Straight Shot

Description: A procession of 12 standing ink jade limestone sculptures run parallel to the calibration baseline.  The stones are perfectly aligned along a one-kilometer course that runs through the park.  In land surveying, as in art, spatial relationships may be expressed through classic algebraic terms. Between each pair of stones, the distance doubles over the course of a measured kilometer.  

The sightline offers a straight shot, thus the artwork’s name. Two circular holes drilled through each stone invite visitors to peer through, creating a framed perspective of trees, grass, sky and surrounding elements of the park. Sighting through the stones, the viewer will have the experience of making a targeted observation in the landscape, adopting the stance of surveyor calibrating his or her instruments.    

Artist Statement: My goal as an artist is to draw attention to that which is often overlooked or unheard so that one may derive a deeper sense of place. My work is about “amplifying” the obscure but also about providing ways to see the familiar in a new light. For 13 years I have visited this park and never knew the baseline existed, though I have walked by it many times. I hope this work helps folks connect with the specialness of subtle things and provide a new perspective on a familiar scene.

Watch: Seattle Channel Profile of Artist Perri Howard (2007)

Location: Warren G. Magnuson Park, 7400 Sand Point Way Northeast, Seattle WA  98123