Jet Kiss

Jet Kiss
The sculpture in May 2015
ArtistMike Ross
Year2015 (2015)
TypeSculpture
Medium
  • Steel
  • aluminum
  • paint
SubjectDouglas A-4 Skyhawks
Dimensions90 feet (27 m) long
LocationSeattle, Washington
Coordinates47°37′9.12″N 122°19′12.72″W / 47.6192000°N 122.3202000°W / 47.6192000; -122.3202000
OwnerSound Transit
Websitemikerossart.net/jetkiss

Jet Kiss is a 2015 sculpture by American artist Mike Ross, installed at the Capitol Hill light rail station in Seattle, Washington. The 90-foot-long (27 m) sculpture consists of two decommissioned A-4 Skyhawk fighter jets that were sliced and arranged nose-to-nose; the piece is suspended above the station's platform level.

Jet Kiss was commissioned by Sound Transit as part of their public art program in 2008, during planning and final design of the station. The initial concept was met with a mixed reception from the public over its use of warplanes, resulting in design modifications. It was installed in early 2015, and the station was opened to the public on March 19, 2016.

Description

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The sculpture is suspended above the Capitol Hill station platform.

Mike Ross's Jet Kiss is suspended approximately 50 feet (15 m) above the platform of Capitol Hill station, a light rail station in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood.[1][2] The piece consists of two decommissioned United States Navy A-4 Skyhawk fighter jets, which were disassembled and painted magenta and yellow.[1] The military markings are preserved with a layer of translucent paint. Both jets are arranged nose-to-nose and span 90 feet (27 m) along the platform, fitting between struts that form the station's walls.[1][3]

Ross said he wanted the piece to exude organic forms, drawn from the city and its surroundings. The choice of magenta and yellow paint for the jets was a move to offset the city's stereotypical overcast skies. The choice of jets was a reference to the city's aviation history; its use of a non-aggressive and bird-like arrangement (itself a reference to the city bird, the Blue heron) was a counter to the inherent aggressiveness of jets as a symbol.[4][5][6]

The piece was given a budget of $440,000 by Sound Transit's public art program.[7] Jet Kiss is joined by two murals from local cartoonist Ellen Forney at two of the three entrances to the station; Forney stated that she designed one of her pieces, "Crossed Pinkies", as a response to Jet Kiss.[8]

As part of regular maintenance, Jet Kiss is cleaned of dust during overnight shifts by transit workers.[2]

History and public reaction

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Detail of the sculpture in 2015

Sound Transit, Seattle's regional transit operator, adopted a public art funding program in 1998.[9] The program, known as "STart", allocates one percent of construction costs to art for all Sound Transit projects, including light rail.[10] Construction of the $1.9 billion University Link Extension included $1.25 million for public art through the STart program;[7] $550,000 was specifically allocated for Capitol Hill station, located in one of the city's arts-heavy neighborhoods.[11][12]

A national call for artists was conducted in 2007, with 120 entrants submitting proposals to Sound Transit. Out of them, Brooklyn-based Mike Ross was selected unanimously by the station art panel in February 2008; Ross was sought out by Sound Transit art director Barbara Luecke after seeing his sculpture "Big Rig Jig" at Burning Man.[7][12]

Ross presented his initial concept of deconstructed fighter jets at an open house in April, and was met with negative reactions from members of the public. The piece was criticized for its use of "instruments of war", and Ross himself criticized for being a non-resident.[13] The 43rd District Democrats passed a unanimous resolution calling for "more culturally sensitive themes for public art [...] instead of warplanes" and the hiring of local talent.[14][15][16] Ross was taken aback by the criticism, telling New York's Village Voice that he "definitely didn't expect to get resistance from left-wing political activists".[17] Cartoonist Ellen Forney, whose work would also be used at the station, defended Ross's work and called his proposal "thought-provoking" and "something that's not 'safe' and totally public art-y".[18]

A second public open house was held in June, to more favorable reactions.[19] A revised design was presented in October, re-arranging the jets into more abstract shapes and arranging them to "kiss" rather than "dogfight".[20][21] The piece, called "Together", was approved by Sound Transit and granted a budget of $484,000 in August 2009.[22]

The two fighter jets were acquired from a scrapyard in Arizona,[23] and were sent to Ross's studio in Oakland, California for disassembly and reconfiguration.[24] Jet Kiss, as it was later renamed, was installed at Capitol Hill station in February 2015.[25] The station opened to the public on March 19, 2016.[26]

Critical response

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In a 2016 review, Gary Faigin, director of the Gage Academy of Art and art critic for The Seattle Times, called the piece "ambitious" but lacking in execution, with obstructed views from the station's architecture at track level hindering its completeness. Faigin, however, complimented that it comes together from views at the mezzanine and escalators.[27]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "Jet Kiss". Mike Ross. Archived from the original on September 23, 2016. Retrieved September 11, 2016.
  2. ^ a b Gray, Bruce (May 4, 2017). "Keeping it clean underground". The Platform. Sound Transit. Archived from the original on May 5, 2017. Retrieved May 5, 2017.
  3. ^ McNichols, Joshua (March 17, 2016). "Why Jets Kiss Above The New Capitol Hill Light Rail Platform". KUOW. Archived from the original on September 7, 2016. Retrieved September 11, 2016.
  4. ^ Murakami, Kery (May 29, 2008). "No Parking Anytime: Is Sound Transit fighter plane sculpture threatened?". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Archived from the original on September 12, 2016. Retrieved September 11, 2016.
  5. ^ "Seattle Design Commission Minutes of the Meeting, March 20, 2008" (PDF). Seattle Design Commission. March 20, 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 21, 2017. Retrieved September 11, 2016.
  6. ^ Lindblom, Mike (April 4, 2008). "Sculptor envisions colorful steel birds for Capitol Hill subway station". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on February 17, 2017. Retrieved September 11, 2016.
  7. ^ a b c "Sound Transit Motion No. M2009-64 Staff Report: Contract Amendment for Artists Services for Capitol Hill Station" (PDF). Sound Transit. August 6, 2009. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 12, 2016. Retrieved September 11, 2016.
  8. ^ Stepankowsky, Anastasia (December 15, 2015). "Artist Reflects On Capitol Hill Station Projects". Capitol Hill Times. Archived from the original on December 22, 2015. Retrieved September 11, 2016.
  9. ^ "Regional Transit Authority Resolution No. 98-1" (PDF). Sound Transit. January 22, 1998. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 17, 2017. Retrieved September 11, 2016.
  10. ^ "STart Public Art Program". Sound Transit. Archived from the original on June 12, 2010. Retrieved September 11, 2016.
  11. ^ Caldbick, John (September 23, 2015). "City council names Capitol Hill neighborhood Seattle's first officially recognized Arts & Cultural District on November 17, 2014". HistoryLink. Archived from the original on September 18, 2016. Retrieved September 11, 2016.
  12. ^ a b Lindblom, Mike (February 23, 2008). ""Big Rig Jig" artist lands Sound Transit gig". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on September 12, 2016. Retrieved September 11, 2016.
  13. ^ Holden, Dominic (April 4, 2008). "Sound Transit Station Design Meeting: Nothing Says "Capitol Hill" Like Fighter Jets". The Stranger. Archived from the original on October 17, 2012. Retrieved September 11, 2016.
  14. ^ Graves, Jen (May 15, 2008). "Bad Censors Can Make Any Art Look Good". The Stranger. Archived from the original on May 8, 2012. Retrieved September 11, 2016.
  15. ^ Van Cleve, Janice (April 18, 2008). "Capitol Hill rejects Sound Transit's warplane décor". Seattle Gay News. p. 4. Archived from the original on February 17, 2017. Retrieved September 11, 2016.
  16. ^ Postman, David (April 17, 2008). "Dems say Sound Transit art is culturally insensitive". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on September 12, 2016. Retrieved September 11, 2016.
  17. ^ Moskowitz, Gary (August 27, 2008). "Hit It Big With Your Art at Burning Man?". Village Voice. Archived from the original on September 12, 2016. Retrieved September 11, 2016.
  18. ^ Holden, Dominic (April 4, 2008). "Ellen Forney on Fighter Jets". The Stranger. Archived from the original on May 13, 2012. Retrieved September 11, 2016.
  19. ^ Graves, Jen (June 10, 2008). "What Do We Want? Fighter Jets!". The Stranger. Archived from the original on May 11, 2012. Retrieved September 11, 2016.
  20. ^ Holden, Dominic (October 22, 2008). "Kiss and Make Nice". The Stranger. Archived from the original on May 18, 2016. Retrieved September 11, 2016.
  21. ^ jseattle (October 23, 2008). "4 changes for the Capitol Hill light rail jets". Capitol Hill Seattle Blog. Archived from the original on February 17, 2017. Retrieved September 11, 2016.
  22. ^ "Pink fighter jets headed for Capitol Hill light rail station". The Seattle Times. August 7, 2009. Archived from the original on October 11, 2016. Retrieved September 11, 2016.
  23. ^ Frizzelle, Christopher (May 27, 2015). "How Many People Does It Take to Install Two Hot-Pink Fighter Jets Kissing in a Light Rail Station?". The Stranger. Archived from the original on July 16, 2016. Retrieved September 11, 2016.
  24. ^ jseattle (July 31, 2014). "Blue Angels above Seattle, Jet Kiss below Capitol Hill". Capitol Hill Seattle Blog. Archived from the original on September 27, 2016. Retrieved September 11, 2016.
  25. ^ "University Link Extension". Link Light Rail Program Progress Report, March 2015 (PDF) (Report). Sound Transit. March 2015. p. 18. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 17, 2017. Retrieved September 11, 2016.
  26. ^ Beekman, Daniel (March 19, 2016). "Capitol Hill, UW light-rail stations open to big crowds". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on January 1, 2017. Retrieved September 11, 2016.
  27. ^ Faigin, Gary (April 24, 2016). "New light-rail stations show off energetic public art". The Seattle Times. p. H5. Archived from the original on September 10, 2017. Retrieved September 11, 2016.
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