Waiting for the Interurban
Encyclopedia
Waiting for the Interurban is a 1979 cast
aluminum sculpture
collection in the Fremont
neighborhood of Seattle. It is located on the southeast corner of N. 34th Street and Fremont Avenue N., just east of the northern end of the Fremont Bridge. It consists of six people and a dog standing under a shelter and waiting for public transportation — specifically, the Seattle-Everett
Interurban
. Actually, the six figures would have waited for a very long time, as the mock stop faces 34th, rather than Fremont Ave where the Interurban ran.
The sculptor, local resident Richard Beyer
, included several subtleties in the sculpture which reward close viewing. There is also some gentle needling of a local Fremont political leader and pioneer in municipal recycling
, Armen Napoleon Stepanian. People living and working in the Fremont neighborhood often dress the characters in apparel appropriate to the season (termed "art attacks" by some) to the extent that, when those unfamiliar with the sculpture drive by, it is not always immediately obvious that those standing under the 'shelter' are actually statues.
On May 16, 2004, the heads of the six figures were covered in black hoods in an apparent reference to the torture of Iraqi prisoners in Abu Ghraib
.
During the repairs of the Fremont Bridge in 2006-2007, the sculpture was moved about 100 meters east of its usual location, to History House at the corner of N. 34th Street and Troll Avenue N.; Troll Avenue runs up a hill to the Fremont Troll
. History House also has exhibits showing some of the most imaginative displays by people who have decorated the statues over the years.
In 2008, after the sculpture was returned to the original location, another sculpture was added just down the street. Known as Late for the Interurban, the statue portrays 1970's Seattle TV clown J. P. Patches
and his sidekick Gertrude.
Casting
In metalworking, casting involves pouring liquid metal into a mold, which contains a hollow cavity of the desired shape, and then allowing it to cool and solidify. The solidified part is also known as a casting, which is ejected or broken out of the mold to complete the process...
aluminum sculpture
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
collection in the Fremont
Fremont, Seattle, Washington
Fremont is a neighborhood in Seattle, Washington. Originally a separate city, it was annexed to Seattle in 1891. Named after Fremont, Nebraska, the hometown of two of its founders, L. H. Griffith and E...
neighborhood of Seattle. It is located on the southeast corner of N. 34th Street and Fremont Avenue N., just east of the northern end of the Fremont Bridge. It consists of six people and a dog standing under a shelter and waiting for public transportation — specifically, the Seattle-Everett
Everett, Washington
Everett is the county seat of and the largest city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. Named for Everett Colby, son of founder Charles L. Colby, it lies north of Seattle. The city had a total population of 103,019 at the 2010 census, making it the 6th largest in the state and...
Interurban
Interurban
An interurban, also called a radial railway in parts of Canada, is a type of electric passenger railroad; in short a hybrid between tram and train. Interurbans enjoyed widespread popularity in the first three decades of the twentieth century in North America. Until the early 1920s, most roads were...
. Actually, the six figures would have waited for a very long time, as the mock stop faces 34th, rather than Fremont Ave where the Interurban ran.
The sculptor, local resident Richard Beyer
Richard Beyer
Richard Beyer is an American sculptor from Pateros, Washington. As of March 2000, Beyer had made 77 sculptures.Beyer is most well known for his sculpture Waiting for the Interurban located in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle, Washington. The sculpture, which is one of the most popular works of...
, included several subtleties in the sculpture which reward close viewing. There is also some gentle needling of a local Fremont political leader and pioneer in municipal recycling
Recycling
Recycling is processing used materials into new products to prevent waste of potentially useful materials, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reduce energy usage, reduce air pollution and water pollution by reducing the need for "conventional" waste disposal, and lower greenhouse...
, Armen Napoleon Stepanian. People living and working in the Fremont neighborhood often dress the characters in apparel appropriate to the season (termed "art attacks" by some) to the extent that, when those unfamiliar with the sculpture drive by, it is not always immediately obvious that those standing under the 'shelter' are actually statues.
On May 16, 2004, the heads of the six figures were covered in black hoods in an apparent reference to the torture of Iraqi prisoners in Abu Ghraib
Abu Ghraib
The city of Abu Ghraib in the Baghdad Governorate of Iraq is located just west of Baghdad's city center, or northwest of Baghdad International Airport. It has a population of 189,000. The old road to Jordan passes through Abu Ghraib...
.
During the repairs of the Fremont Bridge in 2006-2007, the sculpture was moved about 100 meters east of its usual location, to History House at the corner of N. 34th Street and Troll Avenue N.; Troll Avenue runs up a hill to the Fremont Troll
Fremont Troll
The Fremont Troll is a piece of public art in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle, Washington in the United States.-Description:...
. History House also has exhibits showing some of the most imaginative displays by people who have decorated the statues over the years.
In 2008, after the sculpture was returned to the original location, another sculpture was added just down the street. Known as Late for the Interurban, the statue portrays 1970's Seattle TV clown J. P. Patches
J. P. Patches
J.P. Patches is a clown portrayed by Seattle entertainer Chris Wedes . The J.P. Patches Show was one of the longer-running locally-produced children's television programs in the United States, having appeared on Seattle TV station KIRO channel 7 from 1958 to 1981...
and his sidekick Gertrude.