Art in Public Places - University of WashingtonNine Spaces, Nine Trees, a seminal work by the conceptual artist Robert Irwin, was installed last summer at the University of Washington, adjacent to the Henry Art Gallery.
Originally commissioned by the City of Seattle in 1983 and situated on the roof of the Public Safety Building, its existence became threatened when the building was slated for demolition.
Because the work was site-specific and included elements that could not be disassembled and stored, the City needed a creative solution for preservation. Through a complex arrangement involving the City of Seattle, the Washington State Arts Commission, the University of Washington, and the artist, Nine Spaces Nine Trees was transferred to the State Art Collection, redesigned, and reconstructed in its new location based on the original concept. Irwin traveled to Seattle to help locate the new campus site and substantially reworked his installation as an improvement on the original and one more responsive to its new home. | ||||
