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Volunteers needed to help Fremont Bridge talk back

CALLINGvolunteersSeattle artist Kristen Ramirez is wrapping up her summer residency at the Fremont Bridge with a temporary art project celebrating the daily rhythms and sounds of the bridge. Bridge Talks Back, a sound artwork, opens Saturday, Sept. 26 with a celebratory performance at the bridge from 1 to 4 p.m.

Ramirez is recruiting volunteers to be part of the fanfare at the opening event. If you want to lend a helping hand, literally (sign waving is involved), contact Kristen Ramirez, or visit her blog to learn more.

Pedestrians, bicyclists, boaters and motorists will hear Ramirez’s three-minute audio composition while stopped during daytime bridge openings. The sound collage includes clips of boat horns, bird songs, bridge bells and more. A version of the soundscape – including residents’ recorded musings about the bridge – will also be available via cell phone to people waiting for the bridge to close. And it’s a busy bridge indeed, opening an average of 35 times a day!

The temporary project, which was funded with Seattle Department of Transportation 1% for Art funds, will run through April 2010. Read more about Ramirez and her bridge residency in this month’s issue of Seattle Magazine, which christened Ramirez a Spotlight Award winner. The annual award is bestowed on a handful of up-and-coming artists to watch.