A Sound Garden

A Sound Garden
ArtistDouglas Hollis
Year1982–1983
TypeSound sculpture
MediumSteel
Dimensions6.4 m (21 ft)
LocationSeattle, Washington, U.S.
Coordinates47°41′08″N 122°15′00″W / 47.685444°N 122.249972°W / 47.685444; -122.249972
OwnerNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

A Sound Garden is an outdoor public art work in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is one of six such works on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) campus, which lies adjacent to Warren G. Magnuson Park on the northwestern shore of Lake Washington.[1][2] Designed and built by sculptor Douglas Hollis from 1982 to 1983, the sound sculpture is composed of twelve 21-foot (6.4 m) high steel tower structures, at the top of each of which hangs an organ pipe attached to a weather vane that produces soft-toned sounds when stirred by the wind.[1][2][3]

The sculpture attracts many visitors owing to its location overlooking Lake Washington, its visual and kinetic qualities, and its being the namesake of the Seattle rock band Soundgarden.[1][4][5] It became a makeshift memorial to Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell following his death in 2017.[6] While open to the public along with the other artworks on NOAA's campus, access to the area has been monitored and restricted with picture identification needed to enter.[7]

References

  1. ^ a b c "NOAA's Development of the Western Regional Center" Archived 2017-09-22 at the Wayback Machine. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved October 20, 2016.
  2. ^ a b "Magnuson Park Features: NOAA Art Walk and "Sound Garden"" Archived 2017-07-29 at the Wayback Machine. Seattle Parks and Recreation. Retrieved October 20, 2016.
  3. ^ Seattle's Sound Garden sculpture Archived 2021-10-26 at the Wayback Machine. Entertainment Weekly (official website). Retrieved October 26, 2021.
  4. ^ "Soundgarden: Biography". VH1. Archived from the original on 12 June 2007. Retrieved 2007-06-21.
  5. ^ Justin Nicholls. "Unofficial Soundgarden Homepage: Band History". Archived from the original on 16 June 2007. Retrieved 2007-06-20.
  6. ^ "Chris Cornell Memorial Erected at Seattle's Sound Garden Sculpture". Billboard. Archived from the original on 2017-05-19. Retrieved 2017-05-19.
  7. ^ "Magnuson Park Features". Archived from the original on 2022-05-07. Retrieved 2022-08-09.