Reading your report “Counterbalance Park sculpture approved by city,” Queen Anne News, May 23, 2012, makes Seattle Park’s decision on Uptown Alliance’s five-stone artwork in landscape Architect Robert Murase’s Counterbalance Park really seem carved in stone.
Perhaps it is time for Queen Anne to know that the Uptown Alliance artwork is a miniature imitation of Murase’s 505 Union Station Plaza and perhaps is also in imitation of Murase’s Japanese American Historical Plaza in Portland.
John Gessner, chief designer on the Uptown Alliance parks committee, referred me to 505 Union Station Plaza years ago in connection with the Uptown Alliance artwork. This would make the Uptown Alliance artwork more derivative than Queen Anne’s high standard of beautiful public art in Kerry Park and the Betty Bowen Viewpoint.
Flora Ninelles
Queen Anne
Correction notice:
In last week’s News, we stated Counterbalance Park occupied the site of the infamous “Blob.”
A Queen Anne resident of 47 years, Allen Rosenthal, corrected us via email: “The Blob was located on the property to the east of the park where the condo is located. FYI - the business in the Blob was a Mexican restaurant by the name of “Beso del Sol.” The site of the park was a gas/service station.”
Thank you, Allen.