Light Bulb Bench

City Light North Service Station, Seattle, WA

2000

I was able to dismantle, and recycle, the parts from my 1978 sculpture at Creston Nelson Substation. City Light was updating the landscape, and my earlier sculpture was not wearing well- it was the first public commission I received, at the ripe old age of 22, and my artistic reach exceeded my skills to build. So I was very happy to repurpose all the good parts, and create this bench and table for a different Seattle City Light facility. The original cast aluminum light bulbs, switches, and sockets were all in great condition, so I designed and built a new and different structure for them to adorn. As in the original artwork, the sizes, types, and numbers of electrical devices correspond to the way City Light transforms electricity from high voltages on the transmission lines, to lower ones for the homes of its customers. The piece is made from cast and fabricated aluminum, mounted on a galvanized steel structure that draws from the style of huge transmission towers. It functions as a place for employees and neighbors to sit and reflect, eat, and, of course, smoke.

Commissioned by the City of Seattle and City Light

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