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Soul Salmon
PO BOX 396
Chimacum, WA 98325
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For more information:
Sara Mall Johani 360-732-4238
Sheila Kelly 206-365-7892
Frank Irlanda 206-283-2413
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AUGUST 31, 2000
Who would ever guess that Bill Gates House might be contributing to salmon
restoration?
Seattle artist Frank Irlanda finished painting his section of a mural for the
entryway of the Gate's mansion, then he recycled the leftover paint to
create a shimmering, iridescent 8' coho salmon for One Reel's Wild Salmon
Project at Bumbershoot. The fiberglass fish, burnished with generous coats of
white gold glaze (not recycled), now hovers outside the festival beer garden..
One of 10 such "spawnsers" on the site, all have the same shape but wildly
different designs, all by northwest artists. The school of fish represents
the initial release of the SoulSalmon 2001 Public Art Project, which will
engage communities to create and display 200 fish all around Puget Sound for
Summer and Fall 2001.
In November 2001, the project culminates in an auction of the fish, and
following the model of Chicago's "Cows on Parade" the proceeds go to a
variety of non-profits, with special attention to groups working on saving
salmon and habitat. (see www.soulsalmon.org)
Irlanda knew little about salmon when One Reel gave him the opportunity
to create a fish. He and his daughter took several trips to the Ballard
locks to observe at the fish ladders. At the library and book stores, the
best information he found was by Tom Jay, the Chimacum artist and salmon
activist. Late in the process, Irlanda learned that the salmon he was
painting had been designed and produced by Jay. Wanting to honor the form
and spirit of the salmon, Irlanda worked for a realistic look, capturing
what it was like "seeing it through the water." Moved by all that he
learned about the travels and travails of the salmon, the artist named his
work "Silent Witness", because, he says, "the salmon have seen it all."
In November 2001, the Gates may be interested in bidding on Irlanda's fish,
knowing that it perfectly matches their color scheme, is enhanced with a
solid investment in gold, and the proceeds will support One Reel's Wild
Salmon Project. (www.onereel.org/salmon)
Other fish in the Northwest Court at Seattle Center range from delicate
patterning to bold black or gold, one flame motif, a surface of glass
marbles, another of recyled tab tops and other bits of metal, and a map of
the Stillaguamish river. The other artists are:
Alfredo Arreguin, Juan Carlos Castellanos, Jon Milazzo, Richard Kehl, Eric
Krag, Barbara Thomas, LynnDinino, Peggy Van Bianchi, Frank Samuelson.
Bumbershoot runs through Monday Sept 4.
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