Data visualization artists share their work from the Fremont and University Bridges

Seattle, WA – The Seattle Office of Arts & Culture (ARTS) is celebrating the work of Vivian Li and Mariah Vicary, the 2023 SDOT Bridge Artists in Residence, this First Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024, at ARTS at King Street Station.

The Pacific Northwest-based artists will showcase their data visualization work produced during their unique project-based residencies in the Fremont and University Bridges, respectively.

Designed by ARTS in partnership with SDOT, the Bridge Artist in Residence program was devised in 2009 as a way to activate and celebrate two of Seattle’s historic bridges.

Since then, artists have used tower space in the Fremont and University Bridges as both inspiration and studios to explore these historic bridges’ roles and meanings for the city. Each iteration of the program has focused on a different artistic medium, including music, writing, lighting, and graphic novel residencies.

In Seattle, there are three views that I appreciate anytime I see them: the Space Needle peeking out; the mountains that surprise me from all sides; and the bridges that connect us to each other. I’m so excited to spend time working on the Fremont Bridge and hope to make people smile when they cross.

Vivian Li

I’m passionate about helping people experience and appreciate technology and I’m hoping to use this opportunity to help show that data visualization can interpret and humanize statistics and connect us to our surroundings.

Mariah Vicary

We are excited to continue this partnership with SDOT that allows artists to activate infrastructure that people often overlook, even as they walk, roll, and drive across, or even paddle and sail under. Visualizing data from the Fremont and University Bridges in these fun and interactive ways helps us all to understand how we are connected to the histories, animals, and people of Seattle.

Seattle Office of Arts & Culture Director Gülgün Kayim

This year, our 2023 SDOT Bridge Artists in Residence Vivian Li and Mariah Vicary are using historic and modern data sets to celebrate the history of the Fremont and University bridges, and the meanings they have for the people of Seattle. I’m grateful that our transportation projects can provide support to these artists, who have developed an innovative and creative way to tell the story of our past, present, and future.

Seattle Department of Transportation Director Greg Spotts

The 2023 residency program focused on digital data visualization, with artists taking historic and modern data about the bridges and surrounding environment to create artworks that creatively display interpretations of these data sets.

This residency project is funded by SDOT’s 1% for Art Funds and administered by ARTS. Learn more about the 2023 SDOT Bridge Artists in Residence Showcase exhibition.

###