Mel Katz completed a new public artwork at Fire Station 38 in the Hawthorne Hills neighborhood last Thursday. Alex, Michael, Harold is made up of three abstract painted aluminum sculptures resembling small trees. Katz designed the artwork to create a colorful counterpoint to the straight lines of the building and to playfully mimic the adjacent row of trees. The artwork is located on 40th Avenue NE at NE 55th Street.
The city will dedicate the artwork at the grand opening of the new Fire Station 38, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., March 12. Come by to see the artwork and chat with the artist.
Mel Katz is a Portland, Ore.-based artist whose designs originate from an interest in overlapping organic and geometric shapes. His artwork has been featured in one-person exhibitions at the Portland Art Museum, Portland State University and Washington State University. His commissions for public artworks include projects for Southern Oregon University, the city of Bend, Ore., and the Washington County Justice Center in Hillsboro, Ore.
The project was funded with Department of Finance and Administrative Services Fire Facilities and Emergency Response Levy 1% for Art funds and administered by the Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs.
