Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Pioneer Square Murals: Have Lunch Over Seas

Pioneer Square Mural - Seattle Symbols - The Originale
We went to see the Billy King Mural and the Emerge: An Ode to Dedication Mural and also ran into a few other interesting murals that we show here. One is a large mural on wood that surrounds a lot near Occidental Square on the corner of Occidental Ave S and S Washington St. This mural has the signature “The Original” and features images of Seattle perhaps read as a condensed timeline. Starting from the beginning (most eastern section) and reading left to right we have Chief Seattle, the King Street Station built between 1904 and 1906, the Pioneer Square iron pergola built in 1909 and originally covering an underground restroom and on the far right of this section, a brick wall with greenery still in the process of being drawn. The mural continues around the corner and shows building ruins with Pioneer Square District written overhead. Skipping over a gate-fence, the scene is completed with a ferry out on a surreal Puget Sound. Is this the rise and fall of Pioneer Square, all in a mural?

Speaking of ferries, looking up from where this mural is one can see the side of a building in brick where “Washington State Ferries - Have Lunch Over Seas” is written.

Update 2012-05-30: a reader, Christina, clarified that the “ruins” represent underground Seattle (http://www.undergroundtour.com/). We thought the blue “blocks” above the word district in the mural looked vaguely familiar. They are the sidewalk sections of glass blocks that are the skylights for the level below, the original ground floor of Pioneer Square. We should have known that since we have been on that tour.

Update 2012-06-01: a reader, James, says that the mural was created by Jeff "Weirdo" Jacobson for the Alliance for Pioneer Square. He also created Emerge: An Ode to Dedication Mural - Pioneer Square. For more from Jacobsen, see Pinterest.

The Original – Chief Seattle and Northwest Coast Native Symbols
Pioneer Square Mural - Seattle Symbols - The OriginalePioneer Square Mural - Seattle Symbols - The Originale
A Man Traverses the Mural Center Section (left) and The Story is Still Being Written? (right)
Pioneer Square Mural - Seattle Symbols - The OriginalePioneer Square Mural - Seattle Symbols - The Originale
Around the Corner, Pioneer Square District and Fantasy Puget Sound ScenePioneer Square Mural - Seattle Symbols - The Originale

Man Painting Stripes (left) and Ferry Plies the Water of Puget Sound in a Surreal Light (right)
Pioneer Square Mural - Seattle Symbols - The OriginalePioneer Square Mural - Seattle Symbols - The Originale

Nearby, Lunch Over Seas?Washington State Ferries - Lunch Over Seas Advertisement

3 comments:

  1. A great post about a beautiful mural here in Pioneer Square! Thanks for posting the images for all of us to enjoy.

    One note: the "ruins" you mention are actually part of the Underground Tour. The underground was created as a result of the Great Fire of 1889. Join us sometime and you might recognize the scenes the artist depicts. :)

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  2. Thanks for the correction! We should have known that. We have been on the tour, about 10 years ago. Guess it is time to do it again.

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  3. This mural was created by Jeff "Weirdo" Jacobson for the Alliance for Pioneer Square.

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