4Culture News

A Special Collection Recognizes Sustained Excellence

George Tsutakawa (1910-1997). Sandworm, 1986. Stainless steel. King County Administration Building, Seattle, WA. King County Public Art Collection. Photo: joefreemanjunior.com

Artworks by some of our region’s most renowned artists give meaning and character to public spaces all around the county. George Tsutakawa’s Sandworm, an undulating steel sculpture inspired by a burrowing marine animal, anchors the 5th Avenue entrance to the King County Administration Building. An abstract painting by William Ivey—once a student of Mark Rothko—exudes shades of blue in a district courtroom. The Palace of Darius by Mary Henry conveys feeling through meticulously distilled forms at the Maleng Regional Justice Center. Inside the Dexter Horton Building, the complex honeycomb of Cris Bruch’s Mantle appears to glow.

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32nd Annual SHPO Awards Honor Dr. Dorothy Laigo Cordova and FANHS

Dr. Dorothy Laigo Cordova, Founder/Executive Director of the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS), with FANHS friends after Dorothy received the Washington SHPO Award for Outstanding Lifetime Achievement, May 2023. Photo courtesy of Emily P. Lawsin.

May is Preservation Month and Asian American and Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month! In celebration of both, we’re thrilled to highlight news that the Washington State Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation (DAHP) has honored 4Culture grant recipient Dr. Dorothy Laigo Cordova with the 2023 SHPO Award for Outstanding Lifetime Achievement.

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Laura Da’ Selected as Poet Planner

We are thrilled to announce that Laura Da’ has been selected as the next Poet Planner for the 2023-2025 4Culture poetry program. Laura will work with 4Culture, King County Metro, and communities across King County to shine a light on diverse poetic traditions and empower people of all ages to write poems—whether they consider themselves to be a poet or are writing a poem for the first time.

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50 Years: Exploring the ever-growing King County Public Art Collection

Jacob Lawrence (1917–2000). Games, 1979. Vitreous enamel on steel. 108 x 216 inches. Seattle Convention Center, Seattle, WA. King County Public Art Collection. Photo: joefreemanjunior.com

Earthworks and oil paintings. Bronzes and mosaic murals. Artist-designed bridges and transit experiences. Today the King County Public Art Collection contains nearly 2,500 works of art in a vast array of forms and materials. Whether made by an emerging artist or an established expert, each of these works has a story. How was it created? What inspired it? What does it say about our cultural history?

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