In case you weren’t following the extensive comment stream on the Seal Team 6 Hits Meridian Park story, in which Wallingford artist and metalworker Marc Bissell took it upon himself to ‘repair’ the sailor sculpture in Meridian Park playground (it had lost its sword arm a few years ago) by welding on a machine gun, the episode is over. Several locals took it up on themselves to ‘repair’ his ‘repair’ and hacksawed off the addition. Forrest witnessed the removal and sent in the photo at right.
Opinions on the addition, and its removal, ran the gamut from “hooray for rogue art” to “great idea, but probably not appropriate to do it without the original artists permission” to “insanely, criminally inappropriate”.
Regardless what you think of any of it, we had a good, healthy conversation about art and independence at just the right time of year. Thanks for that, readers.
Also, you may be happy to know that there are movements afoot to use this episode as a catalyst for the creation of more public art. More on that as it develops.
Discover more from Wallyhood
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
great job guys! Sailors pant leg now completely broken, this piece should crumble quickly now. Killed him to save him I guess!
Geeze! I hope not…I can see the sides forming now. We don’t need anymore!
Wallingford has shown its embarrassing color. So sad…
Marc, get commissioned for public art where your sense of humor will be appreciated. Don’t vandalize public art in a playground by welding machine guns onto it.
I agree with a poster on a previous thread….what’s next, damaging the Fremont Troll? Appointing yourself to paint machine guns into the bridge murals? Vandalism is vandalism.
I’m glad it got taken down.
That photo is hilarious. Thanks, Wallyhood!
This seems quite funny to me. The fact that the people so aggravated about a ‘vandal’ took it upon themselves to vandalise both artists art. The very funny part is that they may try to say they were fixing, just like the original vandal did. But by their own definition they are vandals, better yet instead of adding they simply destroy.
Clarification: The photo is of a neighbor assisting a City of Seattle Parks Department official who had been dispatched to remove the unauthorized addition to the sculpture.
This is the kind of humorless response that makes Seattle so tedious to live in sometimes. I was looking forward to going over with the kids to take a look at this.
Seattle Parks and Recreation Department took off the vandalized arm. The employee from Seattle Parks and Rec was helped by a neighbor who had stronger equipment. Not sure why Wallyhood is reporting that neighbors randomly took it down. Wallyhood was notified last night that the Parks and Rec. Dept. took it off.
I am with alx dark. I immediately went to go see it the morning after I read about it. I am happy to say I saw the “outrage”! I knew the uptight seattlites and really over the top Wallyhoods would have nothing of the sort here in their little organic, free-range, worldy, open-minded and aware Wallingford.
Dear Jeanne:
I think you’ve lost.
DOUG.
Get a grip….if it offends some people then it makes for conversation! NOT physical action to make your point HEARD!!
Thank you, Mike! and it worries me that people would threaten to throw paint on houses in retalliation to some post on a blog! What kind of people are moving into our nice quiet upstanding neighborhood??? Sad!!!
sailor with a sword
sailor with a machine gun
neighbors with a hacksaw
officials helped by neighbors with a hacksaw
oh, the many weaponized uses of the human arm!
Officials have the right to do whatever they want to in public spaces?
But everyone else doesn’t?
Then uh…what makes public spaces public?
Seattle doesn’t kill humor, people kill humor. Experts, especially kill humor.
Up with public art!!! Now, really: was that thing ever “public” “art”???
I believe that I totally agree with you Mike…reflection is far better than censorship.
(if that is what you were meaning).
Alx Dark, exalted.
There are some really lame petty people with too much time on their hands around here.
That specific piece is in disrepair and needs replacement. But it is only one component of several that are mounted on the fence surrounding the play area, and they as a whole have a unified, storybook, kid-focused theme. It was never a stand alone sculpture. I hope the Friends of Meridian Playground (which is now quite aware of the newly amped up issue) will be able to commision a repair or replacement that fits in with the entire theme, and I hope the original artist would be willing to work on it. That would help preserve the integrity of the entire installation.
However, if someone wanted to create a completely new art piece, and go through the steps to get it installed in a public park, that would be great. I worked on a parks improvement committee a few years back (one of the ubiquitous Friends of… groups), and it really was not that hard to get approval. The main two things the parks department cares about are safety and maintenance, which is only fair since once a piece is donated, the parks department takes over all responsibility for it. I know that sounds all boring, and a huge drag, and impinges on organic creativity and whatnot, but Seattle doesn’t have a lot of spare cash for ongoing maintenance right now (as was clear by the disrepair the sailor boy had fallen into). This guerrilla addition seems cute, but there is no guarantee that it won’t quickly break just like the original arm.
If going through the public process to install public art seems like too much of a hassle, you can always just install a piece in your private yard (and incur all the maintenance and safety costs yourself). Or, you can contact the Friends of Meridian Playground, and write a check for this or other needed playground and art repairs. There are plenty of ways to get involved.
Raise money for the park by selling the “missing arm space” to the highest bidder. The statue could be holding an iPhone! Or a cup of Starbucks! Cha-ching.
I just heard from the original artist, Patrick Maher. He says, “I assure you I did not give anyone permission to alter my piece and am upset with what has been done to it. The person who did this is no friend of mine.” He also offers to repair or replace the sculpture.
I will approach the Wallingford Community Council today for permission to start fundraising efforts to get the sculpture repaired or replaced.
wow! I never told you I had Pat’s permission, I never told you I told him about my plans. I had to give him a ring just now to catch up. He has reporters coming by to talk about it, great to see him getting some well deserved publicity.
Jeanne, you are attempting to legislating creativity because you don’t agree with it. Last I heard, artists support freedom of expression. Repression and art are mutually exclusive. Perhaps your talents would better be put to use as a school crossing guard, or perhaps working for the Egyptian security police. Many people, myself included, see this as a sardonic and witty comment on urban life. We did not appoint you the sole arbiter of artistic quality. I am sorry that need to embark on crusades like this to find validity. Do us all a favor and shut it!
So Joe, do you extend your comments to the original artist as well? Word is, he did not care for the changes to his original piece.
I don’t generally read neighborhood blogs (maybe with good reason), but I have been reading this one because I’ve known Jeanne for many years and know her to be one of the kindest, most sincere people I’ve come across.
I don’t know what happened between Marc and Jeanne that night, though it appears that both lost their tempers.
What I don’t understand why the so many commentors on this blog–who were not directly involved in the altercation between these two people–are writing with such vitriol against someone they’ve never met.
It is possible to disagree, even vehemently, without personally insulting the person you disagree with.
No one appointed Marc the sole arbiter of artistic quality either. Sounds like the original artist didn’t apprecitate having his work appropriated and turned from a rather pastoral piece (or banal depedning on your aesthetic) into a sardonic one.
Moral of the story is, not surprisingly, if you really want your work to stay in a public park, best to work with the Parks Department before you weld it on. I don’t think when you do a work “graffiti style” that you should be particularly surprised when the city comes in and paints over it, or saws it off. Crying foul at that point is somewhat comical.
I assume Marc chose to not seek the artist’s, the Parks Dept., or the community’s permission or input prior to welding at least to some degree because he thought approval would not necessarily be forthcoming. Or maybe he just thought it was funnier that way. Marc?
I remain mystified by the level of vitriol on all sides of this.
Definitely shooting for a street art type deployment, metal artists are woefully under represented on that front. I knew this wouldn’t last, definitely too edgy to be permanent. That said, I spent considerable time on this to ensure quality and safety of both my addition and that it would help fortify the existing piece. This would have been a great conversation piece and again, could have easily lasted until the powers that be commissioned a new piece or full “paid” repair from Pat. I had no idea of the furor that would be created and don’t think this piece warranted it. The backlash was ridiculous and “justice” was meted out far too quickly. Did those that cut off the arm feel empowered after? What did you just accomplish? good gravy.
I dunno Marc – live by the sword, die by the sword.
The SPW sent someone out on a Sunday on a holiday weekend to deal with this?
Was that person paid for the job?
Did I then have to pay taxes to pay for that person doing something THAT COULD HAVE WAITED TIL TUESDAY (hushhush)
I’m not going to blame the artist who put the machine gun arm on, I’m going to blame the people who made it sound like this was the beginning of armageddon and a pr nightmare for the city if they didn’t fix it right away.
yo – if anyone cared about this cute little sculpture WHY WAS IT NOT FIXED for the last few years.
Time to arm him with a big ol’ vibrator Guerilla Artist Man…..might be just what the neighborhood really needs.
Hey Bark — we heard ya the first time. Sounds like you have an obsession. Me thinks you’re the one that’s really in need.
Yes the statue needed repair, but the ‘guerilla artist’ was totally out of line to detroy another artist’s work. Secondly his statement may be appropriate at another venue like Burning Man, but his statement is definately not at the children’s play area.
Just because you call it art does not make it good art.
P.S. I am contacting the original artist that his statue needs repair.
Waaaaaah
Wish I had gotten to see it.