Union, is a stunning largescale outdoor sculpture created by one of the world’s leading contemporary artists, Seattle-based John Grade.  The sculpture, comprised of over 6,000 individual cast resin parts framed in laminated ceiba wood, will be suspended dynamically from two large nets spanning more than 100 feet between eight trees in the middle of Washington Park Arboretum.

Grade inspiration for Union was a fallen western red cedar in Seattle’s Discovery Park.  The top of the trunk of the fallen tree was divided into two slender leaders. Broken by the fall, both leaders revealed their concentric growth rings. Grade focused on the differences between each of these cross sections and divided Union into two magnified representations of each leader.

Moving in tune with the elements, the beautiful sculpture is comprised of cupped forms that collect and release rainwater, cast in shades of blue and green, with patterns that mimic the cell structure of the trees from which it is suspended. Grade worked with his Seattle studio team of 15 artisans over six months to create the sculpture.  It will take a crew of six to install, supported by thin, stainless-steel cables and rings and the surrounding tree trunks.

Grade’s perennial focus is on environmentally-related works, often inspired and extracted from microscopic points of view, and ranging from monumental (interior and exterior) installations to a more intimate scale. His projects are designed to change over time and often involve large groups of people to collaboratively build and install.

Union will be open to the public, dawn to dusk, once installed.  A map will be available in the Graham Visitors Center.

FAQ:

Is the sculpture safe for wildlife?

• This sculpture installation has been in planning for nearly two years, with careful consideration of the wildlife that are such a critical part of the Arboretum.
• Artist John Grade has installed similar pieces around the world in forest settings since 2017 with absolutely no recorded incidents with birds or other wildlife. One of these pieces has a continuous video feed.
• While the sculpture does include netting, the effect is that of a solid object not a transparent net. The nets themselves are installed horizontally to the ground, and contain 6,500 solid, opaque pieces which gently bump against each other in the breeze, making an audible sound. This creates both visual and auditory cues for birds and other wildlife.
• In a further effort to promote nocturnal navigation, we will also be installing a subtle spotlight to gently illuminate the sculpture.
• We do not expect wildlife to be impeded at all by this artwork and we are committed to maintaining a wildlife-friendly environment as part of our larger mission.

How did John Grade select the location for the sculpture?

• Multiple locations were considered for installation. We selected the location because it had enough healthy, strong trees in the right locations for anchor points, it was over a trail frequented by people, and it was near a paved road and along a trail with wheelchair-friendly gravel, which would improve accessibility for community members with mobility limitations.

This sculpture would not have been possible without the generous donations of the Arboretum Foundation and sponsors: Arboretum Foundation Unit 26, Aldarra Foundation, Madison Park Garden Club, Maribeth O’Connor and Chuck Nordhoff, Peter and Shannon van Oppen.