“Link in Process + Rainier Valley Narrative” photo exhibit at Seattle City Hall documents light rail construction and a diverse community
Sound Transit and the Mayor’s Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs join forces this fall to exhibit the work of renowned local photographers Peter de Lory and Joanne Petrina in their efforts to photograph the human side of the massive civil construction project that is Link light rail. The exhibition of black-and-white photographs, “Link in Process + Rainier Valley Narrative,” will be on display at Seattle City Hall in the lobby and the Anne Focke Gallery, Sept. 5 to Oct. 30.
“The work of these artists gives us lasting images of the people who are building light rail and a window into the lives of people in one of the most vibrant and diverse neighborhoods the system will serve,” said Seattle Mayor and Sound Transit Board member Greg Nickels.
Peter de Lory, Sound Transit’s Photographer in Residence, captures on film the immense human effort involved in building a regional mass transit system. In this collection of photographs, he focuses on light rail construction activities over the past four years between downtown Seattle and Sea-Tac International Airport. The images captured by de Lory reveal the quickly forgotten, often manual tasks that collectively create major infrastructure.
Link light rail will run for about four miles along the Martin Luther King Jr. Way Boulevard in the Rainier Valley. It was in this richly diverse neighborhood that Joanne Petrina found inspiration for her photo essay “Rainier Valley Narrative.” Over the last four years, she photographed first-generation immigrant residents and learned about their experiences of journeying to and living in the United States. Told in their own words, these stories individually and collectively provide a poignant, thought-provoking perspective of our society’s struggle with immigration and what it means to live in America.
Link light rail construction between downtown Seattle and Sea-Tac International Airport is approximately 75 percent complete and scheduled to open for service by the end of 2009.
See the Exhibit
The exhibit is open to the public from 7 a.m. - 6 p.m. weekdays, September 5 – October 30, 2007 at Seattle City Hall,600 4th Ave., in the lobby and Anne Focke Gallery.
Join the artists for a reception and refreshments from 4:30 - 6 p.m. on Wednesday, September 19 in the Seattle City Hall lobby.
Learn More
“Rainier Valley Narrative” is sponsored by Sound Transit and by a grant from the Open Society Institute, A Soros Foundation.
About the STart Public Art Program
Sound Transit allocates 1% of project construction costs (less tunneling) to art. Many art projects have been completed and more are on the way. Art within the regional transit system includes free-standing art, functional art and temporary art. STart works with local communities, design professionals and transit partners to select artists and artworks appropriate for each project.
About the Mayor’s Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs
The Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs promotes the value of arts and culture in and of communities throughout Seattle. The 15-member Seattle Arts Commission, citizen volunteers appointed by the mayor and City Council, supports the city agency. The Office manages the city of Seattle’s 1% for Art Program, which specifies that 1 percent of eligible capital improvement project funds be set aside for the commission, purchase and installation of artworks in a variety of public settings.
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Sound Transit’s regional network of express buses, commuter rail, light rail and transit facilities connects communities in King, Pierce and Snohomish counties.