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Gearing up for the summer, Seattle Monorail Services has partnered with Seattle Center and the City of Seattle’s Office of Economic Development to showcase local art on the historic Seattle Center Monorail guideway columns. The Monorail Column Mural Project is part of the City’s efforts to support the economic and cultural recovery of downtown Seattle by activating the 5th Avenue corridor. Artwork is located on 14 monorail columns along 5th Avenue between Broad Street and Pine Street.
“We are excited to see these vibrant murals along 5th Avenue, enriching our community and inspiring all who visit,” said Seattle Center Director, Marshall Foster. “This initiative showcases incredible local art, and community partnerships, and plays a vital role in downtown Seattle's cultural and economic revitalization. Seattle Center is deeply grateful to the Office of Economic Development for their support in bringing the Monorail Column Mural Project to life.”
The monorail column murals were created by local linocut artist and instructor, Leslie Nan Moon. Moon’s murals highlight cultural activities, community organizations, festivals, and attractions at Seattle Center and around the city. For the last decade, Moon visited Seattle Center weekly as a safe and fun space to explore and spend time with her severely autistic son. Moon explained, “Sharing art is crucial to me. Art fuels my soul as does helping others discover how it can help them as well.”
A child looking at a drawing
To create learning opportunities for local youth, Moon built community partnerships and worked with Pratt Fine Arts Center, Seattle Print Arts, and YouthCare. She conducted workshops for over 40 young people in our community teaching them the process of making linocut art starting with design, working through ink mixing, and finally printing. Moon’s linocut art workshops served elementary students from Pratt’s youth art program as well as teens from YouthCare’s Orion Center. From the youth workshops, three of the monorail column murals feature collages of their work representing Seattle Center festival themes such as Bite of Seattle, Winterfest, and Bumbershoot.
The vibrant linocut art will brighten and enliven 5th Avenue for the next year. The monorail column murals will be included in the Seattle Center Art Tour Presented by Alaska Airlines which provides the opportunity for a self-guided art tour of over 50 works of art.
In partnership with Visit Seattle and Seattle Center, Seattle Monorail Services first piloted monorail column mural art in July 2023 to celebrate MLB All Star Week in Seattle.
Seattle Center Monorail is owned by the City of Seattle, overseen by Seattle Center, and operated by Seattle Monorail Services. Megan Ching, President of Seattle Monorail Services, says, “Since the 1962 World’s Fair, Seattle Center Monorail has served as a city connector and continues to be a front door to Seattle Center. We look forward to supporting community engagement, local art, and re-energizing downtown Seattle with the Monorail Column Mural Project.”
For more information, visit https://www.seattlemonorail.com/monorail-murals/