebuilding the sculpture and we anticipate its return in late June. We will certainly post news of the artwork’s re-installation in mid-2014.